Making a Solar Oven

• 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. 

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.