Keeping It Cool

Middle School Guam STEM Design Challenge

Anchor Question: How can we keep our food and drinks cool during our get-togethers for a
BBQ on the beach or in the park?

OVERVIEW
Engineering Design Challenge
Coolers are containers to keep food cool when gathering for picnics on the beach or out in a
boat. We also use them when our power goes out and refrigerators stop working during an
electrical brownout or severe storms.
*Design, build and test a container that will keep food and drinks at a constant temperature (cold
or warm) for a specific length of time.

Keeping it Cool Design Challenge

https://www.teachengineering.org/makerchallenges/view/rice-2405-cooler-design-engineering-
challenge
Guam Connection
The island of Guam experiences a tropical marine climate, which is warm and humid moderated
by seasonal Tradewinds and a wet and dry season. The dry season lasts from January to June,
while the rainy months are from July to December. Keeping food and drink cool will allow for it to
stay fresh and not spoil. If designed and constructed well, it can preserve food at near-
freezKeep Your Cool! Design Your Own Cooler Challenge - Maker Challenge -
TeachEngineeringing point for anywhere from some hours to a couple of days.
NGSS Performance Expectation
MS-PS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes
or maximizes thermal energy transfer.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of devices could
include an insulated box, a solar cooker, and a Styrofoam cup.] [Assessment Boundary:
Assessment does not include calculating the total amount of thermal energy transferred.]
STEM Concepts and Skills
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of
particles of matter. The relationship between the temperature and the total energy of a system
depends on the types, states, and amounts of matter present.
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer. Energy is spontaneously transferred out of
hotter regions or objects and into colder ones.
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem. The more precisely a design task’s
criteria and constraints can be defined, the more likely it is that the designed solution will be
successful. Specification of constraints includes consideration of scientific principles and other
relevant knowledge that is likely to limit possible solutions. (secondary)
ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions. A solution needs to be tested, and then modified on the
basis of the test results, in order to improve it. (MS-ETS1-4)
There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet the

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 Keeping it Cool: MS Guam Engineering Design Challenge

criteria and constraints of a problem. (MS-ETS1-2), (MS-ETS1-3)

Sometimes parts of different solutions can be combined to create a solution that is better than
any of its predecessors. (MS-ETS1-3)
Models of all kinds are important for testing solutions. (MS-ETS1-4)
Time: Estimated Number of Classes
2 - 4 classes (45-minute class)
Materials for the Design Challenge
Complete list of materials can be found at
https://www.teachengineering.org/makerchallenges/view/rice-2405-cooler-design-engineering-
challenge
Also, Download the free version of Graphical Analysis
https://www.vernier.com/products/graphical-analysis/free/

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 Keeping it Cool: MS Guam Engineering Design Challenge

THE Q-U-E-S-T EXPERIENCE

Overview of QUEST sequence

Table of Contents
WHY CARE? How can you introduce the Quest’s anchor question and the engineering design
(p. ) challenge to show its relevance to the students’ world, spark their interest, and
inspire them to CARE about solving the problem? What stories and phenomena
could you include?
Q – QUESTION All Quests start with QUESTIONS that guide the path forward. How will you get
(p. ) students to brainstorm and record what they know about the challenge and
possible solutions, what they need to know (questions they have), and ideas for
how to solve the challenge problem?
U – UNCOVER How will students UNCOVER answers to the questions they asked? What
(p. ) lessons will help students understand the science-engineering concepts and
practices related to the problem and possible solutions? What lessons will help
students learn about the issue?
E – EXPLORE How can students apply what they’ve learned in Uncover to EXPLORE the
(p. ) problem in their community and compare their project ideas to solve the
problem?
S – SOLVE How do you want students to go through the engineering design process to
(p. ) design and carry out a project to SOLVE the problem? How will they choose
one design to create, test and get feedback, refine, and test again? How do you
want them to defend their most effective design?
T – TEACH TEACH expands the project’s impact. How can students share the project they
(p. ) created as an effective solution to the problem or challenge?

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 Keeping it Cool: MS Guam Engineering Design Challenge

QUEST TO SOLVE THIS GUAM DESIGN CHALLENGE

Why Students Care
How can you introduce the Quest’s anchor question and the engineering design
challenge to show its relevance to the students’ world, spark their interest, and inspire
them to CARE about solving the problem? What stories and phenomena could you
include?

Story to share: It is important to be able to keep food and drinks at a temperature that makes them
safe for consumption, but we do not always have access to refrigeration. This is especially the case in
outdoor settings such as camping, or in parts of the world where there is not access to adequate
refrigeration.
Engineers, like you, can take materials that they have access to and create solutions to a given
problem, such as keeping cool things cool (or hot things hot). In addition to making sure that their
product functions for its purpose, engineers also consider other design elements that would affect the
usability of the product from consumers, such as appearance, weight, ease of transport, and so on.
The best designs are able to keep objects cool the longest, are lightweight, easily to clean, and easily
portable. An aesthetic design, something that is stylish or pleasing to the eye, is also important in a
product design. As you design your cooler, keep all of these factors in mind. Also, as a point of
reference, safe refrigeration temperatures are anything at or below 4.5°C (or about 40°F). Ultimately,
you will be testing the functionality of your cooler by noting the change in temperature over time in
comparison to leaving the ice water out at room temperature.
Driving Questions Concept, skill, issue Lesson resources 
(Students understand)  (Students could do) 
How will your team work to Coolers are containers to keep Share the story above this table,
keep your cool today? food cool when gathering for personalizing it to your experiences.
picnics on the beach or out in a
boat. We also use them when
Personal experience: How our power goes out and Video of people having picnics (look
do you keep food and drink refrigerators stop working for coolers!)
cool when you are out and during an electrical brownout or Tongan beach party
about? What are some severe storms. https://www.facebook.com/GuamBea
frustrations with coolers?
chResort/videos/2041083632769992
What containers work Some coolers work better than /
better than others to keep others.
things cool? Labor Day picnic
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?
v=896755024059116

Guam Design Notebook: Write or

draw your “why I care” and why
others on Guam care.

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 Keeping it Cool: MS Guam Engineering Design Challenge

Question
Engineering design challenges begin with QUESTIONS that guide the path forward. How
will you get students to brainstorm and record what they know about the challenge and
possible solutions, what they need to know (questions they have), and ideas they have to solve the
challenge problem?

Driving Questions Concept, skill, issue Lesson resources 

(Students understand)  (Students could do) 
What do we KNOW ● These lists help create a map Create a KND chart (Know, Need
already about how coolers for what we will learn and do to Know, Do)
work to control the on the Quest. ● Brain dump and brainstorm
temperature of food and ● We already know some things on:
drink (keep it cool or about or have had experiences ● Chart paper
warm)? related to the challenge. ● Driving question
What do we NEED TO ● There are questions we need poster/wall
KNOW to design a cooler to answer if we are to ● Personal design notebooks
that will keep food or drink understand the problem in the ● Jamboard (google digital
at a constant temperature? challenge and design a project tool)
to solve the problem.
What kind of project could ● We already have some ideas Instructional strategy to consider:
we DO to keep food and about possible projects, and First, students think and write
drink at a constant we need more information individually, then share and edit in
temperature? before deciding what we small groups, and finally share out
should do. with the full class and build a class
chart to post as an editable
reference chart throughout the
QUEST. An additional step could
be for students to sort the
responses. Students could
organize them to fit with the page
topics in UNCOVER and
EXPLORE.

Guam Design Notebook: Write

KND lists, organizing questions
from class that are being
displayed.

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 Keeping it Cool: MS Guam Engineering Design Challenge

Uncover
How will students UNCOVER answers to the questions they asked? What lessons will
help students understand the science-engineering concepts and practices related to the
problem and possible solutions? What lessons will help students learn about the issue?

Driving Questions Concept, skill, issue Lesson resources 

(Students understand)  (Students could do) 
How is heat energy Conduction,Convection,Radiation Guam Design Notebook:
transferred through Record what you did and
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy.
different ways? learned.
Temperature is a measure of the average
kinetic energy of particles of matter. The
relationship between the temperature and
the total energy of a system depends on Food safety and storage:
the types, states, and amounts of matter https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/
present. health/healthyliving/food-safety-
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and and-storage
Energy Transfer. Energy is spontaneously
transferred out of hotter regions or objects How to keep food safe in a
and into colder ones. cooler
https://extension.msstate.ed
u/blog/how-keep-food-safe-
cooler

5 Lessons on Heat Transfer

https://www.siyavula.com/
read/science/grade-7/heat-
energy-transfer
What makes a good Conductors, Insulators CK-12 Physical Science
conductor and/or a good Thermal Conductors and
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy.
insulator of heat? Insulators
Temperature is a measure of the average
kinetic energy of particles of matter. The https://flexbooks.ck12.org/
relationship between the temperature and cbook/ck-12-middle-school-
the total energy of a system depends on physical-science-flexbook-
the types, states, and amounts of matter 2.0/section/15.8/primary/
present. lesson/thermal-conductors-
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and and-insulators-ms-ps/
Energy Transfer. Energy is spontaneously
transferred out of hotter regions or objects
and into colder ones.
For more lesson resources on these concepts, see Additional Resources (p. ).

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 Keeping it Cool: MS Guam Engineering Design Challenge

Explore
How can students apply what they’ve learned in Uncover to EXPLORE the problem in
their community and compare their project ideas to solve the problem?

Driving Questions Concept, skill, issue Lesson resources 

(Students understand)  (Students could do) 

How can we apply what Review and apply concepts Revisit the KND lists you wrote at the
we learned in UNCOVER from Uncover beginning of your Quest. Add and edit
to understand the them to include new understandings and
problem in our experiences from UNCOVER.
community and to come KNOW - What have your confirmed
up with project ideas to as accurate? Correct any inaccurate
help solve the problem? information.
NEED to know - Mark any questions
that you have answered, and ones
you still need and want to answer.
Add new questions.
DO - Add any new project ideas you
could do to help solve the problem.

Described in UNCOVER: Keeping it Cool Design Challange

Conduction, Convection, Create Prototype/first iteration
Radiation, Conductors,
Insulators https://www.teachengineering.org/
makerchallenges/view/rice-2405-cooler-
design-engineering-challenge
NGSS Science & 1. Create a plan and produce a
Engineering Practice prototype of a cooler using the
● Defining problems (for materials provided.
engineering) 2. Test cooler for efficiency.
● Developing and using
models
● Designing solutions (for Guam Design Notebook
engineering) ● Design Challenge Map- Begin this
and continue completing throughout
the design process.
● Requirements and Limitations
(criteria, constraints)
● Action Plan

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 Keeping it Cool: MS Guam Engineering Design Challenge

Solve
How do you want students to go through the engineering design process to design and
do a project to SOLVE the problem? How will they choose one design to create, test and
get feedback on, refine, and test again? How do you want them to defend their most effective design?

Driving Questions Concept, skill, issue Lesson resources 

(Students understand)  (Students could do) 
How can I create and test The project follows a series of Create Final Design/second
a design that is most design steps to determine the most iteration
effective at helping solve effective design to solve the https://www.teachengineering.or
the problem? problem. g/makerchallenges/view/rice-
1. Select the design idea you 2405-cooler-design-engineering-
want to create. challenge
2. Create the design idea. 1. Create a plan and produce
3. Determine how effective the a prototype of a cooler
design is by testing it and/or using the materials
getting feedback from others. provided.
4. Improve the design as many 2. Test cooler for efficiency
times as needed, based on
tests and feedback.
5. Determine and defend your Guam Design Notebook
choice of the most effective ● Action Plan: Build out
design. ● Design Challenge Map:
Continue
● Team Self-Review: Rate the
NGSS Science & Engineering strengths of your design
Practice ● Peer/Expert Feedback: Get
● Defining problems (for input from others about your
engineering) design(s)
● Developing and using models ● Claim-Evidence-Reasoning
● Designing solutions (for (CER): Defend your design
engineering) of choice. Explain why your
● Engaging in argument from design was most effective.
evidence

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 Keeping it Cool: MS Guam Engineering Design Challenge

Teach
TEACH expands the project’s impact. How can students share the project they created
as an effective solution to the problem or challenge?

Driving Questions Concept, skill, issue Lesson resources 

(Students understand)  (Students could do) 
How can you share your NGSS Science & Engineering Teach others about how coolers
project to teach others Practice work and the design that is
about the problem and to ● Obtaining, evaluating and effective at keeping food and
inspire and empower them communicating information drinks at a constant temperature.
to be a part of the solution?
Guam Design Notebook
● TEACH: Plan for sharing. Use
this as a guide to plan a way
to share
● Looking back, planning
forward. Reflect on what you
did and what you might do in
another design challenge.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
These resources can extend and expand learning about concepts and skills.
●