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Winter STEAM Activity
Winter STEAM Activity
Ice Shelter Challenge!
The Problem:
You are on a journey through Antarctica! The extreme cold reaches as low as -136°F (-95°C) which makes it difficult for scientists and researchers to stay and work here. How do they do it? You will soon find out! Once you make it across the icy sea, you must seek shelter for the night to protect your team.
The Goal:
Build an insulated shelter prototype that maintains a safe temperature inside and has a working door.
Part 1: Cross the Ice
This part gives your students a chance to work together as a team. They are going to need to "cross the ice" successfully to be able to do their research about Antarctica. Split the class into teams (4-5 per team is best) and put them on one side of the room. Give them paper, one more piece than people in their team (ex. 5 students, 6 sheets of paper). The goal is to get across the room by only touching sheets of paper.
They must work together to get across the room:
They cannot touch the floor - only on the paper
They cannot scoot the paper on the floor, but they can pick it up and move it
The entire team must reach the other side of the room
They can talk and work together
Hopefully, the students will eventually figure out that they should form a line and use sheets of paper as stepping stones. The last person in line can pick up the paper and pass it to the person in the front of the line. Although this is the easiest, it's not the only way!
**Note - you may want to make sure that the room doesn't have barriers such as instruments, backpacks, jackets, etc. Desks and chairs can be moved if needed, or find an empty classroom to make it much easier!
Part 2: Build an Ice Shelter
This is the main challenge! The goal is to build a prototype of an insulated shelter to maintain a safe temperature inside and has a working door. You may want to start with some background on Antarctica, its weather, and what goes into insulation type designs. Some resources are available at the bottom of the page.
Give the students time to build their structures however they see fit.
Remember, this is a PROTOTYPE so it's small... they aren't building a life size shelter. :-)
How will you know they are successful? Add some ice! In order to show that the design is maintaining temperature, putting an ice cube inside for a small period of time and observing its progress will show that the temperature stays the same or makes the ice cube melt. Put the ice cube in a small container and place in the shelter. Also, put an ice cube in the classroom that is not protected by the shelter as the control ice cube (this is a great time to discuss controls and variables!) Let the ice cubes sit for about 15-20 minutes.
Next, measure the water in the control container. Have students take the ice cubes and containers out of their shelters and measure how much water is in them, and compare them to the control container. Write down the results to compare between teams.
Discuss the shelter designs and materials. Which ones were more effective than others? Remember, the less water in the cup, the better their shelter was at insulating!
Give them time to improve their designs and test again with new ice.
**Note - yes, we want the real tents to be warm inside. The point of the ice cube is to show that the shelters are maintaining whatever temperature is in there. In the scientists' case, it would be their body heat and any other heat source.
Materials Needed:
Part 1 - paper (can be scratch paper)
Part 2 - any supplies that they can use to create their ice shelters!
Supplies for shelter prototypes - any supplies that they can use to create their ice shelters!
paper plates
cups
cotton balls
foil
craft sticks
paper
tape/glue
scissors
small container to hold ice cube
Ice cube (1 for each group)
Measuring cup or small graduated cylinder (available from Science Center - just email me!)
This is also a great time to talk about the Engineering Design Process if you haven't before!
Point out that it is a cycle that continuously goes around. It is important to let them IMPROVE their designs and TEST them again, then SHARE their results.
Engineers and scientists and many other people in multiple industries do this all the time!
Extensions
Make constraints on materials by having them stick to a budget (each item costs a certain amount), or use other constraints such as time or limited materials. Make weight a constraint - it must be less than a certain number of ounces/grams - most likely the scientists have to carry their equipment!
States of Matter - Talk about the states of matter with water!
Blubber Experiment - Fill a bowl with water and ice. Have them take turns sticking their hands in the ice water - BRR! Take a Ziploc bag and fill it with shortening, then put another bag into that (so they aren't touching the shortening) and create an insulated glove. Have them use this to dip their hand into the water. Here is a video of the experiment with explanation: SciShow Kids
Learn more about:
Animals that live in the Arctic
Careers that take people to the Arctic or Antarctica
Extra Resources
Australian Antarctic Program - Has pictures of different shelters and tents
Antarctic Field School and Snow Shelters - Video of group putting up shelters and digging snow trenches
All about Antarctica
Video - Antarctica for Kids
Video - Cool Facts about Antarctica
Build - then Share!
As we continue our OUSD Stem Challenges, please share! If you complete this activity with your students, take pictures and/or videos and share them with us! Email or share to rgreenwald@orangeusd.org . If you choose to share on your school IG, FB, or Twitter, make sure to tag OUSD!
NGSS Connections:
K-ESS2-2 Earth's Systems - Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.
2-ESS2-3 Earth's Systems - Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid
2-PS1-1 Matter and Its Interactions - Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties
2-PS1-2 Matter and Its Interactions - Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.
3-ESS2-2 Earth's Systems - Obtain and Combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world
5-PS1-2 Matter and Its Interactions - Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved.
Engineering Design K-2
ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
ETS 1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
ETS 1-3. Analyze data from tests of objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
Engineering Design 3-5
ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
ETS1-3: Students who demonstrate understanding can:
Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
MOST IMPORTANTLY - HAVE FUN!!!
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