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Insulated Shelter Prototype

Challenge

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Your mission:

build an insulated shelter prototype to protect winter travelers in an emergency situation.

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Use what you have learned about insulation to help with your design.

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It must:

  • maintain a safe temperature inside and
  • have a working door.

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Identify The Problems

  • What can keep something warm or cold?

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  • Problem: design and build a shelter that will keep ice from melting inside.

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Identify The Constraints

  • Must not touch the ice or container.
  • Must have a door to get ice container in and out.
  • Shelter must fit on a plate.

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Brainstorm

  • What materials are insulating?
  • How can we design the door so the temperature doesn’t change inside the shelter when it’s opened?
  • Write your ideas on sticky notes and place them on the board.
  • All ideas are good ideas! Even if you think it is silly or unrealistic.

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Review Ideas

  • Which ideas seem the most realistic?

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  • Which ones do you like best?

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Build Your Prototype

1. Decide on a design.

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2. Sketch your team design in your notebook.

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3. Create a construction strategy/plan.

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4. Make a list of materials you will need. Send someone from your team to collect the materials.

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5. Assign roles for each team member and begin building.

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Test Your Shelter

  • Place the container of ice inside your shelter.

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  • Close the door.

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  • Now we wait (15 minutes).

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  • Remove your container of ice.
  • Pour any water into the graduated cylinder.
  • Record the volume of water in your journal.
  • After recording the volume, discard the water.

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Improve Your Shelter: Test 2

  • Make at least one design improvement to your shelter.

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  • Place the ice back inside your shelter.

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  • Close the door.

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  • Wait (15 minutes).

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  • Remove your container of ice.
  • Pour any water into the graduated cylinder.
  • Record the volume of water in your journal.
  • After recording the volume, discard the water.

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Review and Reflect

  • What materials did your team select?

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  • What influenced your team’s decision to select those materials?

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  • What characteristics did those materials have that made you think they would be good insulators?

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  • Would you make any changes next time?