In sixth grade science, students have been working hard to figure out how containers, like thermoses and coffee cups keep things cold and hot. So far they have tested a wide variety of cup features in order to make sense of this everyday phenomenon. Most recently, they worked in groups to design and conduct an experiment to test out how features such as lids, number of layers, material and straw holes affect how well a cup can keep water cold. During the experiment, they gathered and recorded data and then created posters to share their data with other groups. They learned about designing a “fair test” and about making note of human errors that may have affected their results.

Throughout this process, the sixth graders have also been learning how to represent their thinking in scientific drawings and they have been challenged to explain why liquids do or do not warm up in different containers. They have also quickly filled up the Driving Question Board with their wonderings about cups, containers and related phenomena. It’s amazing how much science students can learn by investigating cups!