Build solar cooker Step by step

Cook Food Using the Sun Step by step

Here's the Materials You'll Need:

Empty pizza box
Aluminum foil
Plastic wrap
Tape
Pen or pencil
Scissors or utility knife
Ruler
Paper plate
Chocolate or marshmallows
Graham crackers
Thermometer (optional)
Safety note: The solar oven can get very hot. Use caution when handling.

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Step 2 of 8:

Draw a square around the lid of the pizza box about 2 inches away from the sides. Cut along three of the lines -- on the sides and front edge of the box -- leaving the fourth line along the box's back hinge uncut.

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Step 3 of 8:

Fold back the square flap. Cut a piece of foil to completely cover the flap. Tape it to the part of the flap that faces downward into the box, shiny side out. Make sure you press all the wrinkles out.

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Step 4 of 8:

Cut enough foil to cover all inside surfaces of the pizza box, both the bottom and the sides. Place the foil shiny side facing out and overlap the seams. Tape into place.

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Step 5 of 8:

Cut a piece of plastic wrap to cover the hole that the flap made in the box lid. Hint: Before cutting the plastic wrap, tape one end of it to the box lid and stretch it across so it covers the hole. Tape the plastic to the pizza box lid, sealing it tightly so no air can get out. Cut the wrap and finish taping it down.

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Step 6 of 8:

Place graham crackers and chocolate (or marshmallows) on top of the paper plate and place inside the cooker. You can try making different kinds of food, like a grilled cheese sandwich.

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Step 7 of 8:

Close the lid of the pizza box. Fold back the flap and prop it open with a ruler or stick. Place the box outside, with the flap facing the sun. The sun should reflect off the flap and into the box. Let the food cook until it's done, which may take 30 minutes to an hour. If you'd lke, you can place a thermometer inside the box and measure the temperature every 10 minutes to see how hot it gets. Enjoy your snack when it's ready!
Safety note: The solar oven can get very hot. Use caution when handling.

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Step 8 of 8:

The solar oven has a reflector that takes the light energy from the sun and concentrates it towards the baking chamber. The sun's rays are collected by the aluminum foil flap and concentrated on a single point inside the box. The rays are converted into heat energy. When an object such as chocolate or a hot dog is placed inside the box, it heats up and cooks.
This solar oven lets you cook anything that can be prepared in a conventional oven or stovetop. It can reach temperatures of 275 degrees - hot enough to cook food and kill germs in water. A general rule for cooking in a solar oven is to get the food in early and don't worry about overcooking. Expect cooking time to take about twice as long as conventional methods, and allow about half an hour for the solar oven to preheat.

Build solar cooker Step by step

Cook Food Using the Sun Step by step

Here's the Materials You'll Need:

Empty pizza box
Aluminum foil
Plastic wrap
Tape
Pen or pencil
Scissors or utility knife
Ruler
Paper plate
Chocolate or marshmallows
Graham crackers
Thermometer (optional)
Safety note: The solar oven can get very hot. Use caution when handling.

---

Step 2 of 8:

Draw a square around the lid of the pizza box about 2 inches away from the sides. Cut along three of the lines -- on the sides and front edge of the box -- leaving the fourth line along the box's back hinge uncut.

---

Step 3 of 8:

Fold back the square flap. Cut a piece of foil to completely cover the flap. Tape it to the part of the flap that faces downward into the box, shiny side out. Make sure you press all the wrinkles out.

---

Step 4 of 8:

Cut enough foil to cover all inside surfaces of the pizza box, both the bottom and the sides. Place the foil shiny side facing out and overlap the seams. Tape into place.

---

Step 5 of 8:

Cut a piece of plastic wrap to cover the hole that the flap made in the box lid. Hint: Before cutting the plastic wrap, tape one end of it to the box lid and stretch it across so it covers the hole. Tape the plastic to the pizza box lid, sealing it tightly so no air can get out. Cut the wrap and finish taping it down.

---

Step 6 of 8:

Place graham crackers and chocolate (or marshmallows) on top of the paper plate and place inside the cooker. You can try making different kinds of food, like a grilled cheese sandwich.

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Step 7 of 8:

Close the lid of the pizza box. Fold back the flap and prop it open with a ruler or stick. Place the box outside, with the flap facing the sun. The sun should reflect off the flap and into the box. Let the food cook until it's done, which may take 30 minutes to an hour. If you'd lke, you can place a thermometer inside the box and measure the temperature every 10 minutes to see how hot it gets. Enjoy your snack when it's ready!
Safety note: The solar oven can get very hot. Use caution when handling.

---

Step 8 of 8:

The solar oven has a reflector that takes the light energy from the sun and concentrates it towards the baking chamber. The sun's rays are collected by the aluminum foil flap and concentrated on a single point inside the box. The rays are converted into heat energy. When an object such as chocolate or a hot dog is placed inside the box, it heats up and cooks.
This solar oven lets you cook anything that can be prepared in a conventional oven or stovetop. It can reach temperatures of 275 degrees - hot enough to cook food and kill germs in water. A general rule for cooking in a solar oven is to get the food in early and don't worry about overcooking. Expect cooking time to take about twice as long as conventional methods, and allow about half an hour for the solar oven to preheat.

Cook Food Using the Sun Step by step

Cook Food Using the Sun Step by step

Here's the Materials You'll Need:

Empty pizza box
Aluminum foil
Plastic wrap
Tape
Pen or pencil
Scissors or utility knife
Ruler
Paper plate
Chocolate or marshmallows
Graham crackers
Thermometer (optional)
Safety note: The solar oven can get very hot. Use caution when handling.

---

Step 2 of 8:

Draw a square around the lid of the pizza box about 2 inches away from the sides. Cut along three of the lines -- on the sides and front edge of the box -- leaving the fourth line along the box's back hinge uncut.

---

Step 3 of 8:

Fold back the square flap. Cut a piece of foil to completely cover the flap. Tape it to the part of the flap that faces downward into the box, shiny side out. Make sure you press all the wrinkles out.

---

Step 4 of 8:

Cut enough foil to cover all inside surfaces of the pizza box, both the bottom and the sides. Place the foil shiny side facing out and overlap the seams. Tape into place.

---

Step 5 of 8:

Cut a piece of plastic wrap to cover the hole that the flap made in the box lid. Hint: Before cutting the plastic wrap, tape one end of it to the box lid and stretch it across so it covers the hole. Tape the plastic to the pizza box lid, sealing it tightly so no air can get out. Cut the wrap and finish taping it down.

---

Step 6 of 8:

Place graham crackers and chocolate (or marshmallows) on top of the paper plate and place inside the cooker. You can try making different kinds of food, like a grilled cheese sandwich.

---

Step 7 of 8:

Close the lid of the pizza box. Fold back the flap and prop it open with a ruler or stick. Place the box outside, with the flap facing the sun. The sun should reflect off the flap and into the box. Let the food cook until it's done, which may take 30 minutes to an hour. If you'd lke, you can place a thermometer inside the box and measure the temperature every 10 minutes to see how hot it gets. Enjoy your snack when it's ready!
Safety note: The solar oven can get very hot. Use caution when handling.

---

Step 8 of 8:

The solar oven has a reflector that takes the light energy from the sun and concentrates it towards the baking chamber. The sun's rays are collected by the aluminum foil flap and concentrated on a single point inside the box. The rays are converted into heat energy. When an object such as chocolate or a hot dog is placed inside the box, it heats up and cooks.
This solar oven lets you cook anything that can be prepared in a conventional oven or stovetop. It can reach temperatures of 275 degrees - hot enough to cook food and kill germs in water. A general rule for cooking in a solar oven is to get the food in early and don't worry about overcooking. Expect cooking time to take about twice as long as conventional methods, and allow about half an hour for the solar oven to preheat.

Build a Wind Turbine

Build a Wind Turbine

Step 1 of 7:

Here's the Materials You'll Need:

Three PVC pipes, one about 30 cm long and the others at least 15 cm long
Three PVC T-joints
One PVC elbow joint
Motor
Wire (about two feet long)
Wire cutters
Hub (available from Kid Wind Project)
Wood dowels
Multimeter
Alligator clips
Scissors
Tape
Hair dryer or fan
Materials for blades, such as balsa wood, aluminum foil, construction paper, popsicle sticks, etc.

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Step 2 of 7:

Insert a 15-cm PVC pipe into the middle hole of a PVC T-joint. Repeat with another 15-cm PVC pipe and T-joint. Join the two pieces together by inserting the free ends of the pipes into the sides of a third T-joint, with the middle hole facing up.

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Step 3 of 7:

Insert the remaining PVC pipe into the T-joint hole that is facing up, so that the pipe stands upright. Place the final T-joint on the free end of the tower.

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Step 4 of 7:

Attach two wires to the motor. Place the motor securely into the joint at the top of the tower. Run the wires down the tower pipe and out one of the T-joints on the base. If needed, use duct tape to keep the motor in place securely.

Attach the plastic, round piece called the hub to the straight, metal piece on the outside of the motor.

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Step 5 of 7:

Connect the wires to the multimeter using the alligator clips. Set the multimeter to 20 volts.

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Step 6 of 7:

Place a few small, wooden dowels into the holes of the hub. Create wind using a hair dryer or fan. Check the multimeter to see how much energy is generated.

Using a variety of  materials, design different blades for the wind turbine. Consider the weight, smoothness of surface and number of blades needed. Attach the blades to the dowels using tape.

Turn on the hair dryer or fan again and test the turbine with each type of blade you design. How does the electrical output differ? Test the turbine with different wind speeds, such as low, medium and high fan settings. Does the wind speed affect the electrical energy output?

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Step 7 of 7:

As the kinetic mechanical energy of the moving wind moves and rotates the blades of the wind turbine, a generator inside the turbine is also rotated. This causes a coiled wire to rotate around a magnet and creates an electrical current which we measure with a multimeter.

Since energy is neither created nor destroyed, the greater the energy input, the greater the energy output will be. Therefore, the more mechanical energy you start with -- the faster the blades turn -- the more electrical energy will be created by the turbine.

Make a Carbon dioxide

Make a Carbon dioxide

Step 1 of 6:

Here's the Materials You'll Need:

Balloon
Funnel
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Empty bottle
Baking soda
Vinegar

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Step 2 of 6:

Use the funnel to pour 2 teaspoons of baking soda into an empty balloon. Rinse and dry the funnel.

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Step 3 of 6:

Use the funnel to pour ¼ cup of vinegar into the bottle.

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Step 4 of 6:

Stretch the mouth of the balloon around the bottle top.

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Step 5 of 6:

Lift the balloon, letting the baking soda pour into the bottle. Watch what happens!

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Step 6 of 6:

When you combined the solid (baking soda) and the liquid (vinegar), the chemical reaction created a gas called carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is invisible, except as the bubbles of gas you may have noticed when the vinegar and baking soda mixture began to fizz. This gas is what made the balloon inflate.

Analyze Candy Using Chromatography

Analyze Candy Using Chromatography

Step 1 of 9:

Here's the Materials You'll Need:

At least two kinds of candy-coated sweets (like M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, Skittles) in the same color(brown works best)
Coffee filters cut into 1” x 3” strips
Toothpicks
Small glasses
Water
Pen

Key Terms Defined

Chromatography

A method for analyzing complex mixtures by separating them into the chemicals from which they are made.

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Step 2 of 9:

An adult should complete steps 2 through 4 without letting the children see. Dampen an M&M and make a smudge on a coffee filter strip about a third of the way up. This is the candy evidence that was found at the crime scene.

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Step 3 of 9:

Poke a toothpick through the top of the crime scene filter paper. Rest the toothpick on the edge of an empty glass (or hold it) so the filter paper hangs down inside.

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Step 4 of 9:

Add enough water to the cup so that it touches the bottom of the crime scene filter paper but does NOT touch the candy smudge. Allow the water to rise up the filter paper, which causes the candy smudge to spread out. This will take a few minutes. Remove the crime scene filter paper from the water and allow it to dry.

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Step 5 of 9:

The children can complete the following steps. Write “A” at the top of one of the unused filter papers and “B” at the top of another unused filter paper.

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Step 6 of 9:

Dampen an M&M and make a smudge on the “A” coffee filter strip about a third of the way up. Dampen the other candy (Reese’s Pieces, Skittles, etc.) and make a smudge on the “B” coffee filter strip about a third of the way up.

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Step 7 of 9:

Poke a toothpick through the top of the filter paper. Rest the toothpick on the edge of an empty glass so the filter paper hangs down inside. Repeat with the other filter paper. Add enough water to each cup so that it touches the bottom of the filter paper but does NOT touch the candy smudge. Allow the water to rise up the filter paper, which causes the candy smudge to spread out. This will take a few minutes.

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Step 8 of 9:

Remove the filter papers from the water and allow them to dry. Compare the “A” and “B” filter papers to the crime scene filter paper. Which type of candy was left at the crime scene?

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Step 9 of 9:

The dyes used to make colored candy can be made up of several colors. These dyes are composed of different compounds that separate during chromatography. The water rising up the filter paper caused the compounds in the candy to spread out in a spectrum.
Try this – Try this activity with different types of candy, or with candy of different colors. How are the results different?
Source:Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago