How this Plan uses your files
All source lessons are retained in sequence across 36 class periods; recurring exit tickets and reflections are embedded in investigation, testing, and portfolio days. Related discussions and model revisions are combined where feasible, while distinct investigations, two-design testing, redesign, transfer assessment, action product, and exhibition remain intact.
How this Plan uses your files
All source lessons are retained in sequence across 36 class periods; recurring exit tickets and reflections are embedded in investigation, testing, and portfolio days. Related discussions and model revisions are combined where feasible, while distinct investigations, two-design testing, redesign, transfer assessment, action product, and exhibition remain intact.
Launch
Launch
Students will launch the Cold Cup Challenge by examining everyday containers, practicing reliable temperature measurement, and refining testable questions about how particles, materials, and light affect thermal energy transfer.
Days 1 - 3
Launch & Define
Launch & Define
Students will conduct a sequence of cup, lid, evaporation, and water-droplet investigations; model matter and temperature in a cup system; research existing container solutions; and define a stakeholder-centered engineering problem. Teams will use quantitative evidence to produce a gated design brief with measurable thermal-performance criteria and constraints for cost and waste, without tasting any samples.
Days 4 - 9
Research & Plan
Research & Plan
Students will investigate how light and particle interactions transfer energy into and through a closed cup system, use evidence to revise their models, and compare multiple cold-cup concepts before selecting a design for construction.
Days 10 - 15
Choose & Build
Choose & Build
Students will apply evidence about light absorption, sleeves, double walls, and particle collisions to select, construct, and commission two competing cold-cup prototypes. Teams will document dimensions, materials, mass, cost, and predicted energy-transfer pathways before submitting a controlled test plan and an individual scientific defense of their design choices.
Days 16 - 21
Test & Refine
Test & Refine
Students will fairly test competing cold-cup prototypes, analyze quantitative evidence, exchange structured feedback, construct and retest a targeted revision, and defend the mechanisms behind their design choices. They will also investigate a teacher-approved sealed chemical heating or cooling device, compare energy and matter across cup, organism, and ecosystem systems, and complete individual transfer and reflection tasks.
Days 22 - 27
Showcase & Reflect
Showcase & Reflect
Students will evaluate community cup choices, create and revise an audience-facing action product, and complete an evidence-based readiness checkpoint for the Cold Cup Expo.
Days 28 - 33
Showcase
Showcase
Students will prepare, present, and defend their tested cold-cup designs at a public exhibition, then complete an individual evidence-based explanation of their engineering and scientific growth.
Days 34 - 36
Launch
Days 1–3
Day 1
🥤 Container Museum Mystery
Launch
55m
Day 2
🌡️ Thermometer Reliability Lab
Knowledge/Skill Building
60m
Day 3
🧭 Cold Cup Question Board
Deliverable
60m
Launch & Define
Days 4–9
Day 4
🧊 Cold Cup Feature Test
Knowledge/Skill Building
55m
Adapted from source
Day 5
🌡️ Hot-Water Lid Labs
Knowledge/Skill Building
60m
Adapted from source
Day 6
💧 Droplets, Evaporation, Particle Models
Knowledge/Skill Building
58m
Adapted from source
Day 7
🔎 Cold-Container Solution Research
Research
52m
Day 8
🖍️ Cup-System Model Gallery
Project Work
60m
Adapted from source
Day 9
📋 Lid Explanation Design Brief
Assessment
60m
Adapted from source
Research & Plan
Days 10–15
Day 10
💡 Light and Water-Bath Evidence
Knowledge/Skill Building
58m
Adapted from source
Day 11
🌡️ Food Coloring and Joule
Knowledge/Skill Building
60m
Adapted from source
Day 12
🖥️ Liquid and Gas Simulations
Knowledge/Skill Building
58m
Adapted from source
Day 13
🔵 Collisions and Butter Conduction
Knowledge/Skill Building
60m
Adapted from source
Day 14
🧊 Revised Cup-Wall Model
Assessment
60m
Adapted from source
Day 15
📊 Cold-Cup Concept Matrix
Project Work
60m
Choose & Build
Days 16–21
Day 16
📚 Light, Sleeves, and Double Walls
Knowledge/Skill Building
55m
Adapted from source
Day 17
🔎 Cup Feature Evidence Audit
Knowledge/Skill Building
55m
Adapted from source
Day 18
📐 Two Prototype Build Blueprints
Deliverable
60m
Adapted from source
Day 19
🧰 Prototype A Construction Log
Project Work
60m
Adapted from source
Day 20
🌡️ Prototype B Commissioning Trial
Project Work
60m
Adapted from source
Day 21
📝 Fair-Test Plan and Mechanism Defense
Deliverable
60m
Adapted from source
Test & Refine
Days 22–27
Day 22
🌡️ Competing Cup Trials
Project Work
60m
Adapted from source
Day 23
📈 Warming Graphs and Systems
Knowledge/Skill Building
55m
Adapted from source
Day 24
🛠️ KSH Redesign Review
Knowledge/Skill Building
55m
Adapted from source
Day 25
🔁 Design Two Retest
Project Work
60m
Adapted from source
Day 26
🧪 Sealed Thermal Pack Test
Knowledge/Skill Building
60m
Day 27
📝 Cold Cup Transfer Defense
Assessment
60m
Adapted from source
Showcase & Reflect
Days 28–33
Day 28
🏙️ Community Cup Trade-Off Research
Research
55m
Adapted from source
Day 29
⚖️ Cup Choice Evidence Seminar
Knowledge/Skill Building
55m
Adapted from source
Day 30
🧩 Model-to-Audience Explanation Lab
Knowledge/Skill Building
50m
Day 31
🛠️ Community Action Product Build
Project Work
60m
Adapted from source
Day 32
🔄 Two-Peer Product Revision
Deliverable
60m
Adapted from source
Day 33
✅ Expo Evidence Readiness Gate
Assessment
60m
Adapted from source
Showcase
Days 34–36
Day 34
🧰 Cold Cup Evidence Rehearsal
Knowledge/Skill Building
55m
Adapted from source
Day 35
🌡️ Cold Cup Expo Live Test
Assessment
60m
Adapted from source
Day 36
📝 Thermal Engineering Growth Defense
Assessment
55m
Adapted from source
November 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
2
Day 1
Launch
🥤 Container Museum Mystery
3
Day 2
🌡️ Thermometer Reliability Lab
4
Day 3
🧭 Cold Cup Question Board
5
Day 4
Launch & Define
🧊 Cold Cup Feature Test
9
Day 5
🌡️ Hot-Water Lid Labs
10
Day 6
💧 Droplets, Evaporation, Particle Models
11
Day 7
🔎 Cold-Container Solution Research
12
Day 8
🖍️ Cup-System Model Gallery
16
Day 9
📋 Lid Explanation Design Brief
17
Day 10
Research & Plan
💡 Light and Water-Bath Evidence
18
Day 11
🌡️ Food Coloring and Joule
19
Day 12
🖥️ Liquid and Gas Simulations
23
Day 13
🔵 Collisions and Butter Conduction
24
Day 14
🧊 Revised Cup-Wall Model
25
Day 15
📊 Cold-Cup Concept Matrix
26
Day 16
Choose & Build
📚 Light, Sleeves, and Double Walls
December 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
30
Day 17
🔎 Cup Feature Evidence Audit
1
Day 18
📐 Two Prototype Build Blueprints
2
Day 19
🧰 Prototype A Construction Log
3
Day 20
🌡️ Prototype B Commissioning Trial
7
Day 21
📝 Fair-Test Plan and Mechanism Defense
8
Day 22
Test & Refine
🌡️ Competing Cup Trials
9
Day 23
📈 Warming Graphs and Systems
10
Day 24
🛠️ KSH Redesign Review
14
Day 25
🔁 Design Two Retest
15
Day 26
🧪 Sealed Thermal Pack Test
16
Day 27
📝 Cold Cup Transfer Defense
17
Day 28
Showcase & Reflect
🏙️ Community Cup Trade-Off Research
21
Day 29
⚖️ Cup Choice Evidence Seminar
22
Day 30
🧩 Model-to-Audience Explanation Lab
23
Day 31
🛠️ Community Action Product Build
24
Day 32
🔄 Two-Peer Product Revision
28
Day 33
✅ Expo Evidence Readiness Gate
29
Day 34
Showcase
🧰 Cold Cup Evidence Rehearsal
30
Day 35
🌡️ Cold Cup Expo Live Test
31
Day 36
📝 Thermal Engineering Growth Defense