Grade Level: 7th–12th Grade | Duration: 50 minutes (+ optional extension)
This hands-on STEAM lesson combines electrical engineering, ecology, and creative design as students build a working solar-powered paper circuit and use it as the foundation for imagining an “agrivoltaic campus.” Students construct a closed-loop circuit connecting a small solar panel and LED with copper conducting tape, then research and illustrate the native flora and fauna that could thrive alongside their miniature solar installation. By physically building a functioning circuit and pairing it with ecological research and artistic representation, students grasp both the technical mechanics of solar energy generation and the broader concept of agrivoltaics—the practice of co-locating solar panels with agriculture and habitat to maximize land use while supporting biodiversity. The lesson’s flexible design accommodates grades 7 through 12, scaling in depth from basic circuit-building to more sophisticated discussions of ecosystem compatibility and renewable energy siting.
Learning Objectives
Students will build a circuit with a solar panel and be able to describe agrivoltaics and how their circuit could support an agrivoltaic setup. Students will identify local flora and fauna that could coexist with and be supported by their agrivoltaics setup, and will imagine and create a visual representation of their agrivoltaic campus as it connects to social and cultural contexts.
Background & Context
Renewable Energy: Solar panels represent a form of renewable energy. Where to put solar panels and how they impact the ecosystems around them are important considerations for designing resilient communities.
Circuits: Understanding how to connect positive and negative terminals to build a closed-loop circuit so that current will be generated by light hitting the solar panel and lighting up an LED.
Agrivoltaics: Agrivoltaics is the practice of co-locating solar energy generation with agriculture, allowing farmers to produce both food and renewable energy on the same land. This dual-use system creates a microclimate that can reduce heat stress, conserve water, and improve crop resilience, though it requires careful selection of plants and animals to ensure compatibility.
Biodiversity and Needs of Various Flora and Fauna: Understanding which species need more or less sunlight, access to water, etc., and how this might be impacted by placement of solar panels.
Native vs. Invasive Species: Identifying species to support ecosystem health and diversity and farming practices.
Activity Structure
Engage Phase (20 minutes) – “Brainstorm it, then build it!”
The teacher introduces the concept of agrivoltaics and provides real-world examples. Students then brainstorm—individually in a notebook and/or with each other—an application of an agrivoltaics campus. Example prompts include a concert venue powered by solar panels with native plants surrounding it, a school powered by solar panels with a garden used for student lunches, or a travel stop powered by solar panels with EV charging stations alongside a beaver wetland and pollinator garden.
After brainstorming, the teacher shows an example of an agrivoltaics paper circuit and passes out the paper circuit materials. Students build their paper circuits with teacher guidance, identifying the positive and negative leads and setting up the solar panel and LED in series. Students tape the solar panel to the paper, taking care not to break the fragile wire connections, and ensure enough copper tape contacts each component (which may require tape both above and below). Students are invited to leave a gap or break in the circuit that can be closed with another item matching their brainstormed application (for example, an EV pulling into a parking spot)—teachers can also experiment with using a paperclip as a switch.
Explore Phase (15 minutes) – “Identify it!”
Students take a field trip outside and/or conduct a web search to identify species that would thrive on their agrivoltaics campuses. This research phase connects the technical circuit-building work to real ecological considerations, prompting students to think critically about which native flora and fauna would be compatible with a solar installation in their specific context.
Evaluate Phase (15 minutes) – “Create and share it!”
Students receive decoration materials and draw representations of the species they identified around their paper circuit, decorating and labeling their agrivoltaic campus. Students then show-and-tell their paper circuit agrivoltaics campus, either one-on-one or through a presentation to the class, practicing communication of both technical and ecological reasoning behind their design choices.
Materials Required
Paper Circuit materials:
- Small solar panels
- Mini LEDs
- Copper conducting tape
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Scotch tape
Decoration materials:
- Markers, crayons, colored pencils
- Scissors
- Optional: other items for decoration
Extension Activities
Teachers can extend this lesson through two real-world connections:
- Take a field trip to an actual agrivoltaics campus, such as the Little USA Solar campus in Union Springs, Alabama
- Reach out to guest speakers from agrivoltaics campuses and invite them to share about their work
Standards Alignment
This lesson is designed to flex across multiple grade levels and subject areas, aligning with several Alabama College and Career Ready Science Standards (ALCOS):
7th Grade Life Science:
- Biodiversity SC23.7.E.B: Design a solution to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services in a given scenario
8th Grade Physical Science:
- SC23.8.16: Develop and use a model to construct an explanation of how electrical energy is transferred and transformed
9-12th Environmental Science:
- Unity and Diversity SC23.ES.3: Construct an explanation of how biotic and abiotic factors affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems
- Earth and Human Activity SC23.ES.6: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to describe the use of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources
9-12th Physical Science:
- Matter and Its Interactions/Solutions SC23.PS.6: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to explain how the properties of various types of solutions make them useful in real-world applications
9-12th Physics:
- Waves SC23.PHYS.WTA.W: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information regarding the propagation, properties, and applications of waves
9th-12th Art:
- CONNECTING 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding
Teacher Resources & References
The lesson plan references the following sources for background reading and project extension:
- Wikipedia: Agrivoltaics overview
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): “Agrivoltaics: How combining solar panels and farming delivers big benefits”
- The Solarpunks: “Best Crops for Agrivoltaics: Growing Food & Harvesting Solar Energy”
- HowStuffWorks/NASA: “Adding Solar Panels to Farms Is Good for Plants, Animals and People”
- Science World: Paper Circuits resource guide
- Instructables: “Make a Light-Up Solar-Powered Paper House” (example project)