OpenSciEd 6.2, Lesson 16: Design Evaluation (Vernier Powered, Guided)
Task
Use this Vernier-Powered Tuva Investigation with Grade 6 OpenSciEd Unit 6.2, Lesson 16. Tuva has digitized the Cold Cup Design Handout utilized throughout the lesson as well as the procedures for the five tests students use to evaluate their cup designs. In Tuva, students record their design ideas, follow the test procedures, collect their temperature data, record their results, and evaluate their initial design. This version of the investigation uses a Vernier Go Direct Temperature Probe instead of a standard thermometer. Each group will need 1 Go Direct Temperature Probe and holder and a computer running Chrome or Edge, the two browsers that can connect to the probe. This is not a standalone lesson. Use it in tandem with the OpenSciEd Teacher Edition to guide overall instruction and collaborative sensemaking. Where This Investigation Fits into the Storyline In the previous lesson, students reached consensus on how energy transfers and which design features slow it down. In this lesson, they apply that thinking to design, build, and test their first cup, then use their results to give and receive peer feedback for their next redesign. How to Sequence This Investigation Day 1 Before opening Tuva, complete Part 1, Navigation, as a class. (Use page 6 of the OpenSciEd Teacher Edition.) In Part 2, when instructed to hand out the Cold Cup Design Handout, have students pull up this Tuva Investigation. Use the Teacher Guide (pages 6–8) to complete Part 2, Review the Design Challenge, on Tuva Steps 1 to 4. Instead of following along on a paper handout, students will follow along on Tuva. Have students complete Part 3, Design and Build Cup Design 1, in small groups on Tuva Steps 5 to 7. Some students may prefer to sketch their design idea on paper. Have blank printer paper or graph paper ready for them to use. The Teacher Edition flags this portion of the lesson as an assessment opportunity. Learn about what to look for on page 9. Day 2 At the start of Day 2, the Teacher Edition suggests passing out one copy of the Regular Light and Temperature Test, Bright Light and Temperature Test, Environmental Impact Test, Price Check Test, and Diameter Test handouts to each group. You will not need to make or distribute these copies, as the instructions are included digitally in Tuva. Prepare a testing bin for each group that includes a Go Direct Temperature Probe and holder, a computer running Chrome or Edge, 1 500-mL graduated cylinder or beaker, 1 12-inch ruler, 1 marker or pen, and 1 lamp with a 100-watt bulb. Have students complete Part 4, Test First Cup Designs, on Tuva Steps 8 to 16. Step 8 gets the equipment ready, Step 9 connects the probe and starts the regular light test, and Step 12 starts the bright light test. The price check, diameter, and environmental impact tests fill the two 12 minute waits. On Step 15 students graph their temperature change data for both conditions. Note: Readings collected with the probe are held in the browser and are lost if the page is reloaded, so plan for each group to run both temperature tests and save their graph in one sitting. Once the graph is submitted, the work is saved. In Part 5, Evaluate the Results of the First Design, students answer a few self-reflection questions about their own designs. Complete the first two questions on Tuva Step 16. Then, pause the group. Explain the peer feedback process and carry out peer feedback exactly as written in the Teacher Edition, page 12. (You will need hard copies of the Design Evaluation: Peer Feedback* handout.) Have students return to Tuva to answer the final question on Step 16. What Happens Next In the next lesson, students will begin by comparing their designs.
In the previous lesson, you learned about the Cold Cup Challenge and considered what you still needed to figure out about how cups keep drinks cold for a long time. You jigsawed the gaps and then conducted a gallery walk to share your findings. You used what you figured out to reach consensus about mechanisms for energy transfer and design features that slow down this process. In this investigation, you will design a cup system using everyday materials that keeps a cold drink cold for as long as possible. You will test your design to see how well it meets certain criteria and constraints, and you will give feedback on another group's design. Click Next to continue.
Topics and standards: Physical Science, MS-PS3-4, MS-PS3-5, MS-PS3-3, MS-PS1-4, MS-PS4-2, Grade 6, OpenSciEd, 3.2.6-8.B, 3.2.6-8.M, 3.2.6-8.N, 3.2.6-8.O, 3.2.6-8.R