Activity Outline:

Before event:

8:50am

Student will move from their classrooms to the undercover area with their teacher. The
teachers will ask students to sit in their groups of four waiting for the event to start.

During event:

9:00am

Teachers will welcome everyone to the event and perform acknowledgement of country.
Teachers will give a quick overview of today’s event ‘Solar Oven Construction’.

9:05am

Teachers will introduce the guest speaker Monique Alfris, Monique will give a short speech
on how STEM has encouraged and changed her focus on life.

9:15am

Teachers will explain to student’s today’s event.

“Today you will be participating in the STEM event ‘Solar Oven Construction’. All materials
you require have been provided and pre-cut. In your groups you will first brain-storm ideas
on how to build the most efficient solar oven, remember what we have been learning in class
about how heat reflects and absorbs and changes a solid to a liquid. You will be given 10
minutes to design your solar oven. Once you have your idea on paper you can gather your
materials and start constructing your solar oven. You will be given 20 mintues to construct
your solar oven. When your solar oven has been constructed you will be given a piece of
chocolate, a marshmallow and a piece of ice to put in your oven and place in the sun. During
this time, you will use your workbooks to record the results at timed intervals. Now we are
going to watch a short video, please watch and think about you might build your solar oven.
(Show YouTube video)

9:25am

Teachers will ask one member of each group (students already know their groups) to come
forward and collect the four workbooks for their group. Students are now given 10 minutes to
work on their design in their workbooks for their solar oven. Teachers will give students a 5
minute warning during this design stage.

9:35

Students will now begin the design stage of their solar oven. Two students from each group
will collect the materials required for their solar oven construction. Students will be given 20
minutes to construct their solar ovens. During this time teachers and teacher aides will give
assistance if required to ensure students stay on task. If they complete in this time students
will be given the chocolate, marshmallow and ice to place in their solar ovens. The rest of the
students will be given a 5 minute warning for completion of solar oven.
9:55am

Students will finalise their construction and will be given their chocolate, marshmallow and
ice to place in their solar ovens and put in the sun. All students will gather back in the
undercover area and teacher will conclude the event and thank everyone for coming and
present Monique with her certificate. Teachers will explain that the experiment will continue
in class time now.

After event:

10:00am

Students will assist the teachers to pack up the spare materials and tidy up their work areas.

10:10am

Students will check their solar ovens and record their results in their workbooks. All students
will return to their classrooms.

10:15am

Students will check their solar ovens and record their results in their workbooks. All students
will return to their classrooms.

10:20am

Students will check their solar ovens and record their final results in their workbooks.
Students will collect their solar ovens and all students will return to their classrooms.
Teachers will hand out the certificates of participation to all the students. Teachers and
students will participate in a question and answer time.