Energy from The Sun Student - Led Station Lab - New TEKS 8.10A

This modular, student-led activity is fully aligned with TEKS 2021 standard 8.10A and will keep your middle schoolers engaged while exploring how energy from the Sun interacts with the hydrosphere and atmosphere to influence weather and climate. With everything included, you’ll save a ton of prep time while empowering your students to guide their own learning.

In this interactive lab, students will describe and model how solar energy drives Earth’s systems, shaping both local weather and global climate. Perfect for in-class or virtual learning, this flexible activity makes big science concepts accessible and engaging.

Differentiated, Modular, and Student-Centered

Each station lab includes nine differentiated activities, creating a personalized learning experience for every student. Teachers act as facilitators while students work independently or collaboratively to build understanding.

All signage, resources, and task cards are included. The Explore It! station may require a few simple classroom materials you already have.

The Stations

Input Stations – Learn the Concepts

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or digital drag-and-drop in PowerPoint/Google Slides

• Watch It! – Short video with comprehension prompts

• Read It! – Differentiated passages (English & Spanish) with vocabulary and comprehension practice

• Research It! – Website-based task with facts, images, and graphs

Output Stations – Show Understanding

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts/manipulatives

• Illustrate It! – Sketches or diagrams showing solar energy’s influence on weather and climate

• Write It! – Open-ended short-answer prompts

• Assess It! – Task cards + vocabulary-in-context writing activity

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Extension tasks such as crosswords, games, and mini-projects for early finishers and advanced learners

Virtual & In-Class Flexibility

This station lab is fully compatible with Google Slides and PowerPoint, making it easy to implement in both digital and traditional classrooms.

Why Teachers Love It:

• Differentiated for all learner needs

• Multimodal design keeps students engaged

• Flexible for print or digital instruction

• Minimal prep required

This resource is also included in the Energy from the Sun 5E Lesson Plan, which expands into editable presentations, interactive notebooks, student-choice projects, assessments, and more.