Solar Box Cooking

(practical use of passive solar energy)

A solar box cooker is a shallow container with a reflective interior (such as aluminium foil), a glass or
plexiglass top, and a reflector lid. The theory is to concentrate and contain the energy of the sun in a
container long enough to cook food. Can be constructed by children (higher grade levels), and used to
prepare foods such as hotdogs, cookies, pizza. Once students see basic design, they can then offer
suggestions for alternative designs. (Q: which type of oven would work best Shallow/Deep? Would
insulation help? How could colour/certain materials help/hinder? What about design?) Students can
implement their ideas into their designs (holding various competitions, highest temp, which model
heats up the fastest)
This activity can precede or follow the understanding of the sun as the principle source of energy for
the earth, in grade one, for example, or following an understanding of the effects of burning fossil fuels
in grade six, as another example.
This assignment begins to answer the question: what can we do about it? How are we able to meet our
energy needs without disrupting ecological systems?
How often you are able to use the solar box cooker depends on how much sunshine the topic of solar
geography

References
LeBeau, Sue (2001). Solar Box Cooking. (eds.) Tim Grant & Gail Littlejohn. Teaching About
Climate Change; Cool Schools Tackle Global Warming. New Society Publishers. pgs.25-27.