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All About Solar Power l How We Use Solar Energy

Let's Make a Solar Cooker

Gather your material:

A sunny day 1 empty pizza box Black construction paper Aluminum foil Sheet of clear plastic laminate Non-toxic glue Tape and scissors Ruler and magic marker One wood dowel rod

Draw and cut a window in the top of the pizza box leaving one side for folding. Cut two pieces of foil to fit on the inside of the lid and to line the inside of the box. Smooth out wrinkles and glue in place. Tape a piece of plastic to the underside of the opening you cut. Make sure the plastic is tightly sealed around all the edges. This makes your oven window. Glue corners of a piece of black construction paper to the bottom of the inside of the box on top of the foil.

Your Solar Oven is now ready!

Just place your food to be cooked on the inside the box. Close the box and prop open the window lid using the dowel rod. Position your oven in the sun so that the foil lid reflects the maximum amount of sunlight through the window. Try heating up s’mores, hot dogs, melt some cheese on nachos, or even try baking a cookie!

Make a chart with different time intervals and use an oven thermometer to test your oven temperature. Write down how long it takes to reach different temperatures and how long each item takes to cook.

Use an Empty Pringles Can

You can also substitute an empty pringles can for the pizza box and foil. The inside of the pringles can already has an aluminum foil finish inside. Just cut the can to make a door, tape the clear plastic on the inside to make a window and you're ready to cook!