STEM Design Challenge for MS-PS-3-3 Design an Insulated Cold Thermal Cup

STEM Design Challenge for NGSS MS-PS-3-3 Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer

I use this as a STEM design challenge towards the end of our unit on thermal energy.  We usually take 2.5 to 3, 60 minute class periods to do the challenge including the building, testing and reflection. If you have students build the cups as homework you will need less class time for this design challenge.

Day 1 and 2: Explore and Build Days Students research and plan how to build the insulated drinking cup and for students to investigate the different materials we have in the supply boxes. I do a demonstration of how to make a template of the paper cup so they can use it for cutting out materials to wrap around the outside of the cup.

Students also decide if they need any specialized materials not already in our STEM supply area and we discuss if I can provide the materials. For example I had one group request sand to use as a possible insulation layer between two cups. I was able to find some sand in storage and they incorporated it into their final design.

For this challenge I allow students to struggle with the design process and remind them there are limits to the size and amount of materials that I will provide. I do allow students to bring in supplies from home but to make it equitable, I ask that students do NOT specifically buy materials for this project and to only use re-purposed materials.

Day 3: Test Day Assessment

When doing the cold water testing it is important that there is no ice in the water after using it to chill the water. Ice will absorb thermal energy as it melts and will help keep the temperature of the water constant as long as there is some ice in the water. To make the test fair to all students, I make sure there is no ice left in the chilled water used for testing.

I do not have enough commercially sold insulated tumblers for each group to use as a comparison so I usually have my higher students set up one plain coffee cup and one commercially sold insulated cup to collect data for the whole class to use as comparisons in the final evaluation of the insulated cup design.

In my classes we currently have access to digital thermometer probes that will record the temperature of the containers every minute for 30 minutes without much direct monitoring (you can adjust the testing time depending on the length of your class periods).This means that once we set up the tests, I can lead the class in a short 20-25 minute lesson while the cups are being tested.

Contains Zipped File with 2 PDFs

• Cover, TOU (2 pages)
• Lesson Planner, Teacher Notes, Materials, and Suggested Scaffolding for Students (PDF) (4 pages)
• Thermal Cup STEM Design Challenge Design Sheet (2 page)
• Thermal Insulated Cup Design Specifications, Test Results Worksheet and Rubric (3 pages)