Passive Solar Heating

Activity Summary
Students build a house that is designed to be effectively heated by the sun. Students are given a cardboard box and a number of materials and are then asked to create a design that will passively trap and contain the most solar energy. The houses will then be tested for effectiveness by taking temperature readings after a set amount of time in the sun or heat lamp. After collecting data, students can compare the most effective designs.

Grade Levels
9-12

Learning Objectives
1. Describe how passive solar heating can be used to control temperature in a building
2. Compare and contrast design strategies based on their effectiveness

Lesson Materials (view or download)
PowerPoint
Lesson Plans

Keywords
passive, active, orientation, insulation

Last updated: 5/21/2015