Solar Oven

Grade 6-8

Science

5ClassPeriod

  1. Authors

Paul Hannasch and Katie Harris

  1. Standards

6th Grade - Heat and Thermal Energy

3. Heat moves in a predictable flow from warmer objects to cooler objects until all the objects are at the same temperature. As a basis for understanding this concept:

  1. Students know energy can be carried from one place to another by heat flow or by waves, including water, light and sound waves, or by moving objects.
  2. Students know that when fuel is consumed, most of the energy released becomes heat energy.
  3. Students know heat energy is also transferred between objects by radiation (radiation can travel through space).
Energy in the Earth System
  1. Many phenomena on Earth's surface are affected by the transfer of energy through radiation and convection currents. As a basis for understanding this concept:
  2. Students know the sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on Earth's surface; it powers winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle.
  3. Students know solar energy reaches Earth through radiation, mostly in the form of visible light.
  4. Students know convection currents distribute heat in the atmosphere and oceans.
  1. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will:
  2. Develop a hypothesis.
  3. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.
  4. Relationships between variables.

8th Grade – Chemical Reactions

  1. Chemical reactions are processes in which atoms are rearranged into different combinations of molecules. As a basis for understanding this concept:
  2. Students know the idea of atoms explains the conservation of matter: In chemical reactions the number of atoms stays the same no matter how they are arranged, so their total mass stays the same.
  3. Students know chemical reactions usually liberate heat or absorb heat.
  1. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will:
  2. Plan and conduct a scientific investigation to test a hypothesis.
  1. Objectives
  1. Students will conduct research activities in the classroom.
  2. Students will interact with probes and computers.
  3. Students will learn about and discuss the importance renewable resources.
  1. Introduction

Although most people probably only view the sun as a source of energy that provides warmth. But the sun is actually used as a most important renewable resource. We will discover how the sun can be used to prepare a variety of foods thus almost eliminating the need for electricity in preparing foods.

How is the sun used as a renewable resource?

  1. Vocabulary

a. Reactant

b. Chemical reaction

c. Heat energy

d. Radiation

e. Convection

f. Renewable resources

  1. Materials/Supplies
  • Temperature sensor
  • Recycled Pizza box
  • Foil
  • Graham crackers
  • Chocolate bars
  • Marshmallows
  • Storage bags
  • Heavy plastic
  • Water straws
  1. Procedures

See “Make a Pizza Solar Oven”

  1. Assessment

Graphs of Temperature change, completion of Handout, preparation of s’mores.

  1. Resources

Useful Internet Resources:

YouTube – solar cooker

Make a pizza box oven

*Kids Video on Global Warming

Watch convection simulations at:

Data Table

Time (minutes) / Temperature (celsius) / Observations
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40

1. What is a renewable resource? How does the pizza box oven represent a renewable resource?

2. In your own words describe what happens in the convection cycle. What is the interaction between the sun and the convection cycle?

3. What does each part of the experiment represent? Sun? Recycled pizza box? Foil? Plastic? Straws? Black construction paper?

Additional recipe:

English muffin pizza:

  • English muffins
  • Jar pizza sauce
  • Choice of shredded cheese

Spread sauce over muffin and sprinkle with cheese

Place in oven until warm and melted

Ready to eat!