Making a Solar Oven
Lesson Plans
Grades5, 6, 7, 8Physics, Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering
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Provided by U.S. Department of Energy
What it is
- This activity from the US Department of Energy teaches students about solar ovens and provides instructions on building a simple solar cooker.
- The resource is a downloadable PDF with detailed instructions.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Students will be engaged in building a solar oven that actually works.
- Students of different learning types will be engaged in this hands-on activity.
Additional Prerequisites
- There is a list of materials needed for students to construct the ovens, but students could easily substitute with other materials.
- You could provide context for the activity with this resource about greenhouse gas emissions and this one about climate solutions.
Differentiation
- Social studies classes could use this resource to discuss solutions for communities experiencing power outages or in areas without electricity.
- A discussion about renewable energy and the use of solar in different parts of the world would be a logical follow-up to this activity.
- Have students carry out modifications to the provided design and challenge them to optimize their cookers.
- Similar resources to consider include this video about reusing materials to make a solar oven and these resources about "daylighting" homes and buildings and passive home design.
From the scientist review
This resource is a lesson plan describing how do build a solar oven as well as how a solar oven works. The lesson plan comes from the Department of Energy, and is clearly presented and simple. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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