In this project students will research and then build a basic solar cooker shell made out of cardboard. Then they will run a variety of materials through experiments. Data from the experiments will be used to determine which materials should be added to the solar cooker shell to improve its ability to heat up food.

This project was created as a collaboration between a science and an engineering/woodshop class. The engineering class researched and build the basic solar cooker cardboard shells. The science class tested additional materials to add to the shells to improve the solar cookers. Then the engineering class, following the directions from reports created by the science class, added the materials to the solar cooker shells to create the final products.

This lesson is designed to explore different aspects of solar energy. The students have already been exposed to various forms of alternate energy sources and the reasons for their use. The students will build a solar hot box in order to test various colors and materials to find the maximum temperature that can be reached.

This multimedia resource, part of the NC Science Now series, shows how researchers at the Textile Performance and Comfort Center at NC State University test safety clothing on PyroMan, a life-size mannequin with sensors. Researchers and students test fabrics for breathability, fire retardation, and heat resistance in order to ensure the health and safety of first responders, red zone workers, and military units. Components of this resource include a video and a related blog article. Links to these components are provided on the page under the heading "UNC-TV Media."

In this STEM activity, students are challenged to solve a real-world problem that is part of the space program while learning about heat and heat transfer. Students will observe a design before and after testing, and pick out the-key features as they apply the design process to a problem. In the challenge, students will build a structure from aluminum foil and copper screening that will protect a model of the Ares launch vehicles from the heat of a propane torch for as long as possible. Students will document their designs with sketches and written descriptions. As a culmination students compile their results into a poster and present them to the class.

Students explore the transformation of the sun's energy into heat energy through several experiments.

In this activity, students will test various materials to see if they conduct electricity in a simple circuit setup.