21CLD_Activity-Mr_Sun-E-Day_

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21CLD Learning Activity Cover Sheet 
Please fill in one of these sheets and attach it to EVERY learning activity you submit. Choose the learning 
activities that you feel provided the best learning opportunities for students. 
 
1. Title of Learning Activity & Average Age of Students 
Title: Mr. Sun E. Day 
 
Average Age of Students: 11 years 
 
2. What did you hope your students would learn from this learning activity? 
 
1) Using observations to investigate the effects of different variables (color, materials, sunlight) on 
temperature 
2) Using observational data to support their model and persuade their audience 
3) Understanding temperature and measuring it using a thermometer 
4) Writing persuasively 
 
3. Did you have learning goals from more than one discipline (for example, literature and 
history, or science and math) for this learning activity? 
 Yes. There were learning goals for both science and language arts. 
The science goal is for students to investigate and determine the effects of different variables on 
temperature. 
The language arts goal if for students to learn how to write persuasively through letter writing. 
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4. Were students required to work in pairs or as a group on any part of this learning activity? 
 No 
 Working in groups was optional. Please describe below the work that students did together. 
 Working in groups was required. Please describe below the work that students did together. 
In pairs, students selected the variables for their experiment. They wrote their hypothesis and 
planned how they will conduct the experiment over the next 7 days. 
Data analysis and the writing of the letter could also be a collaborative process. 
5. Were students allowed to work with technology (ICT) such as computers or digital cameras 
for any part of this learning activity? Please describe. 
 No technology was used for this learning activity. 
 Students could use technology for this activity 
 Students were required to use technology for this activity 
Students could use technology to research energy efficiency on the internet. Some students also 
used images from the internet in their drawings, or used Paint to draw the pictures. 
 
6. What criteria did you use to judge the quality of students’ work on this learning activity? 
Were students aware of the criteria in advance of completing the learning activity? 
Students received a copy of the grading rubric (attached) as part of the assignment. 
 
 
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7. How long did the learning activity take? 
 a. Completed in a single class period 
 b. Completed in 2-4 days 
 c. Required one week or more to complete 
8. What verbal instructions did you give to students? 
Use any material available in the lab to build your model house. You can research on the internet, 
ask your parents or read other books to learn more about other variables you would like to 
explore in your experiment. 
Record the temperature each day. Use the correct spelling, grammar & punctuation in your letter 
– typed or handwritten. 
9. Is there any other information you would like to include to help another educator using this 
learning activity be successful? 
 
 
 
PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE: 
 Instructions for the learning activity 
 Handouts and materials 
 Grading rubrics 
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Mr. Sun E. Day Letter 
Testing Temperature in Science Class 
 
 
Mr. Sun E. Day lives in the city of Winnipeg in Canada. He is building 
his own house but can’t decide what materials to use. Winnipeg has 
very different weather in the summer and the winter. In the summer, 
it is often over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and in the winter, it is usually 
below 0! 
 
Each student pair will design a house for Mr. Sun E Day that will stay cool in the summer or 
warm in the winter. (It will be even better if the house can do both!) You will build a 
miniature model of your design and conduct a few experiments to see if it works. Afterwards, 
you will write a letter to Mr. Sun E. Day to explain your findings and recommendations, using 
elements of structured writing you’ve learned in English class. 
 
 
BUILDING THE HOUSE 
Explore different variables for creating a warmer/cooler house. 
 
For example, try using different materials for building the house. Some houses are made of 
wood. In some places, houses are made of clay. But they could be made of other materials 
too. 
 
Remember how sometimes the color of your clothes can make you feel hotter or cooler? 
Paint your model with different colors to see if this has any effect on how hot or cool it is. 
 
Think of other variables that may affect the temperature inside the house. Does the house 
face east, north, south or west? 
 
Make sure your model also has an opening that’s big enough for you to stick a thermometer 
inside. 
 
 
TESTING THE TEMPERATURE 
Test your models and record the temperature inside for the next 7 days. 
 
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After you finish, write a letter to Mr. Sun E. Day. Based on your data analysis, recommend 
which house would be best and explain why. 
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21CLD Student Work Cover Sheet 
Please complete one of these sheets for EACH student work artifact you submit. 
1. Title of Learning Activity 
Mr. Sun E. Day Letter 
2. Did students work in groups to produce this student work product? 
 Yes  No 
3. Did the student make choices about using technology for this activity? 
 Yes  No 
4. If yes, please describe the choices that this student made. 
 
 
 
5. Is there anything else about the way this student approached the activity that was not in 
the instructions? 
 
 
 
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THE STUDENTS’ WORK WAS HANDWRITTEN. 
The researcher typed the copy below and corrected spelling and grammatical errors to make 
it easier to read. 
 
 
 
Dear Mr. Sun E. Day, 
 My name is ______ and my partner ________ and I have made a summer house we think 
you should choose. 
 Our house is faced west because we know the sun rises in the east and sets in the 
west, and we wanted it to be as cool as possible. We knew we would test in the morning 
which also helped our decision. 
 Our first variable was white paint. The theory was white reflects the sun, making the 
house cooler. We used the white paint on the outside. Our second variable was white plastic. 
Again our theory was white reflect the sun, not attract it. Our third variable was water. Our 
theory was since water does not heat up quickly it would help. Later though, we found out it 
gives off steam making it hotter. 
 Our starting temperature was 73F. It then rose 6 degrees in the sun (it was in the 
sun 20 minutes.) Next we put our house in the shade, the starting temperature was 78F. It 
then went down 11F, to 67F. The total change was 5F. 
 Since the temperature did not drop and rise too much and our design was one of the 
most successful, we think you should choose our design.