In this "Sid the Science Kid" activity, learners make applesauce to explore irreversible change. Learners compare and contrast apples that have been changed by heat with apples that haven't been changed. This activity includes a "Sid the Science Kid" video showing how to conduct the investigation. Safety note: adult supervision required.

Learners follow directions to construct a solar oven that really cooks! The solar oven uses aluminum foil to reflect sunlight into a cooking chamber, which is painted black. The black surface absorbs the sunlight and produces heat which can be used to bake brownies, cookies, vegetables, or even warm soups and pizza. Use this activity to introduce learners to renewable energy and the Sun as a source of energy. Main webpage includes links to other related resources. Note: Solar ovens can get very hot. Oven mitts or gloves and adult supervision required.

In this activity on page 7 of the PDF, learners conduct an experiment to get an idea of how cheese is made. Learners discover that cheese is made by adding either an acid, microorganisms, or enzymes to milk. Learners do not eat the cheese they make in this activity.

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, two solar cookers are tested against a control to see which can cook a "s'more" faster.

Students learn about using renewable energy from the Sun for heating and cooking as they build and compare the performance of four solar cooker designs. They explore the concepts of insulation, reflection, absorption, conduction and convection.

In this activity, learners follow a recipe to make hollandaise sauce. Learners discover how cooks use egg yolks to blend oil and water together into a smooth mix. In chemistry, this mixture is known as an emulsion. Substances like egg yolks that assist with emulsification are called emulsifiers.

In this activity, learners explore how ordinary marshmallows expand when heated in a microwave. Learners heat two marshmallows in the microwave for about 20 seconds and then examine the texture and properties of the marshmallows. Use this activity to teach learners about heat and how molecules respond to temperature changes. Safety: Adult supervision required.

Students work in engineering teams to optimize cleaner energy solutions for cooking and heating in rural China. They choose between various options for heating, cooking, hot water, and lights and other electricity, balancing between the cost and health effects of different energy choices.

In this activity, learners use the Sun's energy to cook marshmallows. Learners construct the solar oven out of simple everyday materials. They experiment to see how the color of the marshmallow (vanilla or chocolate) and height of the straws affect cooking time. Use this activity to introduce learners to solar energy and reflection. Note: this activity requires adult supervision.

Students learn about five types of renewable energy that are part of engineering solutions to help people in rural communities use less and cleaner energy for cooking and heating. Specifically, students learn about the pollution and health challenges facing families in rural China, and they are introduced to the concept of optimization. Through an energy game, students differentiate between renewable and non-renewable sources of energy.

In this health, cooking, and math activity, learners explore nutrition and examine nutrition labels. Learners cook a healthy version of a granola bar and then create a nutrition label for their product. Learners calculate servings and nutritional information for each ingredient in the granola bar.

Science Pirates: The Curse of Brownbeard is a 3D educational computer game that communicates food safety knowledge in an environment of scientific exploration.

In this activity, learners cook amino acids and sugar to explore the range of aromas released. When amino acids and sugars are heated, learners will observe a phenomenon known as the Maillard reaction, also known as the browning reaction. Caution!: Kids, please don't try this at home without the help of an adult. The corn syrup can get very hot, very quickly.

In this activity, learners touch supercooled water drops with an ice crystal and trigger the water drops to freeze instantly. Learners discover that this process is used during candy making, when a single sugar crystal is used to crystallize an entire batch of sugar.

Students are introduced to the health risks caused by cooking and heating with inefficient cook stoves inside homes, a common practice in rural developing communities. Students simulate the cook stove scenario and use the engineering design process, including iterative trials, to increase warmth inside a building while reducing air quality problems. Students then collect and graph data, and analyze their findings.