Donate - Solar Schoolhouse

*Scenes from Solar Schoolhouse Activities*

[December 2023]

Your donation will help empower students to engage in shaping a climate-friendly future!

For Any Donation = or > $100, we’ll include a Long Sleeve “Running on Sunshine” 100% cotton T-shirt. (see below). Add your Size preference in the comments when checking out. We have XL, L, M, S. If we run out of your requested size, we’ll provide the next nearest size available.

For the past 23 years The Rahus Institute has had the privilege of providing thousands of educators and students with hands-on learning experiences centering around clean energy and the environment through our Solar Schoolhouse program.

We have developed a variety of curriculum resources including Your Solar Home, Teaching Solar, The Magic of Solar Cells, Ecovillage along with hands-on resources and kits like the Solar Cell Classroom Set, Solar Whirlygigs, Solar Spin Art, Solar Fountain Sculpture Set, and the Solar Notebook Charger. These bring students a ‘solar experience’ and foster engineering challenges. In recent times, we have enhanced the traditional science focus of solar energy education by introducing solar/eco lessons that are strongly connected to social studies (community, making a difference, environmental justice) , and language arts (writing letters/articles, conducting research, presenting) teaching. This elevates the solar energy education experience and empowers students to become community changemakers as they continue their educational journey.

We are thinking ahead to 2024. How do we reach more students and community members and empower them to engage in the solutions and creativity needed for a climate friendly future?

Toward this goal we are looking for an influx of funding to update our website. We envision Quickguides for starting solar energy/climate focused lessons, self-guided tutorials for teachers, a teacher sharing forum, online teacher trainings, and a regular newsletter for highlighting projects from schools across the country.

We appreciate that in these challenging times donating funds can be difficult. But with a community effort many small donations added together will have an impact.

Thank you for your support of Solar Schoolhouse programs, whether you support us by participating, sharing us with others, or by a financial contribution, we appreciate you being a part of sustainable solutions in our community.

Tor Allen, Executive Director

The Rahus Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and donations are fully tax-deductible.

Give online via the Donate button or by sending a check payable to “The Rahus Institute” to 7966 Mill Station Rd., Sebastopol CA 95472

P.S. A donation of any size will help in our goal of empowering students to engage in the solutions and creativity needed for a climate friendly future OR consider buying a solar cell classroom kit for a school or teacher near you.

Purchase a Solar Cell Classroom Set and donate to a local school or teacher.

Invest in your community by providing this hands-on solar cell set to a local teacher or school. The Solar Set enables a class to discover the magic of solar cells through exploration of circuits, engineering several projects (Carnival & Whirlygig), and creating Solar Spin Art.

Making something move using the power of sunshine is a ‘wow’ moment. From there students are inspired to explore clean energy topics in greater depth.

A copy of the Magic of Solar Cells Poster is included. Together with a video highlighting the many uses of solar cells (photovoltaics) around the world, students research and share their findings, providing a greater perspective for the whole class and enhancing the hands-on experience.

Instructions for using the Solar Cell Classroom Set are provided online. Recommended for grades 4 and up.

Each Solar Cell Classroom Set includes: Digital Multi-meter, (1) 3V*1A solar module, (1) am/fm radio, buzzer, sound (music) modules, solar cells (0.5v*400mA) with wires & clips, motors, motor mounts, blue fans, yellow wheels, felt tip colored pen set, brass brads, double-sided tape.

There are two sizes.

#SCS4 (for class sizes 15-30+): (40) solar cells, (20) motors & mounts, (20) fans, (20) wheels, (20) sound modules. Plus 1 each of radio, 3V solar module, pen set, tape, brass fastener box, buzzer, digital multi-meter. Packaged in a box with dividers as shown. PRICE: $435 (includes shipping continental US, applicable tax applied at checkout)

#SCS4.5 (for class sizes 5-15): (20) solar cells, (10) motors & mounts, (10) fans, (10) wheels, (10) sound modules. Plus 1 each of radio, 3V solar module, pen set, tape, brass , buzzer, digital multi-meter. Packaged in a box with dividers as shown. PRICE: $295 (includes shipping continental US, applicable tax applied at checkout)

The Solar Cell Classroom Set will be shipped to your address, unless otherwise indicated in the check out process.