Solar Education Training & Support

Let's talk about using energy dashboards in the classroom! Whether or not your school has a renewable energy installation, our goal is to support your use of energy data and dashboards with your learners. In particular, solar PV generation dashboards are a powerful way to bring the topic of renewable energy to life in the classroom and connect to concepts of spatial thinking, scientific inquiry, and data literacy.

Solar Dashboard Lesson Series             Instructional Support      

Solar Energy Lessons and Activites      Additional Mapping Opportunities         

Support for Green Teams and Schools  


Solar Dashboard Lesson Series

KEEP is excited to share the full series of solar dashboard lessons created for Wisconsin educators and students!

Lower Elementary - Solar Dashboard Exploration -

Classroom Slideshow   Student Activity Worksheet

Students use solar dashboards to explore how the amount of energy produced by solar panels compares to the amount of energy used in school. Grades 1-4.

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​Middle and High School - Solar Dashboard Exploration - 

Classroom Slideshow   Student Activity Worksheet


Students learn how to access, navigate, and interpret information found in a typical solar PV generation dashboard. They will explore differences in solar generation of a local solar array and how the electricity generated compares to the average electricity usage of your household. Grades 5-12.


Solar Energy Potential - Dashboard Global Inquiry -

Classroom Slideshow  Student Activity Worksheet

Students will explore differences in solar potential and solar power generation as well as the challenges of using solar energy to meet energy demand across the globe in this online and map-based inquiry activity. Designed for science, social studies, and math. Grades 9-12. 

A Map is Worth a Million Words - 

Classroom Slideshow   Student Activity Worksheet

Students learn the importance of geography and geographic information systems (GIS) and how visualizing data in ArcGIS can be useful to uncovering patterns in renewable energy use. Through an online and map-based inquiry activity, students apply their new knowledge to determine if Wisconsin is an ideal location for solar electricity generation. Grades 6-12. 

​Instructional Support 

Introduction to Solar Dashboards as a Teaching Tool   

Watch Here

Learn about how using solar energy data and dashboards in the classroom can meet your teaching goals. Whether your K-12 school has a solar array or not, solar PV generation dashboards are a powerful way to bring the topic of renewable energy to life in the classroom and connect to concepts of spatial thinking, scientific inquiry, and data literacy.  


Customized Dashboard Training: Invite KEEP staff to collaborate one-on-one or as part of a department or team meeting for customized dashboard training or curriculum planning. Email KEEP

Solar Dashboard Navigation Tutorial   

Watch Here

Learn how to how to access, navigate, and interpret information found in a typical solar PV generation dashboard.

Dive Deeper: Personalized Dashboard Navigation Tutorial. Request KEEP staff create a personalized training video or document using your dashboard for staff and/or students. Training includes how to access, navigate, and interpret dashboard features and data.  Email KEEP

Solar Energy Potential: Dashboard Technology as a Teaching Tool for Inquiry 

Register Here

This self-paced online course provides the educational framework and step-by-step guidance to integrate solar PV generation data and dashboards into your classroom. Take a deeper dive into the benefits of using solar dashboards, electricity generation data, and pre-made online maps to connect concepts of spatial thinking, scientific inquiry, and data literacy. Recommended for 6th-12th grade educators. Estimated time: 8 hours. Cost: $25.

Classroom Guest Speaker Presentation  

Email KEEP

Schedule KEEP to meet with your students. We can also suggest other energy, utility and solar experts for your classroom.


Solar Energy Lessons and Activities

Solar Energy Lessons for K-12 

Download List

Recommended KEEP lessons as standalone pieces or a complement to solar dashboard exploration.


Solar PV Lessons 

Visit Website

Designed for high school, community college, and technical college use from our partners at CREATE.

Hands-on Energy Trunks & Kits 

Reserve Kits

WCEE offers a variety of hands-on resources for educators. Explore "Trunks & Kits" tab to request the classroom Energy Audit Kit, Pedal Power energy bike, Sun Oven and other tools that make learning about energy tangible and fun. 

Connect to Place with Solar Energy: Outdoor and Indoor Activity and Lesson Sparks

Watch Video  or  View Slideshow

Discover ideas and resources with KEEP for outdoor and indoors activities that connect learners to concepts of solar energy and their local place.

Solar Storytime for Pre-K  

Watch Video

Follow along with KEEP as we read stories and create crafts about our friend the Sun. Featured books: Solar Power Comes to My Home by Susie Flann and Sun Song by Jean Marzollo.

Solar Energy Fact Sheets 

Solar Electricity  Download

Solar Heating  Download

Additional Mapping Opportunities

Mapped Collections of Solar in Wisconsin   

KEEP helps maintain current maps and data of schools with installed renewable energy, as well as a database and map of Wisconsin schools with publicly accessible online solar dashboards, in collaboration with RENEW Wisconsin and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. 

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EPA EnviroAtlas Interactive Map

Human health and well-being are closely tied to the environment, which provides benefits such as clean water, clean air, and protection from natural hazards, also known as ecosystem goods and services. EnviroAtlas provides geospatial data, easy-to-use tools, and other resources related to ecosystem services, their chemical and non-chemical stressors, and human health. 

Explore EnviroAtlas

ArcGIS for Schools

Every K-12 public, private, and home school, and youth-serving club is eligible to get the ArcGIS for Schools Bundle at no cost for instructional use. For additional assistance using ArcGIS in the classroom or acquiring the Schools Bundle contact:

Douglas Miskowiak, Senior GIS Education Specialist, UW-Stevens Point GIS Center, dmiskowi@uwsp.edu.


Support for Green Teams and Schools 

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KEEPing Green

KEEP offers mentorship and mini-grants to high school student teams starting or leading Green Teams that wish to reduce the carbon footprint of their school community. We understand each school will have a unique path towards sustainability and each team is on a different part of the journey. The first step is to connect with KEEP by attending a monthly "KEEPing Green" meeting or submitting the Mini-Grant Idea form.

Learn More

Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin

Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin, led by the Wisconsin Departments of Public Instruction and Natural Resources, is a movement of schools, community partners, and state agencies working together to catalyze a culture of sustainability and wellness in all Wisconsin schools.

Learn More


Solar on Schools 

Solar on Schools, led by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), aims to help Wisconsin schools realize the financial, educational, and community benefits of going solar. The program provides a range of resources and funding to Wisconsin schools, assisting with and simplifying the solar project development process. With generous support from the Couillard Solar Foundation, the Solar on Schools grant provides public Wisconsin K-12 schools and colleges access to an in-kind module grant, valued up to $20,000.  






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Additional Dashboard Opportunities

MeterHero

MeterHero empowers students to collect, analyze, and act upon their own utility data through their utility meter by providing real-life applications of scientific practices. Empowering project-based exploration that connects school to home and leverages students' own real data for authentic, uncanned, and rigorous learning. Accessible to all students: English and Spanish materials, all housing situations, income levels, and geographies, across all devices or without them. 

Request a courtesy account available for Wisconsin educators from KEEP

Renew Our Schools energy competition

Renew Our Schools is a five-week energy conservation competition and problem-based learning opportunity. School teams earn points as students learn key energy concepts and make behavioral changes that reduce energy consumption in their school and community. Points translate into a real-world prize pool to make more permanent conservation-focused changes in school buildings. Participating schools receive assistance in installing and using an eGauge electricity monitoring hardware and dashboard.

Inquire about sponsorship opportunities available for Wisconsin schools from KEEP and its partners