OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

This lesson is a part of a multi-day project where students build a small structure designed to interfere with thermal transfer from a heat lamp to an ice cube. This lesson is an application of knowledge gathered from prior lessons about heat transfer. A micro:bit and an ice cube will be used inside the structure to determine the amount of heat transfer interferences resulted. Students will compare if the data from the ice cube or the micro:bit was a better measurement tool.

Meta description

• Subject Area: Science
• Grade Level : 6-8
• Computer Science Domains:
  • Data Analysis
• Computer Science Principles:
  • Collaborating Around Computing, Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems
• Materials:
  • Micro:bit
• Considerations:
  • Have knowledge of how matter transfers energy (insulators/conductors) and know how to upload a program from Microsoft Micro:bit website to the micro:bit.

Lesson Plan

Overview

This lesson is a part of a multi-day project where students build a small structure designed to interfere with thermal transfer from a heat lamp to an ice cube. This lesson is an application of knowledge gathered from prior lessons about heat transfer. A micro:bit and an ice cube will be used inside the structure to determine the amount of heat transfer interferences resulted. Students will compare if the data from the ice cube or the micro:bit was a better measurement tool.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

1. What do we need to measure to determine if we are successful in preventing thermal energy transfer to the inside of the structure (igloo)?
2. Which one, an ice cube or a micro:bit will better evaluate a thermal energy transfer? Why?

OBJECTIVES

Program and gather temperature data from micro:bit. Make a comparison of the ice cube and micro:bit at ways to gather evidence/data regarding temperature change inside their structure. Graph their micro:bit temperature data .

CATCH/HOOK

Ice and computers are both measuring tools.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Students will gather their computers and micro:bits to program the micro:bit to measure temperature and gather the data for students to use later to make a graph. (they will be working in teams of 3)

2. Depending on the level of prior knowledge and time available for this lesson, the teacher can take a day to have students build the program themselves. Otherwise, the students can copy the program provided to them to upload to their micro:bit.

3. Discuss how students will use their data from the micro:bit and analyze the data by putting it in a graph.

4. Students will prepare to place the micro:bit and the ice cube (in a cup) inside their structure.
   a.Students record the weight of the cup and ice cube (beginning mass) b.Students record their structure’s inside temperature before going under the lamps (beginning temperature).

5. Place the structure under the heat lamp for 20 minutes.

6. At the end of 20 minutes they remove their structure and do the following a. Students remove the ice/cup and pour out any liquid b. Students measure the weight of the cup and ice. (ending mass)
   c. Students will use their computer to look at the Temperature data (encourage monitoring this during the 20 minutes.)

7. Students within their teams will discuss for about 5 minutes which was a better tool to measure heat transfer, the ice cube or the mircor:bit. Students will then create a Venn diagram comparing the two.

8. Teams will discuss if their structure is effective at interfering with heat transfer and discuss ways to improve their design. They will prepare a sketch of the improvements or changes they decided to make to the structure. (Note: They will try multiple 20 minute tests under the heat lamp for this project)

Supplements

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REVIEW

As a class, stuendent can volunteer to discuss the benefits of using an ice cube or a micro:bit (a coputer) to gather data. They can discuss what is unique about each one (e.g, computers can use remote sensors and show increases and decreases over time)

STANDARDS