S'more Power! Sunny S'more Savers!

Students will explore how sunlight warms objects and then design and build a simple shade structure to protect a chocolate "s'more" from melting in the sun. This hands-on activity introduces the concept of reducing the warming effect of sunlight through a tangible engineering design challenge.

Duration
Multiple days
Lesson Type
Project Based Lesson

Essential Question

How can we use different tools and materials to build something that stops the sun from warming up a specific spot?

Grade(s):

  • Kindergarten

Subject(s):

Recommended Technology:

Other Instructional Materials or Notes:

Materials:

  • Construction paper
  • Cardboard pieces (various sizes)
  • Fabric scraps
  • Leaves (if available and safe)
  • Small blocks
  • Tape (masking tape is good for young learners)
  • Child-safe scissors (if needed)
  • Crayons or markers
  • Small pieces of chocolate (one per group and one control)

Lesson Progression

Day 1: Exploring Sunlight and Warmth

Objective: Students will observe and discuss how sunlight can make things warm and brainstorm ways to block the sun.

(1) Engage (15 minutes):

  • Sunny Spot Exploration: Take students outside (or to a sunny window). Feel objects in sun vs. shade. Discuss which is warmer and why (sun!).
  • S'more Connection: Show a s'more. Ask what happens when it gets warm (melts!). "We want to keep our pretend s'more cool!"
  • Essential Question (Simplified): "How can we use different things to build something that stops the sun from warming up our s'more?"

(2) Explore (25 minutes):

  • Sun-Blocking Brainstorm: What things block the sun? (Hats, umbrellas, curtains).
  • Material Introduction: Show paper, cardboard, fabric, leaves, blocks. How might each block the sun? Print out and provide each student with the performance task linked in the resources tab.

(3) Explain (15 minutes):

  • Sharing Ideas: Students share ideas for their sun-blocking structures. Focus on simple covers.
  • Introduce the Task: Explain they'll build a "S'more Saver" to shade chocolate. 

(4) Elaborate (10 minutes):

  • Group Planning: Small groups draw simple plans for their S'more Saver using 1-2 materials.

Day 2: Building and Testing Our S'more Savers!

Objective: Students will build their shade structures and test their ability to reduce the warming effect of sunlight on a s'more.

(1) Engage (10 minutes):

  • Review Plans: Groups share their S'more Saver plans.

(2) Explore & Explain (40 minutes):

  • Building Time: Groups build their S'more Savers with provided materials and tools (tape, child-safe scissors). Teacher guides and helps.

(3) Elaborate & Evaluate (30 minutes):

  • S'more Placement: Place chocolate pieces in the sun, some under S'more Savers, some not.
  • Observation: Students watch and see which chocolate melts more.
  • Sharing Results: Groups share if their S'more Saver worked.

(4) Wrap-up (5 minutes):

  • Connecting to the Standard: How did the tools and materials you used help you build something that stopped the sun from warming the chocolate as much?

Teacher Notes

Differentiation: For the sun exploration, using simple language and visual aids will clarify how the sun makes things warm. During building, providing pre-cut materials and basic design templates, along with step-by-step instructions and hand-over-hand help, can make construction more manageable. When testing, guiding their observations with simple questions and offering a visual way to record results will aid understanding.

Extension: Encourage students to design more complex structures with multiple layers or different angles. Have them predict which materials will work best.

S'more Saver Student Performance Task

Print a copy for each student (may be double sided).

View Resource

Assessments

  • Observe student participation in planning and building.
  • Assess the students' S'more Savers for their ability to create shade.
  • Listen to student explanations of how their structures worked (or didn't work) to reduce warming.