Sun, Savings, and School Power

Products & Rubric

Plan

High School Grade Project 1 week

Sun, Savings, and School Power

Shemaiah K

Aug 4, 2026

Updated Aug 4, 2026

HS-ESS3-2

HS-PS3-3

HS-PS3-2

HS-PS3-3

+ 5 more

1-pager

The Challenge

You face an energy planning challenge in which decisions about solar depend on understanding both the physical system—how panels, inverters, and transformers convert sunlight into usable electricity—and the policy and financing rules that determine total cost. The issue is significant because procurement complexity, payment structure differences, and time-sensitive tax credit rules can change whether a solar project is financially viable, delaying clean energy adoption and long-term savings for communities.

Challenge Question

How might we help New York City schools decide when and how to install solar panels so they can lock in long-term energy savings and make informed choices about financing and policy?

Standards

[Next Generation Science Standards] HS-ESS3-2 - Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
[Next Generation Science Standards] HS-ESS3-2 - Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
[Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS3-3 - Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.
[Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS3-2 - Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as either motions of particles or energy stored in fields.
[Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS3-3 - Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

Competencies

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.

Learning Partners and Clients

New York City serves as the client and audience for student work, with students framing their recommendations around the needs of NYC public schools considering solar adoption. The NYC Public Schools system is a strong learning partner because students can tailor pitches to real school facilities, energy use, and budget questions. Additional relevant partners could include the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice and local solar developers, who can provide current context on school solar projects, procurement, and incentives.

Phase Overview

Phase	Key Experiences
Discover	I can investigate a mock NYC school solar case by comparing an electric bill, rooftop map, and tax-credit timeline to identify why schools may delay solar adoption and what technical and policy barriers are driving the challenge.
Examine	I can explain the difference between how solar energy works and how solar policy affects cost so I can evaluate school solar decisions more accurately. I can model what happens when sunlight reaches a PV panel and describe the jobs of the panel, inverter, and transformer so I can trace how energy becomes usable electricity. I can analyze a sample school’s energy use and estimate solar system size and savings so I can connect data to a realistic recommendation. I can compare buying, financing, and leasing through a PPA so I can weigh cost-benefit tradeoffs for a school. I can interview classmates in role as school decision-makers and ask follow-up procurement questions so I can understand what information matters before choosing a solar partner.
Engineer	I can develop a concise solar recommendation package for an NYC school that includes a sizing estimate, a cost-benefit comparison of payment options, a clear explanation of safe-harbor timing, and a persuasive pitch tailored to school leaders.
Do	I can deliver my recommendation to a school-stakeholder audience, gather feedback on clarity and credibility, track which evidence and messaging are most persuasive, and revise my conclusions based on the responses and data I collect.
Share	I can share my team’s solar recommendation and learning journey in a live pitch-and-question session with peers, staff, families, or community partners, while reflecting on how I grew in persistence, flexibility, communication, and problem solving.