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Performance task • Physics

Renewable Energy Systems Brief

Students pitch a solar microgrid retrofit by modeling radiant energy capture, storage trade-offs, and expected efficiency.

Grade 11 Time: 3 class periods NGSS HS-PS3

What you get

  • Launch scenario briefing, stakeholder constraints, and rubric-aligned success criteria.
  • Student planning workbook with space for energy calculations, circuit diagrams, and claim-evidence reasoning.
  • Editable scoring guide covering scientific communication, quantitative modeling, and feasibility analysis.

Teaching moves

  • Kick off with a gallery walk of renewable energy case studies to foreground authentic design constraints.
  • Assign expert groups to analyze energy, cost, or community impact data before reconvening to draft final briefs.
  • Host a panel presentation where students defend efficiency projections and respond to stakeholder questions.

Standards focus

  • NGSS HS-PS3-3 and HS-ETS1-3 for energy conversion and iterative design.
  • CCSS Literacy in Science RST.11-12.7 for integrating multiple data sources into coherent explanations.
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