Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 14

2.

6Ice cream containers


BY ERIN DENNISTON
Provided by Kenan Fellows Program.

In this lesson, students will design a melt-proof ice cream container.

Students will use their knowledge to design and build melt-proof containers for ice
cream. They will track the temperature changes in the container over a four-hour period
to simulate the ice cream in transit from manufacturer to store. Students will draw a
diagram that shows how and why the container works.

Learning outcomes
Students will:

Design a melt-proof container for transporting


ice cream

Understand that insulators prevent heat energy


transfer

Choose construction materials based on their


insulating ability

Teacher planning
T I M E R EQ U I R E D
2 sessions 4560 minutes

M AT ER I A L S N E E DE D
Per group:

design brief

metric rulers

thermometer

scissors

small frozen ice cream in cup

For Materials Store (adjust supplies as needed):

scrap materials for construction (scrap paper,


cardboard, etc.)

string

straws

aluminum foil

plastic cups

wax paper

cling wrap

tape

S T U DE N T H A N DO U T S
Ice cream containers data
sheet

One per student


Open as PDF (18 KB, 4 pages; also
available as Microsoft Word document)

Pre-activities
Set up the Materials Store. See below for a sample cost list.
Cost list

A D J U S T T H I S L I S T T O R E F L E C T A C T U A L I T E M S A VA I L A B L E F O R S T U D E N T U S E .

Item

Cost

Tape

$0.10 per cm

Wax paper

$0.15 per 10 cm sheet

Plastic wrap

$0.20 per 10 cm sheet

Aluminum foil

$0.25 per 10 cm sheet

Nylon fabric

$0.15 per 10 cm square

String

$0.10 per 10 cm length

A D J U S T T H I S L I S T T O R E F L E C T A C T U A L I T E M S A VA I L A B L E F O R S T U D E N T U S E .

Item

Cost

Small plates

$0.15 each

Large plates

$0.30 each

Craft sticks

$0.02 each

Straws

$0.02 each

Plastic cups

$0.15 each

Activities
1. Introduction
Discuss problems in delivering goods to
supermarkets. Food gets too hot or too cold,
and may be ruined if not delivered properly.
Introduce the activity by telling students they
have just graduated from industrial design
school and on their first day of work, they are
going to have to design and build a container
that will keep ice cream at the correct
temperature for a specified period of time.
They will also be responsible for developing a
marketing plan detailing how the container
works and why it will be effective. After

introducing the activity, hand each student a


data sheet.
2. Challenge
Each team must design and build a new type of
ice cream container that will keep the ice
cream frozen for the longest period of time.
(Each team will also be charged with
developing a marketing plan for their new type
of container.) Teams must write up their
plan before they start to work on the container
design although alterations are permitted as
the design changes.
3. Specifications

o The container must be no larger


than 10 cm on each side.
o The container must be roughly a
six-sided square.
o The cost of the container must be
as low as possible.
o The thermometer must be visible
so that data can be collected.
o Before beginning the test, place
the small cup of frozen ice cream
into the container and seal it.
4. Construction
After the initial plan is complete, each team

can begin construction of their container. The


team must keep careful track of the materials
they use and the cost of each item or unit.
Criteria for success are a low-cost container
that keeps the ice cream frozen for a specified
period of time, depending on scheduling
constraints.
5. Data collection
Teams will record the initial temperature of the
ice cream container as well as the final
temperature.
6. Design
On a separate piece of paper, team members
must draw a diagram of their final design
based on the materials they used. They should
label all parts of the container.
7. Job analysis
After students finish the challenge, each team
member must write up a job analysis.

a. Did the team work well together?


b. What was the quality of the
teams work okay, good, or great?
c. What was the biggest challenge
for their company?
d. What could have made the job
easier?

Assessment
With students, create a scoring rubric for the product and the process. A sample rubric
appears below.

S A M P L E I C E C R E A M C O N TA I N E R S R U B R I C

Process
Chose appropriate materials

Followed all directions

Managed time well

Worked well with group

Contributed to the process

Product

Recorded all necessary data

Completed all tasks

Demonstrated creativity

Demonstrated knowledge

North Carolina curriculum alignment


SCIENCE (2005)
Grade 6

Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct


investigations to demonstrate an
understanding of scientific inquiry.

o Objective 1.01: Identify and


create questions and hypotheses
that can be answered through
scientific investigations.
o Objective 1.03: Apply safety
procedures in the laboratory and
in field studies:

Recognize potential
hazards.
Manipulate materials
and equipment.
Conduct appropriate
procedures.
o Objective 1.05: Analyze
evidence to:

Explain observations.

Make inferences and


predictions.
Develop the relationship
between evidence and
explanation.
o Objective 1.06: Use
mathematics to gather, organize,
and present quantitative data
resulting from scientific
investigations:

Measurement.
Analysis of data.
Graphing.
Prediction models.
o Objective 1.07: Prepare models
and/or computer simulations to:

Test hypotheses.
Evaluate how data fit.
o Objective 1.08: Use oral and
written language to:

Communicate findings.

Defend conclusions of
scientific investigations.

Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an


understanding of technological design.

o Objective 2.01: Explore


evidence that "technology" has
many definitions.

Artifact or hardware.
Methodology or
technique.
System of production.
Social-technical system.
o Objective 2.03: Evaluate
technological designs for:

Application of scientific
principles.
Risks and benefits.
Constraints of design.
Consistent testing
protocols.

Goal 6: The learner will conduct investigations


and examine models and devices to build an
understanding of the characteristics of energy
transfer and/or transformation.

o Objective 6.02: Analyze heat


flow through materials or across
space from warm objects to cooler
objects until both objects are at
equilibrium.
o Objective 6.04: Evaluate data
for qualitative and quantitative
relationships associated with
energy transfer and/or
transformation.
o Objective 6.06: Analyze
response to heat to determine the
suitability of materials for use in
technological design:

Conduction.
Expansion.
Contraction.

Next: Stability

Contents:
Children's
engineerin
g

L E SS O N 2 :
H E AT A N D
T E M P E R AT
URE

Next: Stabilit
y

Previous: He
at racers
1.

About this
project

1. 1Aestheti
cs and
practicali
ty
2. 2Heat
and
temperat
ure

1. 2.1Overv
iew
2. 2.2POP!
3. 2.3Curre
nts
around
us
4. 2.4Expa
nd and
contract
5. 2.5Heat
racers
6. 2.6Ice
cream

containe
rs
3. 3Stability
4. 4Properti
es of
materials
1.

Resources

Learn
more
R E L AT E D
TOPICS

Search
LEARN NC
for more
resources
on design,
design
technology
, energy,e
ngineering
, heat, insu
lators,
and scienc
e.

Print this page

Share:

Credits
By Erin Denniston.

Provided by Kenan Fellows Program.


The text of this page is copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved. Images and other media may be
licensed separately; see captions for more information and read the fine print.

LEARN NC, a program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education, finds the
most innovative and successful practices in K12 education and makes them available to the teachers
and students of North Carolina and the world.
About LEARN NC | Site map | Search | Staff | Partners | Legal | Help |Contact us

Вам также может понравиться