Culminating Activity--"Oh, No, We're Stranded"
Summary: Students will be using their knowledge to prepare lunch at Miller Springs Nature Center. They will construct insulation for the water containers as well as brew tea. They will use solar ovens to prepare hot dogs.
Scenario: After arriving at Miller Springs Nature Center, relate this or a similar story. Oh, no the bus has just run out of gas. __________'s mom who was bringing the bar-b-que pit is lost. We don't even have a cell phone. We are stranded here at MS until our principal notices we are not back at school by the end of the day. It's a good thing we have been studying about potential and kinetic energy,especially solar energy. We need to divide into groups to prepare lunch so we don't starve. One group will need to prepare the tea, one group needs to keep our water as cool as possible, and one group needs to cook the hot dogs. Remember to use everything you know about energy.
Materials: containers of water (one for each work group), tea bags, wieners, buns, mustard, catsup, cups, whichever materials children determined would work best to heat and insulate, zip lock bags, tongs, scissors, clean thermometers, foil, masking tape, solar cooker (If you are afraid the solar ovens won't work, you can purchase one to take along or you could bring the most efficient ones constructed in class.)
TEKS: 2.1A 2.2A thru F 2.3A,B,C 2.7A,B
Objectives:
Measure temperature
Gather, record, and interpret data
Observe patterns
Procedures:
1. Divide students into groups.
2. Allow time for each group to construct their part of the project. It would probably be
best if you did not start the hot dogs until about 30-45 minutes before you want to eat.
The tea and water cooler needs to be started as soon as you arrive. (We usually spend the
entire day at MS, but you will need to adapt the activities to meet your time frame.) Be
sure you have adult supervision for each of the groups.
3. Be sure students record the temperature of the water /tea before they begin and again
when they eat.
4. With an adult, have children walk through one of the trails recording items
with energy--potential and kinetic. (Have one adult stay with the cooking hot dogs while
the children walk.)
5. After returning from the trail, predict which container will have the coolest water and
the hottest tea. Justify predictions.
6.Record temperatures of water/tea for comparison later. Be sure to write the items used
for insulation/absorption.
7. EAT!
Questions:
1. How was it useful to know which colors reflected or absorbed light?
2. Which trail had the most energy in evidence?
3. Which container kept the water the coolest? the hottest? Why?
© BellNet, 1997
BellNET Webmaster
Last Edited: August 25, 2000