Fully Clothed and Resourceful A Reality Science Challenge!

Purpose Engage in the scientific design process to solve a problem through experimentation. Explain the steps in the scientific process. Describe and use the parts of valid experimental design. Get instructions for rescue from the crabby old science teacher on the mountain by getting him hot coffee.

The Challenge! You and a colleague of the opposite sex are trapped on a cold Alaska island and must survive for 21 days with only a physical science book and a Starbuck’s card. To receive your instructions for extraction, you must deliver a hot cup of coffee to the crabby old retired science teacher in his yurt on the top of a nearby mountain. He will only then give instructions if the coffee stays at 80°C after the 10 minute hike to the mountain yurt. In order to keep the coffee warm you have been given a variety of insulating materials listed on next slide. You may test 4 insulating materials. You must figure out the best way to keep his coffee hot with the available materials.

More Specific Requirements You must have a written plan in your LJ before you begin. You will be given 5 grande coffee cups with lids, 3 meters of duct tape, and the insulating materials to use. You may test 4 insulating materials. Maple leaves, stale Kix cereal, old Discover magazines, cotton balls, old t-shirt, aluminum foil. You will also be given 2 m of duct tape and a 1000 mL plastic beaker, and a thermometer. The maximum thickness of the insulation is 2 cm. The coffee must stay at 1east 80°C after 10 min. The cooling will be conducted on the sidewalk outside. When you are returned to civilization you must write a lab report about your experiment.

Make a Plan Design an experiment to test which insulation will work the best to keep the coffee warm to the top if the mountain. Follow standards for valid experimental design. Write out detailed instructions for how to conduct your experiment in your LJ. Include a neat, labeled diagram. Draw a data table in your LJ before you start your lab. Your plan must be approved by the teacher before you can begin. Work in groups of 2 or 3. All members must have the same plan in their LJ.

Lab Report You will report upon what you learned when you return to civilization. Descriptive Scientific Title Name, date, period in upper right corner. Introduction Provide some background info to the scenario. Explain the purposes. Briefly summarize what you will do to figure this out. Procedures Diagram of your set-up. Step by step, clear and detailed instructions. Data / Observations Organized table with your data including a title. Conclusion CLEaR format followed. More on this later.