Team-Building Radiation Bucket Challenge

Introduction:
Communication is an essential part of scientific research and investigation.
Scientists must be able to articulate their opinions and discoveries with their local
colleagues as well as other scientists around the world. Most often, scientific
discoveries are the result of massive amounts of teamwork. Sometimes scientists
must work together with others who may not always agree. An important skill for
any scientist, or productive citizen, is the ability to work with others to accomplish a
task and the ability to work through differences.

Purpose:
This inquiry-based problem solving activity will help students develop teamwork and
communication skills essential in the field of science. In addition, students will
demonstrate communication skills through recording their experience such that it
could be replicated by another group.

Standards Addressed:
ALEX CCRS HS Physical Science

8 - Apply Newton's laws to predict the resulting motion of a system by constructing force diagrams that
identify the external forces acting on the system, including friction (e.g., a book on a table, an object
being pushed across a floor, an accelerating car).

Next Generation Science Standards: HS-PS2 Motion and Stability: Forces and
Interactions
Science and Engineering Practices

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 912 builds on K8 experiences and progresses to
explanations and designs that are supported by multiple and independent student-generated sources
of evidence consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories.

Apply scientific ideas to solve a design problem, taking into account possible unanticipated
effects. (HS-PS2-3)
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information in 912 builds on K8 and progresses to

evaluating the validity and reliability of the claims, methods, and designs.

Communicate scientific and technical information (e.g. about the process of development and
the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (including orally,
graphically, textually, and mathematically). (HS-PS2-6)

Disciplinary Core Ideas

ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem

Criteria and constraints also include satisfying any requirements set by society, such as taking
issues of risk mitigation into account, and they should be quantified to the extent possible and
stated in such a way that one can tell if a given design meets them. (secondary to HS-PS2-3)
ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution

Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically,
and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be
needed. (secondary to HS-PS2-3)
Cross-Cutting Concepts
Cause and Effect

Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims
about specific causes and effects. (HS-PS2-1),(HS-PS2-5)
Systems can be designed to cause a desired effect. (HS-PS2-3)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.6
Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for
reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression.

Materials for each group:

Rope (3)
Bucket (1)
Tennis balls (3)

Parameters:

Groups must transfer radioactive waste (tennis balls) from your team bucket
to a box placed on a lab table using the ropes provided. This box is made of
a material that will block harmful radiation and allow for safe transportation
to underground storage.
Neither the tennis balls nor the bucket can be directly touched by any
individual to avoid fatal radiation exposure.

Safety precautions also require individuals to stay a distance away from the
table during transfer. The transfer process is especially dangerous.
(Students cannot cross the taped area surrounding the table.)
Groups will have 15 minutes to safety complete the transfer, avoiding
harmful radiation exposure.

Activity Scoring Rubric (30 Points)

9-10 Points
Each member is active in
planning and attempting
the activity.
9-10 Points
The group demonstrates
positive communication
skills.
9-10 Points
The group abides by all
parameters of the
activity.

7-8 Points
All members participate,
but one or more provide
little input.
7-8 Points
The group communicates,
but conversations are not
all constructive to the
goal.
7-8 Points
The group ignores one
parameter, but they
correct themselves upon
teacher reminder.

0-6 Points
The groups actions are
dominated by one or two
members.
0-6 Points
Members cannot agree
about a plan of action,
and language is insulting
or demeaning.
0-6 Points
The group ignores
multiple parameters
despite reminders.

Total ___________________

Writing in Science (20 Points)

science journals.

Record your answers in your

In scientific research, experiments must be reproducible to be credible. A

researcher must go to great lengths to describe the methods taken to
achieve their results for an experiment. The process is just as important as
the results.

Part 1 (8 points)

If your strategy for transferring radioactive material was successful, describe

in detail the steps you took to accomplish the task. If your strategy was not
successful, still include each step taken in your attempt. (Remember, we
often learn more through failure than success.)

Part 2 (8 points)

Reflect on your methods. Were there any failed attempts before success? If
so, how did the failed attempts help improve your methods? If your group did

not succeed, why do you think your method did not work? How do you think
your method could be improved?
Part 3 (5 points)

Sketch a force diagram indicating with arrows all forces acting upon the
system during the bucket transfer. Explain how this activity relates to
Newtons laws of motion discussed in class.