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Reading Apprenticeship Inspired Assignment or Lesson

Daniel Mayo Ph.D. , Freshman General Chemistry/Physics, "Construction of a Zeer  (زير) pot"

Purpose

This activity was designed to build excitement in class and improve critical thinking / reading skills. It was also designed to be multidisciplinary in nature, low cost, and adaptable to an online environment. It also introduces and supplements students knowledge of some basic principles in thermodynamics. Students will be asked to reflect on what they read as they work through this assignment. This activity is designed to supplement / enhance the lecture/lab component of a class. 

Context

This activity was designed for a High School AP chemistry/physics or freshman general chemistry/physics class.  Students should have a basic understanding of heat, work, temperature, and enthalpy for this activity. 

Criteria

Describe Students can be evaluated based on

1) Solutions to learning checks. 2) Creativity of the construction and how well the Zeer pot performed. Perhaps students could also improve their design over the semester. 3) Quantitative analysis of the data collected. Students could be asked to graph ,interpret, compare data collected.  

Metacognitive Conversations

Students will need to reflect on their working knowledge of thermodynamics as they proceed through this activity.  

Suggestions: Students should be encouraged to speak aloud as they draw diagrams for the learning checks presented. Students should also be encouraged compare answers as a group or post their solutions to a group discussion board online. 


Details

This activity could be assigned as a semester project, weekly lab, or supplemental assignment. This activity was designed to work with either a synchronous or asynchronous class. Many of the materials needed for the construction of the Zeer pot can be found at home.


Text and Materials

Download for activity  Zeer_pot_STEM.docx

References: 

-Arse`ne Chemin, Victor Dit Vehel, Aude Caussarieu, Nicolas Plihon, and Nicolas Taberle Am. J. Phys. 86 (3), March 2018


Background reading/links:

1)https://web.archive.org/web/20140714185554/http://www.movement-verein.org/downloads/Movement_Clay-pot-cooler_english.pdf

2) https://movement-verein.org/
3)  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/mohammed-bah-abba-explorer-moments-cooling-technology-helping-Africans

Acknowledgments: The figures and much of the introductory text was obtained from OER repositories: OpenStax/Libretext


Improvements- In the future I would like to add the following:

  • Use a Arduino to measure temperature and humidity.
  • Compare cost/effectiveness in different places in the world.
  • Include more about how evaporative cooling works.
  • Include class data

Collaboration:

  • If you or your class would like to collaborate or have comments that could help improve this project please reach out to me!

A grateful thanks to everyone in the STEM reading apprenticeship 2020 cohort B, and everyone else who has helped in the improvement of this activity.