Last updated: June 20, 2024
Lesson Plan
Tea Bag Challenge
Download Lesson Plan
32KB
NPS Photo.
Cartoon Tea bag.
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Science,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 30 Minutes
- State Standards:
- NC Standards: 3.TT.1; 4.TT.1; 5.TT.1; 3.P.2; 4.P.2; 5.P.2; NC.3.MD.2; NC.4.MD.1
Essential Question
How can you keep a tea bag dry when submerged in water for 30 seconds?
Objective
Today in honor of the tea tax we are going to have a STEM challenge to see which group can complete the task of keeping the tea bag dry when submerged in water for 30 seconds.
Preparation
Teacher Notes:
Place materials on tables
Read and explain the assignment
(4 students per table)
1 tea bag per table
2-1 inch square pieces of aluminum foil per table
1-12 inch strip of masking tape
4 plastic straws per table
1-small bowl of water per table
1-ipad or stopwatch per table
(Student challenge is to use material to keep tea bag from getting wet when submerged in water for 30 seconds)
Short funny clip about Boston Tea Party
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h5Nh7mggx0.
The Boston Tea Party Song (Parody of Pharrell Williams- Happy)
Materials
1 tea bag per table 2-1 inch square pieces of aluminum foil per table 1-12 inch strip of masking tape 4 plastic straws per table 1-small bowl of water per table 1-ipad or stopwatch per table (Student challenge is to use material to keep tea bag from getting wet when submerged in water for 30 seconds)
Lesson Hook/Preview
You have just received word that tonight the British are going to take your tea and dump it into the Delaware River to let George Washington know that the British will never forget the Boston Tea Party. You have been given a top secret assignment by George Washington to come up with a design that will keep the tea from getting wet in case they manage to steal the tea.
Procedure
Assignment: You may use all or some of the materials given to your table to design an apparatus to keep your tea bag dry for 30 seconds when submerged in water.
1. Hypothesis-
2. Weaknesses of your design-
3. Strengths of your design-
4. Was your hypothesis correct?
Rubric/Answer Key
Assessment can be made by success of their experiment.