This activity demonstrates how sunlight can be harnessed to cook food. A pizza box lined with foil and sealed with plastic wrap becomes a solar oven, concentrating the sun’s rays and converting them into heat energy to warm or cook food.

1. Cut three sides of a square flap on the lid of a pizza box, leaving about two inches from the edges.
2. Fold the flap back and cover the inside with aluminum foil (shiny side out), taping it securely.
3. Line the bottom and sides of the pizza box with foil.
4. Cover the opening in the lid (where the flap was cut) with plastic wrap, taping it tightly to create a sealed window.
5. Place food on a paper plate inside the foil-lined base of the box.
6. Close the lid and adjust the foil flap so it reflects sunlight into the box, propping it open with a ruler.
7. Position the box outside with the flap facing the sun, and allow food to warm or cook over 1 hour or more.

How to Build a Solar Oven | The Science of Cooking - SciShow Kids:

Solar Oven Science Project - We Are Teachers:

📄 Solar Cooker- Griffin Museum of Science + Industry: https://www.msichicago.org/science-at-home/hands-on-science/solar-cooker

• Test different foods to see which cook fastest (marshmallows, cheese, chocolate, etc.).
• Add black construction paper to the base of the box to absorb more heat.
• Try adjusting the angle of the foil flap to maximize reflected sunlight.
• Compare results on sunny, cloudy, and partly cloudy days.

• Solar cookers can get very hot; use oven mitts or tongs to remove food.
• Do not leave the cooker unattended in direct sunlight.
• Use caution with sharp scissors when cutting the box.
• Avoid using foods that spoil quickly if cooking times are long.

• How does aluminum foil help increase the cooker’s effectiveness? (It reflects and concentrates sunlight into the box.)
• Why is the plastic wrap important? (It traps heat inside like a greenhouse.)
• How does adding black paper affect heating? (Black absorbs heat more efficiently than reflective surfaces.)
• Why does cooking take longer in a solar cooker than in a regular oven? (The heat is less intense and depends on sunlight conditions.)
• How could solar cookers be used in real-world situations? (They provide a sustainable cooking method where electricity or fuel is limited.)