MATERIALS: hot dog, cardboard boxes, aluminum foil, coat hanger, thumbtack, pencil, two small nuts and bolts, rubber cement.
(Figure available in print form)
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1. Poke holes for nuts and bolts. Cut the top and front out of a cardboard box to make a frame for your solar cooker.
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(Figure available in print form)
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2. Make 2 large cardboard circles. Cut on dotted lines. Measure the radius of the circle, and make a mark halfway. This is the focal point of your solar cooker.
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(Figure available in print form)
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3. Now, glue 2 pieces together to make one that’s twice as heavy. Do this with both circles you cut.
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(Figure available in print form)
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4. Put the two curved pieces together like this:
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Tape another piece of cardboard to the curved edges of the 2 half circles you glued together, the width of the piece of cardboard should be slightly less than the width of the box you cut to make a frame.
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Then, cover the inside of this piece with aluminum foil, use rubber cement.
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(Figure available in print form)
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5. Put an unpainted coat hanger through the focal points, then cook the hot dog on it. Nuts and bolts to hold the frame and solar cooker together.
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Adjust the cooker so that you can see the sun’s rays cross at the focal points. How long does it take to cook a hot-dog? Think of some other foods you can cook in your solar cooker?