The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Keeping Warm

Keeping Warm

A 9-12th grade STEM lesson

Victoria Rackley

Date: March 28th, 2023

Notes for teachers

• Context: This lesson takes place in a laboratory classroom for 1-2 class periods.
• Students may work in small groups of 2-4.
• Identify a group leader to maintain lab space and supplies.
• Facilitate student reflection on analysis and conclusion questions for th

List of Materials (Per Group)

• LabQuest2 (optional but encouraged)
• Vernier temperature sensors or thermometers
• Insulated cup (Styrofoam)
• Plastic cup
• Large plastic container
• Warm water
• Cold water
• Ice

Science & Engineering Practices

Modeling in 9–12 builds on K–8 experiences and progresses to using, synthesizing, and developing models to predict and show relationships among variables between systems and their components in the natural and designed world(s).

• Develop and/or use a model (including mathematical and computational) to generate data to support explanations, predict phenomena, analyze systems, and/or solve problems.

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AgriScience Standards

1. Analyze historic and current trends impacting the animal systems industry.

• AG-ANI 1.1: Explain the variety and scope of managed animal systems in the United States and around the world including: livestock, poultry, aquaculture, companion animals, zoo animals and exotic animals.
• AG-ANI 1.3: Describe trends in the animal systems industry.

2. Design and provide proper animal nutrition to achieve desired outcomes for performance, development, reproduction and/or economic production.

• AG-ANI 3.2: Assess whether the nutritional requirements of a given animal are being met by recording performance and comparing feed variations.

3. Evaluate environmental factors affecting animal performance and implement procedures for enhancing performance and animal health.

• AG-ANI 5.2: Describe the effects of environmental conditions on animals.

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Objective(s):

Students will know and understand that animals require food, water and shelter for survival.

Students will know and understand that shelter helps regulate an animal's body temperature.

Students will be able to conduct an experiment to demonstrate the effect of insulation on maintaining body heat.

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Agenda (110 minutes, 2 Class Periods)

1. Bellwork: Pick an animal and describe their shelter. How does it provide the animal with security? (5 mins)
2. Reading Purpose/Lesson Introduction (3-5 minutes)
3. Distribute Materials (5 Minutes)
4. Part 1: Predictions (5-7 mins)
5. Part 2: Data Collection (30 mins)
6. Ticket Out: What can help animals with heat regulation? (5 mins)

1. Bellwork: Sheep are commonly sheared in the spring, how does this help regulate body temperature? (5 mins)
2. Part 3: Analyze Data (30 mins)
3. Answer analysis & conclusion questions (15 mins)
4. Ticket Out: How does insulation help body temperature? (5 mins)

Day 1:

Day 2:

Popcorn Read

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Providing shelter for animals is sometimes overlooked. While most animals have a hide or fleece to provide additional warmth, there are times when additional heat is necessary. In times of high temperatures animals may need help cooling their bodies. Shade is most common, but misting systems are used in areas with very high temperatures. You may have heard the phrase “sweating like a pig”. This common saying is quite false, as pigs do not have sweat glands making them very susceptible to health concerns during high temperatures.

Animal producers and owners manage animals in many ways to provide proper care and shelter. Barns and shelters keep animals out of rain, snow, or other wet conditions. Within a barn, the walls may provide insulation against colder or warmer conditions outside. Sheep producers help animals regulate body temperature by shearing the fleece. What difference in body temperature does insulation make?

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Part 1: Predictions

1. Predict the temperature change if you fill two cups, one plastic and one insulated, with warm water and place them in an ice bath. In the space provided on your worksheet, write 2-3 sentences explaining your prediction.

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Part 2: Data Collection

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1. Make an ice water bath by placing cold water and ice in the plastic tub. The water depth should be approximately 2 1/2 inches.
2. Connect two temperature sensors to LabQuest.
3. Choose New from the File menu.
4. On the Meter screen, tap Rate. Change the Rate to 0.5 samples/s and the Duration to 300 seconds. Tap OK to save changes.
5. Set LabQuest units to F.
6. Fill the insulated and non-insulated cups halfway with warm tap water.
7. Place one temperature sensor in the insulated cup and the other sensor in the non-insulated cup. Make sure the sensor’s tip is not touching the bottom or side of each cup.
8. Allow the sensors to adjust to the water temperature for 15 seconds.

Part 2: Data Collection

1. Tap Start to begin data collection with the cups on the table.
2. When the time in the bottom right of the screen reaches 30 seconds, place both cups in the ice water bath. Be sure to hold the sensors in place, so they do not touch the sides or bottom.
3. Gently stir the water in the cups with the temperature sensors, taking care to avoid touching the bottom or sides of the cup.
1. Data collection will automatically stop at 300 seconds.
4. Set aside LabQuest and clean up your lab.

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Part 3: Analyzing Data

1. Go to the Table screen on LabQuest.
2. Record the water temperature in each cup at the times listed in Table 2.
3. Calculate the change in temperature by subtracting the initial temperature from the final temperature and record it in Table 2.

• This number will be negative if the temperature decreases during the experiment. change in temperature = final temperature - initial temperature

4. Go to the File screen
5. Calculate the rate of temperature change for each cup.
• Choose Curve Fit from the Analyze menu.
• Select Linear as the Fit Equation. The linear-regression statistics are displayed to the right of�the graph for the equation in the form where x is time, y is temperature, m is the slope, and b is the y-intercept.�y=mx+b
• Enter the slope value, m, as the rate of change in Table 2.
• Select OK.
6. Answer the analysis questions.

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Assessment/Conclusion Questions

1. What natural body function did stirring the water in the cup simulate?

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1. What advantages does providing shelter from the cold provide animals?

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1. This simulation demonstrated the effects of cold in the winter. How might you use this information in the summer if you were a sheep producer?

Differentiation

One way to differentiate in this lesson is to provide some groups thermometers instead of the lab quests, just to see if there is a difference in data between the interface or the thermometer.

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Students can also draw out their findings from the labquest 2 and compare with other groups.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students will write an informative essay relating insulation and thermoregulation back to a human standpoint and how we can translate this lab into understanding human temperature regulation needs.

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Students can also track their temperature through different times of the day, maybe once with a coat on, once in the sun, etc.