MS-PS3-3 Insulating Device Project

In this MS-PS3-3 Insulating Device Project, students BUILD a device to minimize thermal energy transfer and then TEST its effectiveness.

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This project is designed for a heat, thermal energy, and insulators/conductors unit, covering NGSS MS PS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.

At home, students design and construct a device that holds heat. They can use any materials that they have access to, and therefore don’t have to buy anything. Keeping the focus on readily available materials helps keep ALL students involved, regardless of their ability to buy supplies at a store.

In class on the due date, students test their design by adding a half cup of hot water and measuring the temperature drop over 30 minutes.

This resource includes:

  • Clear instructions
  • Student sheet to complete during the testing period, including data table, graph, and analysis
  • Student-friendly rubric
  • Helpful teacher tips including some easy-to-find and free material ideas to provide students

Teacher Notes:

  • This MS-PS3-3 Insulating Device Project is not editable.
  • Related NGSS Science & Engineering Practices: Developing and using models; Planning and carrying out investigations; Constructing explanations and designing solutions.
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Related Standards:

  • NGSS MS-PS1-4: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
  • NGSS MS-PS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.
  • NGSS MS-PS3-4: Plan an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, type of matter, mass, and change in temperature of the sample.

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Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 NGSS Standards: MS-PS1-4, MS-PS3-3, MS-PS3-4