Objectives |
| The students will compare the insulating properties of various materials. |
ND Standards Addressed |
| MA Concepts and tools of Measurement, SC Physical Science, SS Nature and Scope of History |
MN Standards Addressed |
| |
MB Standards Addressed |
| |
Time Requirement |
| 2 Hours |
Procedure/Outline |
| Warm Up
Ask students if they know how people kept their food cold before electric refridgerators were available. Where did people get ice? How long do students think an ice cube can last outside a freezer?
Activity
1. Explain to students how ice was once harvested from lakes and ponds, kept in icehouses, and used in iceboxes to keep food cold before electric refridgeratos were available.
2. Have students predict and record on the "Stay Cool Chart" those materials they believe would be good insulators.
3. Give each student or group a milk carton and an ice cube; let them choose the type of packing material they think will best preserve their ice.
4.Have them pack the ice, close and flatten the carton top, and write their name on the outside of the carton. On the "Stay Cool Chart", students should draw a picture of how their ice is packed. In another milk carton, place an ice cube without packing (as a control), close the top, and write "no insulation" on the outside.
5. Place all iceboxes on a table, out of direct sunlight. Students check each box every two hours throughout the day, pouring out and measuring the amount of water collected in the box. Record measurements on the "Stay Cool Chart".
6. Have them compare the preservation of ice in their icebox to the ice cube that is not insulated. |
Modifications/Adatption/Extensions |
| Have students make their own ice cream. What would happen if you changed some variables when making ice cream? |
Assessments |
| Have students:
1. Predict and test the insulating abiities of different materials.
2.Create a mini ice box using the most successful materials in the class experiment.
3. Evaluate designs of ice box and make recommendations for improvement. |
Other Comments |
| Modified from Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide. |
