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Updated February 20, 2006

ScienceMan Neat Idea - Nerdbaits

A Heat and Temperature Challenge!

As a special heat and temperature challenge for our grade 7 students, we posed the question - can you help the alien NerdBaits survive? The idea is that alien visitors have come to our planet from their very hot homeworld, and need insulating, mobile transportation in order to survive their trip without freezing. Students get to express their creativity while learning more about preventing heat transfer. The details of the assignment are in this pdf file. Any small dollar store figurine could be used interchangeably for nerdbaits, or students could make them themselves.

Below are a few examples of completed projects! Students are also required to provide diagrams and explanations as to how their designs work to help the nerdbaits retain their heat and survive.

I did this project as a heat unit introduction, so I didn't expect students to clearly define conduction, convection and radiation - but you could include this in your rubrik if you were doing this project at the end of such a heat and temperature unit. For a little bit of rubrick help, here's an example of a grade 7 student's explanation sheet for their project - a good one ;-) !!!

Click here for a full size view!

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