Materials

• newspaper
• packing foam
• straw
• plastic bags (same brand/size through out)
• foil
• fabric
• ice cubes
• cups
• thermometers

Directions

Problem: As an ice cube melts, heat is transferred from the room to the ice cube. Your task is to design and carry out an investigation to test whether or not a scientific hypothesis is false. The question is "In my classroom investigation, which materials will keep heat away from an ice cube longer than a plastic bag?"

1. List, in order, the steps you will use in your investigation (procedure). You may include a picture (diagram) to help illustrate your plan. Include any safety procedures you would follow. Make your procedure detailed, so someone else could follow it easily.
2. Construct a data table or chart or any other method you can use to record the observations and results from your investigation.
3. Perform the experiment by following the steps outlined in your procedure. (Be sure to note any changes in your listed procedure.)

• Under the heading, "Results," record your observations and measurements for the experiment. Use written statements, descriptive paragraphs, tables of data, and/or graphs where appropriate.

1. Under heading, "Conclusions," write a summary of your results. Include any additional questions or ideas for further investigation that you may discover during your experiment.
2. Based on what you learned in your investigation, write your own question that can be tested with further scientific inquiry using the same classroom materials that you had for this investigation.