Celebrating Diversity in Science

JANUARY CURRICULUM UPDATE

The Thermal Energy or Cup Design unit introduces students to wonder how a regular single wall plastic cup is different from a special double-wall plastic cup. Students will observe that the drink in the regular cup warms up faster than the drink in the special cup. This makes students wonder about how features of the cup (i.e. the material, the lid, the straw) causes stuff to get warmer faster or keeps drinks from warming. Students are encouraged to draw a model to help explain the difference in warming rates. These models inspire students to think of other fancy cups or containers and how they are similar and different (e.g., metal vacuum sealed cups, styrofoam cups). Finally students pose their own questions about the cup features, the air and light around the cups, and how they relate to keeping substances hot or cold longer.