Objective: 

Students will design a device to minimize thermal energy transfer, create a flowchart to represent their design process, and use computational thinking to break down the problem into smaller, manageable parts.

Materials Needed:

• Insulating materials (e.g., foam, cloth, cardboard)

• Thermometers

• Containers or cups

• Markers and paper for flowchart creation

• Graph paper to record results

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Discuss the concept of thermal energy transfer and introduce the challenge of designing an insulated device. 

  • Explain that students will use computational thinking to break down the task into smaller steps.

• Group Brainstorming and Problem Breakdown: 

  • In small groups, students brainstorm materials and strategies to build their device. 

  • They identify and define smaller subproblems (e.g., material selection, insulation structure, and testing method) and represent their problem-solving process using flowcharts.

• Flowchart Creation: 

  • Students create flowcharts to organize their plan, breaking down the design into step-by-step instructions. 

  • Each step in the process (e.g., building, testing, refining) is represented as part of a computational algorithm.

• Building the Device: 

  • Using the flowcharts as guides, students construct their insulated devices, paying attention to the predicted effects of different materials on heat transfer.

• Testing and Data Collection: 

  • Students test their devices by measuring the change in temperature of hot water inside the container over time. 

  • They collect data, compare it to predictions, and record results using graphs.

• Discussion and Refinement: 

  • After reviewing the data, students analyze their designs and discuss potential improvements. 

  • They use the flowchart to refine their design, considering how they can optimize each step.

• Presentation and Reflection: 

  • Groups present their designs and the flowcharts that guided their process. 

  • They explain how they broke the problem into smaller steps and how computational thinking helped refine their solution.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-drawn flowchart templates for students who need additional support, and pair students with varying strengths to foster collaboration.

Real-World Application:

Discuss how insulation is used in everyday life (e.g., in homes, refrigerators, and packaging) and how computational thinking is employed in engineering solutions to minimize heat loss or gain.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students break down the thermal energy transfer challenge into smaller subproblems, each requiring a distinct approach.

• Developing and Using Abstractions: By using flowcharts, students abstract their design process into a series of generalized steps.

• Collaborating Around Computing: Students work in teams to solve a complex problem, leveraging each other's strengths to design and test their devices.

Standard(s):

• CA NGSS MS-PS3-3

• CA CS 6-8.AP.10

Objective: 

Students will collect and analyze temperature data from experiments testing thermal energy transfer and use computing tools to represent and refine their designs.

Materials Needed:

• Temperature sensors (e.g., Arduino with temperature probes)

• Insulating materials

• Microcontrollers and basic coding platform (e.g., Arduino IDE)

• Computers with spreadsheet software for data analysis

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Students review thermal energy transfer concepts and are introduced to the sensors they will use to gather data. 

  • Explain how they will use technology to automate data collection and analyze results.

• Group Activity: 

  • In groups, students design an experiment to test the effectiveness of insulating materials, using temperature sensors to monitor heat loss.

• Programming and Testing: 

  • Students program their microcontroller to collect temperature data at regular intervals, testing their devices by monitoring temperature changes over time.

• Data Analysis: 

  • Using spreadsheet software, students analyze their collected data, creating graphs to visualize the relationship between material mass, type, and heat retention.

• Refining the Device: 

  • Based on the data, students refine their designs, making changes to improve insulation and testing again.

• Presentation and Discussion: 

  • Groups present their findings, explaining the results of their experiments and how they used the data to improve their designs.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-made templates or guided instructions in the coding platform (e.g., a partially constructed code) for students who are new to coding or physical computing. Pair students with different skill levels to encourage peer-to-peer learning and collaboration.

Real-World Application:

Discuss how physical computing is used in smart technologies such as thermostats, wearable fitness trackers, and environmental monitoring devices, which rely on sensors to collect data on temperature and energy use, and how students’ projects mirror the same data-driven decision-making process.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students program microcontrollers to collect and process temperature data.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students iteratively refine their devices and data collection based on their findings.

• Communicating About Computing: Students present their data and explain how computing tools were used to analyze and refine their designs.

Standard(s):

• CA NGSS MS-PS3-4

• CA CS 6-8.DA.8