Heat Transfer – Model House
Click to download Learning Experience as a .doc format
Author: Mr. Ted Kellogg, Mr. David Lennox, and Ms. Carmel Rastley
School District:
St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES - Seaway Tech
Intended Audience:
Content Area: Engineering
Course Title: Pre-Engineering
Grade Level: 12th
Technology Integration:
Technology Hardware: Multimeters with temperature probes, thermal imager
Technology Software: Microsoft Word and Excel
Internet Resources: Used for R-factor, insulation types, and insulation requirements for various states
Other Content Areas for STEM Integration:
Content Area: Science and Mathematics
New York State Learning Standards and Performance Indicators Addressed by this Learning Experience:
Include the full wording of the standard(s) and specific performance indicator(s).
MST.S1.C2 use deductive reasoning to construct and evaluate conjectures and arguments.
MST.S1.C4 elaborate on basic scientific and personal explanations of natural phenomena
MST.S1.C6 coordinate explanations at different levels of scale, points of focus, and degrees of complexity and specificity.
MST.S1.C7 devise ways of making observations to test proposed explanations.
MST.S1.C8 refine research ideas through library investigations
MST.S1.C9 develop and present proposals including formal hypotheses to test their explanations.
MST.S1.C10 Carry out their research plan.
MST.S1.C11 use various means of representing and organizing observations and interpret the organized data.
MST.S1.C13 engage in a design process
MST.S1.C15 generate creative solutions, using mathematical and functional modeling techniques and documenting ideas against design criteria.
MST.S1.C16 construct a model of the solution incorporating developmental modifications while working to a high degree of quality (craftsmanship)
MST.S3.A.CM.2 Use mathematical representations to communicate with appropriate accuracy, including numerical tables, formulas, functions, equations, charts, graphs, Venn diagrams, and other diagrams
MST.S3.A.CN.6 Recognize and apply mathematics to situations in the outside world
MST.S3.A.R.6 Use mathematics to show and understand physical phenomena (e.g., find height of a building if a ladder of a given length forms a given angle of elevation with the ground)
MST.S3.A.A.33 Determine the slope of a line, given the coordinates of two points on the line
MST.S4.C9 observe and describe transmission of various forms of energy
MST.S4.C10 explain heat in terms of kinetic molecular theory
MST.S4.C11 explain variations in wavelength and frequency in terms of the source of the vibrations that produce them, e.g., molecules, electrons, and nuclear particles.
MST.S4.C31 explain how individual choices and societal actions can contribute to improving the environment.
MST.S6.C3 define boundary conditions when doing systems analysis to determine what influences a system and how it behaves.
MST.S6.C4 revise a model to create a more complete or improved representation of the system.
MST.S6.C5 collect information about the behavior of a system and use modeling tools to represent the operation of the system.
MST.S6.C7 compare predictions to actual observations using test models.
MST.S6.C12 search for multiple trends when analyzing data for a pattern, and identify data that do not fit the trends.
MST.S6.C13 use optimization techniques, such as linear programming, to determine optimum solutions to problems that can be solved using quantitative methods.
MST.S6.C14 analyze subjective decision making problems to explain the trade-offs that can be made to arrive at the best solution.
Problem Statement:
This should be posed as a problem that students will be addressing. This will be the focus of the learning experience.
Students will work cooperatively in groups of two to determine what types of insulation are the most efficent, based upon calculations of H, the rate of heat transfer in a new or remodeled house.
Essential Question:
This is one focus question that promotes inquiry based learning and allows for multiple solutions and processes.
How can the efficency of insulations be determined, in a new or remodeled house?
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this learning experience students will be able to:
Apply knowledge gained through the evaluation of insulation to explain what types of insulation are best used in real world applications.
Experience cooperative learning to accomplish project goals.
Use technical writing to complete their report.
Use Excel to create tables of data and accompanying graphs to calculate H.
Necessary Resources:
List all materials that the teacher or students need to complete this learning experience.
Textbook(s), Workbook(s): Physics, Temp and Heat Transfer
Reference Book(s):
Handout(s): Project description, objectives and rubric
Other: Internet, computer access, Excel, and Word
Steps for Implementing Learning Experience:
List the actions that take place during this learning experience.
Temp and heat transfer chapters in Physics
Draw model house
Construct model house
Heat model house from the inside
Collect data w/multimeters
Create tables and graphs, calculate H
Write report
Instructional Modifications:
List all modifications to the classroom setting as well as those used to enhance learning for all students.
Pairing/Teamwork
Time used for Planning:
Time spent without students to prepare.
5Hrs.
Purchase building materials
Create project overview and rubric
Time for Implementation & Assessment:
List each day that the learning experience occurs along with the timeframe of the day in minutes.
Approximately 60 minutes/day for 15 working days.
Day 1-3: Research, sketches of model house
Day 4-10: Build, glue, insulate
Day 11-12: Test, graph, write report
Assessment Tools:
List all forms of assessment for the learning experience.
Observation, completed projects including houses and heat transfer reports.
Reflection:
Share the pros and cons of the learning experience. State any modifications that you would make next time this lesson is implemented.
Extension:
Do an energy audit on campus
Public presentation of audit to teachers, other classes, and BOCES BOE
Work with other BOCES groups on energy audit (teamwork)
Evacuate and/or fill windows with gas(es)
Pros:
Project is large enough that all team members have meaningful work
Students learned how to use Excel to create tables and graphs
Covers multiple physics chapters
Requires research and writing skills
Cons:
It is a large project, which can result in some students loosing focus
Because of the length of time required, there can be interruptions due to other class requirements
Student Work:
Attach one sample of student work that demonstrates a mastery, average, or below average level.
Rigor and Relevance Target:
The Rigor/Relevance Framework has four quadrants. Each is labeled with a term that characterizes the learning performance of the student at that level. Select the quadrant that is most appropriate regarding this learning experience.
Provide Supporting Information to Validate the Quadrant in Which This Learning Experience is Located.
Students have to apply their knowledge and skills to work through the learning experience from start to finish. They have to design the experiment including determining how the house should be constructed to so that heat reading can be taken and one insulation swapped for another. Also how can the windows be changed to be able to include the various options. Once the data has been collected the students had to make sence of it and put it into a report. Thoughout this project students had to all six levels of knowledge and all five levels of application.
There is a set/limited supply of building materials that all groups need to use to complete their house. Each group had to best determine how to maximize their building materials to complete the house design during the drawing phase of the project.
Student cooperation, communication and compromise are needed to execute each phase of the project.
Reflection upon fundamental physics concepts of temperature and heat transfer is required when making insulation decisions house design and construction and in understanding and explaining results in their final report.
