Nothing captures children's attention as much as the sun—but looking directly at it is dangerous.

A pinhole camera solves the problem: with just a shoebox, a piece of aluminum foil, and a small hole made with a pin, you and your class can project a sharp, coin-sized image of the Sun onto greaseproof paper.

As students watch the solar disk appear, fade and reappear when the hole is plugged and uncovered, they discover two key ideas: light travels in a straight line and projection prevents light from entering our eyes directly.

The activity is quick to prepare, test and explain, uses everyday materials and is directly linked to science objectives, transforming curiosity about the sky into practical learning.

RECOMMENDED AGES: 12–16 years

KEY COMPETENCES (LOMLOE):

• STEM competence.
• Personal and social competence.
• Citizen competence.

DIDACTIC OBJECTIVES:

• Apply basic principles of optics for safe solar observation.
• Build and test a pinhole camera with a shoebox.
• Understand why projection protects the eyes.

MATERIALS:

• Shoe box (cardboard).
• A5 size vegetable paper.
• Aluminum foil (5 × 5 cm).
• Adhesive tape + scissors.

INCLUSION:

• Mild cognitive disability: steps with pictograms (CUT → PASTE → CLICK → LOOK).
• Partial blindness: tactile exploration of the box; verbal description of the projected Sun.