Energy Exploration
Exploring energy with John Jay senior intern
The fifth graders ran onto Katonah Elementary’s upper field and peered into their pizza box solar ovens. Some students smacked high fives when they saw that the chocolate squares inside were already sliding into brightly colored puddles of gummy bear goo. Other students adjusted their solar ovens to be more in direct sunshine.
The experiment was part of an energy unit led by John Jay senior Gavin George in Lynn Garofolo’s class. Gavin is interning for high school physics teacher Frank Noschese; planning for the lesson was part of his work. “I might want to be a physics teacher,” the senior said. He’s heading to Geneseo to study math, physics and philosophy in the fall.
Gavin's youthful energy added a playful aspect to the lesson. He was also well prepared, organized and focused on conveying key concepts of energy absorption and reflection.
Gavin George, Class of 2024
solar ovens made from pizza boxes
The lesson began in the classroom. Gavin showed the students six solar ovens that he had made from pizza boxes. Each had a flap cut out of the lid, which he had lined with aluminum foil. Two of the boxes were also lined with black paper, and two had a transparent piece of plastic cover that fit over the cutout.
Controlled variables
Doing fieldwork to test hypotheses
“There’s a lot of variables here,” Gavin said to the students as they inspected the different solar ovens. “Which ones do you think will trap heat more effectively?”
The teams turned and talked and shared their hypothesis with the class. Many said that the oven with the transparent plastic cover would be the most effective. “It’s like a greenhouse,” students said. Their classroom was located right next door to the KES greenhouse, where plants thrived in the sunshine.
“Let’s go test!” said Gavin.
This was the moment they’d been waiting for. They head out into the beautiful sunny day.
Sharing findings
While the chocolate and gummy bears baked, Gavin led students in several other solar experiences including connecting small solar panels to portable fans and observing what impacted its power.
“What do you notice?” Gavin asked the students.
“When solar panels are closer to the sun, they capture more energy,” said Rome.
“Solar panels need to track with the sun’s path,” said Mirabelle.
“These are good findings,” Gavin said.
The lesson closed with one last activity: students dipping marshmallows into the melted chocolate and gummy bear mixture and enjoyed the results of their experiment.
