Latta Middle School’s 6th grade scientists recently brought classroom learning to life by designing, building, and testing their very own solar ovens. This hands-on project challenged students to apply scientific principles to meet two key science standards: 6-PS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer. 6-PS3-4: Investigate the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by temperature. Using everyday materials such as cardboard boxes, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap, students engineered ovens that could harness the sun’s energy to heat food. After carefully designing their models, and students tested them outdoors to make s’mores. Not only did this project strengthen students’ understanding of energy transfer, but it also encouraged critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. And of course, the best part—tasting the results of their solar-powered cooking! At LMS, we believe in giving students meaningful opportunities to see how science applies to the real world. These future innovators showed that with curiosity and teamwork, learning can be both fun and impactful.
