Insulation

For this week’s application, I was testing the insulating ability of four different materials.  The materials I chose to test were a paper towel, terry cloth towel, aluminum foil and a drink koozie.  The material that I predicted would do the best job insulating was the koozie, because it was made of Neoprene.  I set up four identical mugs with exactly one cup of water at 113 degrees Fahrenheit.  I placed the testing materials over the top of the cups and secured with a rubber band.  After thirty minutes, I uncovered the mugs and took the temperature again.  My results showed that the koozie indeed kept the temperature warmer longer.  This activity would be a great activity to use with my sixth grade students.  Not only would they enjoy being able to decide on the materials used, but would also get the experience of designing a fair experiment and practicing their measurements skills.