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Thermal Time Capsule

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Grades 6-845 min setup plus a 2 hour check-inSource: Creative Dad Company

Teams engineer an insulated box to keep an ice cube frozen as long as possible, then write a field journal entry in the voice of a 19th century ice harvester who solved the same problem before refrigerators existed.

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Prep: 15 minActivity: 30 min1 session~$0/groupOne table or a clear section of floorBeginner-friendly

Setup

Print or hand-copy the essential prompt for Thermal Time Capsule, then set out only paper, pencils, and the common or recycled items needed for one test. Use a tabletop representation whenever the original version mentions a room, specialized device, or digital tool; the learning comes from the decisions and evidence, not elaborate scenery.

Activity

  1. Predict which materials will slow down melting best and why, before choosing an insulation strategy.
  2. Line the shoebox with insulating layers, seal an ice cube inside a bag at the center, and note the starting temperature.
  3. Check the ice every 30 minutes for two hours, recording how much has melted and comparing results between teams.
  4. Research how people preserved ice before electric refrigeration, such as insulated icehouses packed with sawdust, then write a short journal entry as if you were a 19th century ice harvester describing the day's work.

Done when: The group has completed Thermal Time Capsule when it can research how people preserved ice before electric refrigeration, such as insulated icehouses packed with sawdust, then write a short journal entry as if you were a 19th century ice harvester describing the day's work and point to the observation, measurement, comparison, or trial that supports its conclusion.

Materials

Shoebox, aluminum foil, cotton balls, plastic wrap, ice cubes, small thermometer, plastic bags

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Steps

  1. Predict which materials will slow down melting best and why, before choosing an insulation strategy.
  2. Line the shoebox with insulating layers, seal an ice cube inside a bag at the center, and note the starting temperature.
  3. Check the ice every 30 minutes for two hours, recording how much has melted and comparing results between teams.
  4. Research how people preserved ice before electric refrigeration, such as insulated icehouses packed with sawdust, then write a short journal entry as if you were a 19th century ice harvester describing the day's work.

Standards it satisfies

  • NGSS · MS-PS3-3

    Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.