Power House

Over the course of conducting the 100 experiments included in the Thames & Kosmos Power House 2.0, children will actually build a house with insulated construction materials and run various tests utilizing solar power and wind power. Each experiment will not only help children understand how their own homes function, but also how to use sustainable energy and why it is becoming increasingly important. The full color experiment manual begins by instructing children how to build the Power House out of the polystyrene foam panels, which are used to help demonstrate why it is important for construction materials to be poor conductors of heat and cold. Children will see how it traps warm air in the winter and cold air in the summer, so families will use less energy keeping their homes comfortable.

While new home construction designs can benefit from the heating elements of the sun, the sun’s energy can also be turned into electricity using the included solar panel, wires, and motor. Throughout the course of the extensively detailed experiment manual, children will learn how air behaves at different temperatures, how the path of the sun impacts temperatures on Earth, and they will even create an air conditioner for the Power House.Each experiment is supplemented with background information, real-life examples, and helpful energy saving tips that families can use now to lower their dependence on non-sustainable energy sources.

Children are also provided with die-cut pieces to fashion into various scientific tools. They can create a solar altitude measuring gauge to identify the angle of the sun, and an angle gauge to determine how the angle of the sun impacts the temperature in the Power House. Other die-cut pieces let children build a device to measure relative humidity and concave mirrors to direct light and heat. Wind power experiments use the included parts to create a wind powered turbine for the Power House that will actually power a light over the front door. During the wind energy experiments, children will also gain an understanding of air flow and resistance.

Concluding experiments in the Thames & Kosmos Power House sustainable energy lab involve plants and photosynthesis, which also helps children to understand the impact of the greenhouse effect in homes and cars as well as on the much larger scale global environment.

The Power House Includes Materials to Conduct 100 Experiments that Highlight Sustainable Living in the 21st Century:

• Power House Polystyrene Parts
• Solar Power Cell
• Electric Motor
• Contact Clips
• Glass Thermometer
• Black Bottle to Use as a Sun Collector
• Lid
• Large Dowel Rod
• Small Dowel Rod
• LED Light
• Solarium Cover
• Long Wooden Sticks
• Short Wooden Sticks
• Black Sheet of Paper
• Propeller
• Sandpaper
• Plastic Pot
• Disk
• Large Die-Cut Sheet (Includes Windows, Door, Fan Blades, Solar Altitude Measuring Gauge, Angle Gauge, and More)
• Cut-Out Sheet(Includes Mirrors and Air Drag Experiment Strips)
• Black and Red Connecting Wires
• Straight Drinking Straw
• Bendable Drinking Straw
• Fastening Clips
• Full-Color Illustrated Experiment Manual (64 Pages)

Ages 10 and up