•    Observations and project work

Observations will be carried out both as a whole class activity and as group project work. Some observations will be done collaboratively by more than one school; some will be done independently.  An example of the former would be measuring the height of the sun during the day as a function of latitude. An example of the latter would be developing an equatorial mount for a solar cell module. Other observations include:
-    monitoring the number and position of sunspots on the solar disc to determine the Sun’s rotation rate and rotation axis, and to investigate the equation of time (the difference between real sun time and the mean or clock  time) for the different locations of the participating schools
-    determining the difference between solar noon (the sun at its zenith) and 12.00 a.m.
-    determining the latitude of the different schools by measuring the sight direction of the Sun during solar noon.
-    constructing photographic models of the local horizons at the different schools to investigate the motion of the Sun in the sky
-    determining the luminosity or power of the sun and how it varies at the different locations and seasons
-    using different types of sundial constructed by the pupils themselves to investigate the apparent motion of the Sun across the sky
-    the use of spectrometers constructed by the pupils themselves. 
-    monitoring the sun though a dedicated solar telescope to view phenomena such as solar prominences and flares

•    Communication and reporting

Sharing ideas and results with pupils from other schools will be central to the whole project and it will involve the use of a range of communication channels such as email, an electronic forum, video conferencing and a dedicated web site. Pupils will be encouraged to use a second language, be it English or French, in their communications.

•    Research

In order to carry out observations and project work successfully, pupils will have to research for relevant information and deepen their theoretical background.

•    Visit

One of the schools will host a visit from the other participating schools each year. This three-day visit will include a conference / workshop at which the results of the pupils’ project work will be presented. There will also be a programme of visits and other cultural experiences.