The lesson plan for middle school technology activity day on efficiency of solar cells

The paper focuses on the conversion of light into electricity and presents the lesson plan for a middle school technology activity day on the efficiency of solar cells. In the theoretical part of the paper, the structure and functioning of the photovoltaic cells are discussed. The first part of the paper also explains how the photovoltaic cells which generate direct current function in larger systems. In the theoretical part of the paper, also includes a chapter which analyses the function of current transducers /converters. The issue of the efficiency of photovoltaic cells and the influence of the parameters, such as: the density of solar radiation, the temperature of the photovoltaic panel, the illumination angle, the size of the surface and the number of solar cells that have parallel and serial bonds, are addressed as well in this chapter. At the end of the theoretical part, the influence of the photovoltaic cells on the environment is also presented. The empirical part of the thesis is dedicated to the analyses of the results of the measurements, which were carried out in the laboratory of the Faculty of Education, and the lesson plan for a middle school technology activity day. With the measurements, we analyzed the influence of different wavelengths of radiation and the illumination angle on the amount of the produced electricity and thus the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells under different circumstances. The results helped us to make a draft of the lesson plan for a middle school technology activity day on the efficiency of solar cells, keeping in mind that the main aim of the of the technology activity day is to inform the students about the alternative and clean sources of energy, such as solar power. The pre- and post- tests, and educational recommendations were also prepared in order to help the teachers to carry out the technology activity day on the efficiency of solar cells