The solar oven project

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Name of Project: Solar Oven Duration:
Subject/Course: Physics Teacher(s): Mrs. Y. Cancel-Sánchez Grade Level: High school
School: The Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship

Other subject areas to be Algebra II

included, if any:

Project Idea The project purpose is to design an efficient solar oven which is accessible and affordable. The design must be compact and
Summary of the issue, efficient using only the sunlight. The final design must include the drawings, oven area, materials used, shape used,
challenge, calculations and quantitative explanations that justify the best design. The solar oven diagram must be drawn into a
investigation, 8.5”x11” paper. The final project must be submitted in the engineering notebook provided in order to complete the project.
scenario, or problem:
Driving Question How can the students design an energy efficient solar oven?

Content and Skills Physics

Standards to be Standard 3: Temperature and Thermal Energy Transfer
addressed: Describe and distinguish the concepts of temperature and thermal energy. Use the kinetic-molecular theory to explain some
thermal properties of gases and phase changes of solids, liquids and gases.

P.3.4 Use examples from everyday life to describe the transfer of thermal energy by conduction, convection and radiation.

Chemistry
Standard 6: Thermochemistry
Apply the law of conservation of energy.

C.6.4 Solve problems involving heat flow and temperature changes by using known values of specific heat, phase change
constants (i.e., latent heat values) or both.

Algebra II
Standard 4: Conic Sections

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Students write equations of conic sections and draw their graphs.

A2.4.1 Write the equations of conic sections (circle, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola).
A2.4.2 Graph conic sections.
T+A E T+A E
21st Century Skills Collaboration x Creativity x
to be explicitly taught and
assessed (T+A) or that Presentation x Communication and collaboration X
will be encouraged (E) by
project work, but not Critical Thinking: x Cross-disciplinary thinking x
taught or assessed:
Presentation
Audience:
Group: Group will build a solar oven based on their research and development of the final Class: x
Culminating design. Students need to test their prototype by determining the energy absorbed by
Products and the water over a determined period of time. School:
Performances Students will build a prototype to evaluate their calculations and oven design. The
Community: x
last trial of the final prototype will be the final product to be evaluated for the group
project.
Experts:
Individual:
Web:
Other:

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PROJECT OVERVIEW
Entry event to
launch inquiry, (See document at the end, copy of project entry document)
engage students:
Assessments Quizzes/Tests X Practice Presentations X
Formative
Assessments Journal/Learning Log X Notes x
(During Project) Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes X Checklists
Rough Drafts Concept Maps
Online Tests/Exams X Other: laboratories related to energy x
Written Product(s), with rubric: X Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with rubric: x
Summative Final design report Laboratories report of collecting data for heat
Assessments absorption
(End of Project)
Oral Presentation, with rubric X Peer Evaluation X
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test x Self-Evaluation
Essay Test Other:
.
Resources On-site people, facilities: School grounds to test oven prototypes
Needed
Equipment: Vernier temperature probes, Vernier logger pro
Materials: Cardboard, metal sheets, aluminum, water, calculators, spreadsheet software
Community resources: Electrical engineers community partners

Reflection Journal/Learning Log x Focus Group

Methods (Individual,
Whole-Class Discussion Fishbowl Discussion

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Group, and/or Survey Other:
Whole Class)

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PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE
Project: Solar oven Course/Semester: End 1st semester until
beginning 2nd semester

Knowledge and Skills Needed by Students Scaffolding / Materials / Lessons to be

to successfully complete culminating products and Provided
performances, and do well on summative assessments by the project teacher, other teachers,
experts,
mentors, community members

Determine area of an object. Workshop on conic sections.

Write equations of conic sections. 

Describe and distinguish the concepts of conduction, Workshop on heat exchange

convection and radiation.  processes.

Describe and distinguish the concepts of temperature and Workshop on heat capacity.
thermal energy.  Perform a laboratory of heat
capacity of a substance.

Apply the law of conservation of energy. Workshop on Law of conservation

 of energy.

Determine the heat absorbed by a material. Solve problems involving heat flow
 and temperature changes by
using known values of
specific heat, phase change
constants (i.e., latent heat
values) or both.

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PROJECT ENTRY DOCUMENT

Dear students of the Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship,

Many countries lack of resources such as electricity. One of the natural resources which is most
available to these countries is the sun. However, the habitants can not afford expensive equipment
and resources to take advantage of the sunlight and radiation. It is our purpose to design an efficient
solar oven design that is accessible and affordable to the person living on these places. The design
must be compact and efficient using the sunlight. Your final design must include the design
drawings, calculations and a quantitative explanation that justifies the best design that can be
replicated on these countries.

The final design must include the drawings, oven area, materials used, shape used, calculations and
quantitative explanations that justify the best design. The solar oven diagram must be drawn into a
8.5”x11” paper.

Your final project must be submitted in the engineering notebook that our community partner
provides in order to complete the project.

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PROJECT RUBRIC DOCUMENT

GROUP MEMBERS

_______________________________ ________________________________

_______________________________ ________________________________

CONTENT (60%)
Design Evaluation:

Area Description
TOTAL
LEVEL ADVANCED PROFICIENT DEVELOPING EMERGING

Dimensions of solar Dimensions of solar Dimensions of solar There was no

collector are collector are collector are second
consistent with consistent with design consistent with prototype built
design dimensions. dimensions with an design dimensions by group
(less than 15% error of less than with an error of less
error) (30%) than (50%)
(10—9—8) (7—6—5) (4—3—2--1) (0)

Dimensions Oven area Oven area improved Oven area did not There was no
improved from 1st from 1st prototype and improved from 1st second
prototype and met met the product prototype and did prototype built
the product requirements but did not met the product by group
requirements for not improved the requirements for
performance performance performance
(10—9—8) (7—6—5) (4—3—2--1) (0)

Spec Sheet is Spec Sheet is complete. Spec Sheet is not There was no
complete. All Most calculations are complete. Most second
calculations are accurate and relevant calculations are prototype built
accurate and with few errors for accurate and by group
relevant with no final prototype relevant with few
errors for final (7—6—5) errors for final
prototype prototype (0)
(10—9—8) (4—3—2--1)
Spec Sheet diagram Spec Sheet diagram of Spec Sheet diagram There was no
of the solar trough the solar trough of the solar trough second
Specifications
sheet includes an includes a description includes a prototype built
accurate of the shape and the description of the by group
description of the dimensions of the shape and the
shape and the apparatus. Minor dimensions of the
dimensions of the information is missing. apparatus. Many (0)
apparatus. (7—6—5) information is
(10—9—8) missing.
(4—3—2--1)

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Description of the Description of the Description of the There was no
method used to method used to method used to second
recreate the recreate the recreate the prototype built
geometrical shape geometrical shape on geometrical shape by group
on the apparatus is the apparatus is on the apparatus is
mathematically mathematically mathematically
accurate. accurate. Minor accurate. Many (0)
(10—9—8) information is missing. information is
(7—6—5) missing.
(4—3—2--1)
Diagram includes Diagram includes how Diagram includes There was no
how the sun’s rays the sun’s rays interact how the sun’s rays second
interact with the with the solar interact with the prototype built
solar collector. collector. Minor solar collector. by group
information is missing. Many information is
missing.
(10—9—8) (7—6—5) (4—3—2--1) (0)

Engineering
notebook
Solar collector Solar collector heats Solar collector There was no
effectively heats water with a difference heats water with a second
water (equal or of +/- 3 oC difference of +/- 4 prototype built
higher than control oC by group
sample)
(10—9—8) (7—6—5) (4—3—2--1) (0)
Solar collector is Solar collector is made Solar collector is There was no
made of mostly of mostly recycled made of none second
recycled materials. and/or low cost recycled and/or prototype built
Design testing materials. low cost materials. by group
(10—9—8) (7—6—5) (4—3—2--1) (0)
Solar collector is Solar collector is made Solar collector is There was no
durable. mostly of durable not durable. second
materials. prototype built
by group
(10—9—8) (7—6—5) (4—3—2--1) (0)
Solar oven design There was no
meets needs other second
Design than those presented prototype built
requirements in the entry document. by group
(5) (0)

Design Evaluation score: ______/ points

TOTAL value: __ / points

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Written communication (10%) - possible points in parentheses

Uses appropriate level of language (formal) (5) _________
No use of slang or informal abbreviations (5) _________
No offensive or questionable content/language (5) _________
Uses correct capitalization and punctuation (10) _________
Uses correct symbols and units (50) _________
Presentation includes:
 A title (4) _________
 Group members full names (4) _________
 Class period (2) _________
 Group number (2) _________
 Date submitted (2) _________

TOTAL POINTS FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION ( possible) _________

ORAL COMMUNICATION (10%) - possible points in parentheses

Students completed the presentation (10) _________

Students used appropriate level of language (formal) (10) _________
Students did not use slang or informal abbreviations(10) _________
Students did not use offensive/questionable content/language (10) _________
Students spoke at appropriate volume for the setting(10) _________
Students maintained eye contact with the audience(10) _________
Length of presentation was appropriate(10) _________
Students presented with appropriate body language and posture (10) _________
Students pronounced words clearly and correctly (10) _________
Students avoided verbal fillers (5) _________
Students used proper inflection (5) _________

TOTAL POINTS FOR ORAL COMMUNICATION ( possible) _________

WORK ETHIC (10%) - possible points in parentheses

Work Habits
o Student(s) work on time (12) _________
o Student(s) has /have required materials (12) _________
Time management
o Student(s) has /have leading role and work without distractions(9) _________
o Student(s) has /have leading role and makes sure all team
members complete responsibilities on time (9) _________
o Student(s) took lead role in reminding group to put in
extra time and effort to make group’s task as good as possible(9) _________
Attendance
o Student on time to class (12) _________
o Not absent or checked out during class time (12) _________

Accountability
o Student(s) made up for work left undone by other group
member(s) and demonstrated willingness to spend significant
time outside class to complete project (25) _________
TOTAL POINTS FOR WORK ETHIC (100 possible)

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P R O J E C T C A L E N D A R
Project: Solar oven Start Date:

M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y

PROJECT WEEK ONE

 Next steps Workshop Types of Workshop Using heat Workshop Insulators
Project roll out  Group contract energy from the sun
 Entry document  Review Knows
 Knows and Need and Need to
to Knows knows

PROJECT WEEK TWO

Workshop Renewable Workshop Review of Work time Work time  Benchmark on
and nonrenewable parabolas  Build prototype  Test prototype prototype
energy  Work time
building final
solar oven

PROJECT WEEK THREE

Work time Work time Benchmark for final Collect data for final Analyze data for solar
 Build final solar  Build final solar prototype solar oven oven and write final
oven oven report for community
partner

PROJECT WEEK FOUR

Analyze data for solar Analyze data for solar Present final product of
oven and write final oven and write final solar oven to
report for community report for community community partner.
partner partner
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Supplies and estimated cost

Materials required and estimated cost per group (group should be 3-4 students)
18" x 18" x 24" box $4.00
Spray paint $4.69
Recycled coffee can $0.00
2” general purpose tape $2.50
TOTAL COST $11.19/group

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