Thanksgiving STEM Activity: Pumpkin Pie Thermal Insulation (THX03) | Middle School Physical Science (Grades 6-8)

? THANKSGIVING STEM ACTIVITY: PUMPKIN PIE THERMAL INSULATION CHALLENGE (THX03)

3-Page STEM Activity | Print-Ready PDF Format

Savor thermodynamics, heat transfer mechanisms, and thermal energy management! The Pumpkin Pie Thermal Insulation Challenge (THX03) challenges middle school student teams to act as packaging engineers, constructing a thermal delivery container using paper, foil, and cotton to keep warm water ("pumpkin pie") from losing heat over 10 minutes.

Students explore conduction, convection, radiation heat transfer, thermal insulation barriers, cooling rates (°C/min), and control group temperature tracking!

? WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS 3-PAGE PACKET?

• ? Page 1: Teacher Guide & Lesson Plan: NGSS alignment (MS-PS3-3, MS-ETS1-2), target science concepts, setup guide, expected student outcomes, answer keys, and math troubleshooting tips.

• ? Page 2: Student Mission Card & Blueprint: Real-world thermal engineering scenario hook. Clear material limits box (cups, hot water, cotton, bubble wrap, foil, felt, tape). Dedicated Thermal Insulation Barrier & Carrier Schematic sketching zone.

• ? Page 3: Testing Log & Scientific Reflection: Structured Data Testing Table (temperature changes every 3 minutes over a 15-minute test period for insulated carrier and control). Applied Math Connection (calculate total heat loss in °C and average cooling rate in °C/min). Physics reflection questions.

? CORE STEM SKILLS COVERED:

• Thermal Engineering, Thermodynamics & Heat Energy Conservation

• Conduction Reduction, Insulating Barriers & Temperature Decay

• Data Logging, Precision Temperature Tracking (°C), and Rate Math (°C/min)

• Experimental Control Comparison and Thermal Efficiency Optimization

? WHY TEACHERS LOVE THIS RESOURCE:

• 3-Page Professional Layout: Includes a complete Page 1 Teacher Guide for seamless prep, keeping student lab sheets clean and ready to print!

• Low-Cost Materials: Uses inexpensive paper cups, cotton balls, bubble wrap, aluminum foil, felt, and digital thermometers.

• High-Impact Physics Lab: Makes thermal energy transfer equations tangible, visual, and measurable for Grades 6-8!

• Format: High-resolution, print-ready PDF format (3 Pages).

Target Grades: 6th, 7th, 8th / Middle School

Subject Area: Physical Science, Physics, Thermal Energy, Thermodynamics, Thanksgiving STEM Labs

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