Chemistry in the Earth System · Week 12 · Heat and Energy in the Earth System
Thermal Energy and Choices
Designing a device that keeps a lunch cool and justifying design choices honestly, including weaknesses.
- Students will
- Students design and evaluate a lunch cooler that slows heat flow into ice, describe the energy changes involved, and honestly state the strengths and weaknesses of their design.
- SEL skill
- Be honest about the strengths and weaknesses of your own design
- What it looks like
- Students practice influencing others with integrity by being honest about weaknesses when presenting an idea.
- Content focus
- Designing a device to manage thermal energy
- Format
- Structured discussion
Responsible decision-making
Responsible decision-making means making caring, constructive choices by thinking about ethics, safety, and consequences. More responsible decision-making activities
What you get
A teacher guide with what to say, step by step, plus student pages and a supports page for students with diverse learning needs, including those with IEPs. Print or Project it, or assign it in Google Forms and Google Docs for Google Classroom. Your first 10 activities are free.
Standards
- HS-PS3-4: High School Physical Science performance expectation
- HS-ETS1-3: High School Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science performance expectation
- Science and engineering practice: SEP6 Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Crosscutting concept: CCC5 Energy and matter
- CA Environmental Principles and Concepts: Principle II: People influence natural systems
- Literacy in science: RST.9-10.9 Compare and contrast findings in a text to those from other sources.
- Traditional course: Chemistry
Fits these textbook chapters
- Modern Chemistry, Chapter 16: Reaction Energy
- California HMH Science Dimensions: Chemistry in the Earth System, Unit 2: Heat and Energy in the Earth System
Textbook names are used only to help you find activities that fit what you teach. RoseThread Connect is not affiliated with these publishers.
More responsible decision-making activities for Chemistry in the Earth System
- Comparing Fuels Responsible decision-makingCalculating the energy per gallon of different fuels and weighing tradeoffs in a decision without rushing.
- Energy Budgets Responsible decision-makingCalculating Earth's energy budget and balancing a personal energy budget of sleep, school, and work.
- Nuclear Changes Responsible decision-makingModeling fission, fusion, and decay and discussing how fear and facts both enter energy decisions.
- Rates of Reaction Responsible decision-makingArguing how temperature and concentration change reaction rates and noticing what speeds up or slows down our own reactions.
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RoseThread Connect activities are drafted with the help of AI and shaped by educators. Students never have to share anything personal. Our five SEL skills are informed by CASEL's SEL Framework; RoseThread Learning is not affiliated with or endorsed by CASEL.