[ML-210] Grade 2 - Desiging Experiments

M3D MeasureLab MeasureLab Grade 2
1

Grade 2 - Session 10: “Designing Experiments!”

Architect: Aleeza Ayaz & Shayaan Haider - Markhor3D

Introduction:

These are some suggested experiments that teachers can use to help students explore and learn new concepts in a hands-on way. From measuring temperature changes with friction to observing air expansion when heated, each activity encourages curiosity and understanding of everyday science. With the teacher’s guidance, students will use tools like the temperature probe and sound sensor to make observations, test their predictions, and discover how the world around them works.

1. Temperature in Motion: Measuring Heat from Friction

Session Length: 50 minutes

Learning Objectives:

In this session, students will:

  1. Understand how friction creates heat.
  2. Use the temperature probe to measure temperature changes caused by rubbing objects together.
  3. Observe and discuss how different materials produce different amounts of heat.
  4. Relate the experiment to everyday experiences with friction and heat.

Teacher Resource:

MeasureLab Manual User Manual

Equipment Required:

  • Temperature probe connected to MeasureLab.
  • A set of small objects with different surfaces (e.g., sandpaper, smooth plastic, cloth).
  • Weights or objects to apply pressure.
  • Worksheet for recording temperature changes.

Introduction and Hands-On Exploration (30-35 minutes):

  1. Introduction to Friction and Heat:

    • You may ask:
      “Have you ever noticed that when you rub your hands together, they get warmer? Why do you think that happens?”
    • Let students share their ideas about friction and heat. Explain that today, they’ll be rubbing different materials together to see how much heat is created.

  2. Measuring Temperature Before Rubbing:

    • Students will use the temperature probe to measure the temperature of different objects before they rub them together. Record the starting temperature on the worksheet.

  3. Creating Friction:

    • Students will rub pairs of objects together for 20 seconds. Examples include rubbing sandpaper and cloth or smooth plastic.
    • You may ask:
      “What do you think will happen to the temperature when we rub these materials together?”

  4. Measuring Temperature After Rubbing:

    • Use the temperature probe to measure the temperature again after rubbing. Students will record how much the temperature increased due to friction.

Data Table:

Object Pair Starting Temperature (°C) Temperature After Rubbing (°C) Difference (°C)
Sandpaper and cloth
Smooth plastic and cloth

Guided Activity and Discussion (15-20 minutes):

  1. Observing Results:

    • You may ask:
      “What happened to the temperature after you rubbed the materials together? Did it go up? Why?”
    • Explain that friction creates heat energy when two surfaces rub against each other.

  2. Real-Life Connection:

    • You may explain:
      “This is the same reason your hands get warm when you rub them together or why a car’s tires get hot after driving. Friction creates heat!”

2. Hot Air Balloon: Expansion of Air

Session Length: 50 minutes

Learning Objectives:

In this session, students will:

  1. Explore how air expands when heated.
  2. Use a temperature probe to measure the heat and observe how it affects the expansion of air in a balloon.
  3. Understand the concept of expansion and how warm air rises.
  4. Relate this experiment to real-life examples like hot air balloons.

Teacher Resource:

MeasureLab Manual [link]

Equipment Required:

  • Temperature probe connected to MeasureLab.
  • A balloon or small plastic bag.
  • Hot water bath or hair dryer (for heating the air inside the balloon).
  • Lab weights to put on the LoadCell to measure weight change.
  • Worksheet for recording temperature changes.

Introduction and Hands-On Exploration (30-35 minutes):

  1. Introduction to Air and Expansion:

    • You may ask:
      “Have you ever seen a hot air balloon? What makes it float up into the sky?”
    • Let students share their ideas about hot air balloons. Explain that today, they’ll see how air expands and rises when it’s heated.

  2. Measuring Temperature Before Heating:

    • Students will use the temperature probe to measure the temperature of the air inside a balloon or plastic bag before heating. Record the starting temperature.

  3. Heating the Air:

    • Place the balloon or bag over a hot water bath or use a hair dryer to heat the air inside it.
    • You may ask:
      “What do you think will happen when we heat the air inside the balloon?”

  4. Observing Expansion:

    • As the air heats up, observe how the balloon or bag expands and rises slightly. Measure the temperature again to see how much it increased.

Data Table:

Starting Temperature (°C) Temperature After Heating (°C) Observation (Did the weight Reduce?)

Guided Activity and Discussion (15-20 minutes):

  1. Observing Results:

    • You may ask:
      “What happened to the balloon when we heated the air inside? Did it get bigger?”
    • Explain that warm air expands and rises because the particles move faster and spread out.

  2. Real-Life Connection:

    • You may explain:
      “This is how hot air balloons work! The air inside the balloon gets hot, it expands, and that makes the balloon float up.”

3. Cold Contact: Heart Rate Drop with Cold Water

Session Length: 50 minutes

Learning Objectives:

In this session, students will:

  1. Observe how heart rate changes when exposed to cold water.
  2. Use a pulse sensor to measure heart rate before and after contact with cold water.
  3. Understand how the body reacts to cold stimuli by slowing down heart rate.
  4. Explore the connection between temperature and heart rate in a fun, safe way.

Teacher Resource:

MeasureLab Manual [link]

Equipment Required:

  • Pulse sensor connected to MeasureLab.
  • Cold water in a container.
  • Timer or stopwatch.
  • Worksheet for recording heart rate.

Introduction and Hands-On Exploration (30-35 minutes):

  1. Introduction to Heart Rate and Cold:

    • You may ask:
      “What happens to your body when you touch something really cold? Do you feel any changes?”
    • Let students share their ideas. Explain that today, they’ll see how their heart rate changes when they touch cold water.

  2. Measuring Heart Rate Before Cold Contact:

    • Students will measure their resting heart rate using the pulse sensor and record it on the worksheet.

  3. Contact with Cold Water:

    • Have students gently place their hands in a container of cold water for 20-30 seconds.
    • You may ask:
      “What do you think will happen to your heart rate when your hands are in the cold water?”

  4. Measuring Heart Rate After Cold Contact:

    • Measure their heart rate again after exposure to cold water and compare it to the resting heart rate.

Data Table:

Condition Heart Rate (bpm)
Before Cold Water
After Cold Water

Guided Activity and Discussion (15-20 minutes):

  1. Observing Results:

    • You may ask:
      “What happened to your heart rate after touching the cold water? Did it go up or down?”
    • Explain that cold temperatures can cause the heart rate to slow down, as the body conserves energy in response to the cold.

  2. Real-Life Connection:

    • You may explain:
      “This is why you might feel your heart beating slower when you’re outside in the cold or after you’ve been swimming in cold water.”

4. Wind Chill: The Effect of Moving Air on Temperature

Session Length: 50 minutes

Learning Objectives:

In this session, students will:

  1. Understand how moving air affects the cooling of objects.
  2. Use a temperature probe to measure temperature changes with and without wind (fan).
  3. Learn about the wind chill effect and how moving air makes things feel colder.
  4. Apply these concepts to real-life situations, like feeling colder on windy days.

Teacher Resource:

MeasureLab Manual [link]

Equipment Required:

  • Temperature probe connected to MeasureLab.
  • Fan (to create wind).
  • Warm water in a container.
  • Worksheet for recording temperature changes.

Introduction and Hands-On Exploration (30-35 minutes):

  1. Introduction to Wind and Cooling:

    • You may ask:
      “Have you ever noticed that it feels colder when the wind blows, even if the temperature stays the same?”
    • Let students share their experiences with wind. Explain that today, they’ll see how moving air makes things cool down faster.

  2. Measuring Temperature Without Wind:

    • Use the temperature probe to measure the temperature of the warm water without the fan blowing. Record the temperature.

  3. Measuring Temperature With Wind:

    • Turn on the fan and aim it at the container of water. Measure the temperature at intervals to see how the moving air cools the water faster.
    • You may ask:
      “What do you think will happen to the temperature when we blow wind over the water?”

Data Table:

Time (Minutes) Temperature Without Wind (°C) Temperature With Wind (°C)
0 (Start)
2
4

Guided Activity and Discussion (15-20 minutes):

  1. Observing Results:

    • You may ask:
      “What happened to the temperature with the fan blowing? Did it cool down faster?”
    • Explain that moving air makes things cool down faster, just like the wind chill effect we feel on cold, windy days.

  2. Real-Life Connection:

    • You may explain:
      “This is why you feel colder when the wind is blowing, even if the temperature hasn’t changed. The wind helps your body lose heat faster.”

5. Soundproofing Challenge: How Well Do Materials Block Sound?

Session Length: 50 minutes

Learning Objectives:

In this session, students will:

  1. Explore how different materials affect sound transmission.
  2. Use the sound sensor to measure sound levels with and without barriers.
  3. Learn about soundproofing and which materials are best for blocking sound.
  4. Apply this knowledge to real-life situations, like quiet rooms and noisy environments.

Teacher Resource:

MeasureLab Manual User Manual

Equipment Required:

  • Sound sensor connected to MeasureLab.
  • Various materials (e.g., foam, fabric, paper, cardboard) to test.
  • Sound source (e.g., a speaker, bell, or clap).
  • Worksheet for recording sound levels.

Introduction and Hands-On Exploration (30-35 minutes):

  1. Introduction to Sound and Barriers:

    • You may ask:
      “Have you ever noticed that when you close the door, the noise from outside becomes quieter? Why do you think that happens?”
    • Let students share their ideas about soundproofing. Explain that today, they’ll test different materials to see which ones block sound the best.

  2. Measuring Sound Without Barriers:

    • Use the sound sensor to measure the sound level of a clap or speaker without any barriers. Record the initial sound level.

  3. Testing Sound with Barriers:

    • Place different materials (e.g., foam, fabric, paper) between the sound source and the sensor, and measure how much the sound level decreases.
    • You may ask:
      “Which material do you think will block the sound the best?”

Data Table:

Material Sound Level Without Barrier (dB) Sound Level With Barrier (dB)
Foam
Fabric
Cardboard

Guided Activity and Discussion (15-20 minutes):

  1. Observing Results:

    • You may ask:
      “Which material blocked the sound the most? Why do you think some materials are better at soundproofing than others?”
    • Explain that materials like foam and fabric absorb sound waves, making them quieter.

  2. Real-Life Connection:

    • You may explain:
      “This is why studios and theaters use soft materials on their walls to keep the sound from escaping or entering.”

Glossary:

  1. Friction: The force that happens when two objects rub against each other, creating heat.
  2. Temperature: A measure of how hot or cold something is.
  3. Temperature Probe: A tool that measures the temperature of objects or substances.
  4. Heat Energy: The energy that comes from heat, often produced by friction or other forces.
  5. Surface: The outside part or layer of an object where rubbing or friction occurs.
  6. Expansion: When something gets bigger because it’s heated, like air in a balloon.
  7. Air Particles: Tiny, invisible pieces that make up air, which move faster when heated.
  8. Pulse Sensor: A device used to measure heart rate by detecting the pulse in your body.
  9. Cooling: The process of becoming colder, which can happen faster with moving air or wind.
  10. Soundproofing: The process of stopping or reducing sound from passing through a material.

6. Designing Boats: How Much Weight Can They Handle?

Session Length: 100-120 minutes

It is suggested that this experiment is done over the course of two sessions.

Learning Objectives:

In this session, students will:

  1. Design and create their own 3D-printed boats using TinkerCAD.
  2. Understand the concept of buoyancy and how objects float.
  3. Test how much weight their boats can handle before sinking.
  4. Use the load cell to measure the weight of objects placed on the boat.
  5. Learn about design optimization by observing how the shape and size of their boats affect buoyancy.

Teacher Resource:

MeasureLab Manual [link]
Teachers’ Guide to TinkerCad [link]
Getting Started with M3D Enabler 3D printer [link]

Equipment Required:

  • Computers with access to TinkerCAD.
  • A 3D printer to print the boat designs.
  • Water containers (large enough to float the 3D-printed boats).
  • Small weights (e.g., metal washers, coins, or small blocks).
  • Load cell connected to MeasureLab to measure the weight each boat can handle before sinking.
  • Worksheet for recording observations.

Teaching Aids:

  • Projector to show TinkerCAD designs (optional).

Introduction and Hands-On Exploration (30-35 minutes)

  1. Introduction to Boat Design and Buoyancy:
  • You may ask:
    “Have you ever made a paper boat or watched a boat float on the water? Why do you think boats float and don’t sink right away?”
  • Let students share their ideas. Explain that today, they’ll design their own boats using TinkerCAD, and after 3D printing, they’ll see how much weight their boats can hold before sinking.
  • You may explain:
    “Boats float because of something called buoyancy. It’s the force that pushes things up in water. The shape and size of the boat help it float, and today we’ll test how much weight each boat can hold before it sinks.”
  1. Designing Boats in TinkerCAD:
  • Introduce students to TinkerCAD, an easy-to-use 3D modeling tool.
  • You may guide students:
    “Now it’s time to get creative! Let’s design a simple boat. You can make it wide, long, or deep—whatever you think will help it hold the most weight.”
  • Demonstrate how to create a basic boat shape using TinkerCAD (such as a wide-bottom boat or a narrow one).
  • You may ask:
    “What do you think will happen if your boat is too narrow or too small? Will it hold as much weight?”
  • Encourage students to experiment with different boat shapes and sizes.
  1. 3D Printing the Boats:
  • Once the boats are designed, print them using the 3D printer. Depending on time constraints, this could be done before or during class (teachers may print the boats after the design session).
  • You may explain:
    “After we print your boats, we’ll put them to the test in water to see which ones can carry the most weight without sinking!”

Step 1: Testing the Buoyancy of the 3D-Printed Boats

  1. Prepare the Water Containers:
  • Set up containers filled with water. Each student or group will test their boat in the water.
  • You may ask:
    “Which boat do you think will hold the most weight? Why?”
  1. Using the Load Cell to Measure Weight:
  • Introduce the load cell connected to MeasureLab. Students will use the load cell to measure the weight of small objects (washers, coins, or small blocks) before placing them on the boat.
  • You may explain:
    “We’ll use the load cell to measure how much weight your boat can hold. You’ll place weights on your boat, and we’ll measure them to see how much it can handle before sinking.”
  1. Adding Weights to the Boats:
  • Students will carefully add small weights to their boats, one by one.
  • You may ask:
    “Do you think adding more weight to the center or the edges of the boat will help it float better?”
  • Guide them to observe how the boat behaves as more weight is added.
  1. Recording the Results:
  • As students add weights, they will record the total weight their boat holds before it starts to sink or tip over.
  • You may ask:
    “What do you notice as you add more weight? Why do you think the boat starts to sink at a certain point?”

Data Table:

Boat Design Maximum Weight Held (g or N) Did the Boat Sink?
Boat 1
Boat 2

Step 2: Guided Activity and Discussion (15-20 minutes)

  1. Observing Results:
  • You may ask:
    “Which boat held the most weight? Why do you think that is?”
  • Encourage students to compare their boat designs and discuss why certain designs held more weight than others.
  1. Real-Life Connection:
  • You may explain:
    “This is similar to real-life boat design. Large ships and boats are built with wide bases so they can carry more weight without sinking. The size and shape of the boat make a big difference in how much it can carry.”
  • Ask students to think about how this experiment relates to what they’ve seen in real life (like large cargo ships or smaller boats).

Reflection and Summary (5-10 minutes)

  1. You may ask:
  • “What did you learn about designing boats today? Did your boat carry as much weight as you expected?”
  • “How do you think boat designers use this kind of knowledge to build better, stronger boats?”
  1. Summary:
  • You may summarize:
    “Today, we learned about buoyancy and how boats float. We used TinkerCAD to design and print boats, and we tested how much weight each boat could hold before sinking. The shape and size of the boat are important because they affect how much weight the boat can carry.”

Glossary:

  1. Buoyancy: The force that helps objects float in water.
  2. Load Cell: A sensor that measures how much weight or force is applied.
  3. 3D Printing: A process that creates three-dimensional objects from a digital design.
  4. Weight: The amount of force gravity applies to an object.
  5. TinkerCAD: A simple 3D design tool used for creating digital models that can be printed.
  6. Boat Design: The shape, size, and features of a boat that affect how well it floats and how much weight it can carry.

Conclusion:

We hope that through these fun and interactive experiments, students have gained a new appreciation for how science can help us explore and understand the world around us. By using sensors to measure things like friction, motion, light, and sound, we’ve shown that even everyday activities can be scientifically observed and analyzed.

These hands-on experiences will inspire students to stay curious, creative, and excited about learning. We encourage them to ask questions, test their ideas, and discover new things about the world. Our goal is that these experiments not only teach key concepts but also spark a lifelong love of learning and exploration.

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