Discover, Design, Innovate:
Fifth Graders Make Sensational Solar S'mores!
Fifth graders took on a sweet and sunny challenge, working across multiple classes to use science, creativity, and recycled materials to build their very own solar ovens. From designing and testing to melting chocolate in the sun, this collaborative project turned curiosity into innovation - and s’mores!
What happens when science, creativity, and chocolate collide? Our fifth graders recently found out during their project, Sensational Solar S’mores.
Guided by the IB transdisciplinary theme How the World Works, with its focus “discovery, design, innovation: possibilities and impacts," students set out to explore how solar energy could be harnessed in everyday life. The unit began with a study of the solar system and space exploration through the lens of design and innovation. A field trip to MOSI brought these concepts to life, including an inspiring visit to the planetarium, where students learned about NASA’s Artemis program and the next chapter of lunar exploration.
Back at school, the challenge was clear: could they design and build a solar oven from recycled household materials? Using shoeboxes, cardboard, foil, and plenty of imagination, students constructed their prototypes. Each design went through a series of trials, where students tested, collected data, and refined their ovens. Along the way, they reflected on their IB Learner Profile attributes and approaches to learning, from being Inquirers and Thinkers to showing Risk-Taking in the decisions they made.
The big test came on the final day of the project. Under the bright Florida sun, ovens were carefully positioned, and s’mores were placed inside to cook. As the chocolate and marshmallows softened, anticipation grew. Our Director of Facilities, Mr. Vinnie Monty, checked each oven’s performance with a thermometer, with one oven reaching nearly 200 degrees, hot enough to prove that solar power really works.
This project not only satisfied sweet tooths but also helped students make meaningful connections between renewable energy, innovation, and global impact. Solar cooking technology is already transforming communities around the world by reducing reliance on firewood and fossil fuels. Through their own hands-on experiments, our fifth graders gained a glimpse of how science and design can be used to solve real-world challenges.
The unit wrapped up with student reflections, where they considered questions such as: How might solar ovens change lives in areas without reliable electricity? Why is it important to use renewable resources like the sun? Which IB attributes and skills did I use most while designing my oven? Students were able to not only express what they learned, but also how they had grown as learners.
Sensational Solar S’Mores was about far more than marshmallows. It was about discovery, design, and innovation, and the exciting possibilities that come when young minds look at the world with curiosity and creativity.