Sunny little shelters

This week in topic we have been focusing on designing shelters and why sun protection is vital during extreme heat. Earlier today, we put our knowledge to the test and made mini shelters outside using twigs and sticks secured by string. We then used a thermometer to test the temperature inside our mini-shelter. Some shelters successfully created a cooler environment than outside. Others, however, made the temperature rise. We discussed why this may have been and discovered that, without a vent to escape, the hot air that was inside the shelter had nowhere to go and became more like a pressure cooker.

From our trials, we now know that for a sun shelter to truly help cool and protect people and animals, it will need to be sturdy, wide at the base with space for air to come in, and have space for the warm air to escape.