Raft Rescue -A technology and laboratory infused, inquiry-based Webquest on Experimental Design

SCUBA School

How to Write a Procedure

How to Write a Recipe -  Use the sections on "The Ingredients List, The Preparation Method, and A Final Note."

How to Give Verbal Instructions

Step 5:

Once you have gathered your information, you will collaborate and share out what you have learned. Together, you will combine your areas of expertise to help rescue the survivors.

1.   Each rescue team member should take turns describing their lab activity and what they learned from it.

2.   Each team member will explain their expertise sheet to the rest of the team.

Step 6: -
Construct a raft � Using the information gathered during your research and only the allotted materials (no glue); create a raft which will float and carry all 15 people.

   Collect and Record Data
Print Data Collection Form from the Resource Section. 

  Plan Your Experiment -

You must combine at least three of the materials to make your raft.

*Discuss and Plan construction of raft. - Fill out Materials and Rough Sketch portion of Data Collection Form.

*The Mechanic will come to the Materials Table to get raft building supplies. The Mechanic must have a Building Supply List (this can be your Data Collection Form.) This is a list of all of the materials needed to build the proposed raft. They will only be allowed to get supplies on their list.

!!!!!!!Remember!!!!!! You only get the amount of a supplies that are available to the survivors.

!!!!!!!Remember!!!!!! If you re-build, you still only get to use the materials the survivors have and the amount of materials to build your next raft. You may reuse or replace any materials needed for the next build.  The Mechanic should come to the Materials table with a new Building Supply list.

 (Only Mechanics are allowed at the Materials Table)

  Experiment - (Only 2 teams at a time at the Testing Station) 

Build raft

Place raft in tub of water.

Add one penny at a time until the raft sinks or until all 15 pennies are on the raft.

   Collect and Record Data

If the boat floats - with all 15 pennies, record data. DO NOT TAKE APART YOUR FIRST RAFT!!!! Re-build the same boat to ensure validity of construction. A good experiment is repeatable. Both rafts should look identical. Take notes either written or in a word document during the re-build.  If the raft is successful the second time, go to Step 7. Keep both of your successful rafts.

           If the boat sinks � Record data, explain your hypothesis for failure, re-hypothesize for success, and go back to the Planning and Experiment stages. Begin Step 6 again.  

Step 7: Conclusion and Communication

After successfully building a raft for the survivors, create blueprints and write a procedure, including specific measurements that will help you communicate in less than 10 minutes the raft design to the stranded survivors. You can do this after your first successful raft and while you are building your second raft.

1. Blueprints These can be done on white printer paper.

*Blueprints should be drawn carefully and neatly.

a.   Label each part with the material used to construct it. Use the survivor's materials, not the ones you tested.

b.   Specify measurements of materials - If you did not cut the material, just label it. Measure your raft to draw to add precise measurements to your blueprints. 1 cm of your materials = 2 ft of their supplies.

   * Blueprints should be drawn similar in scale and likeness to constructed, successful rafts.

 * There should be more than one drawning in the blueprints. Blueprints should be drawn from different perspectives. Example: the view looking down on it, the side view, etc.

  2. Procedure - You may either type this in a Word Document or write this by hand.

  * At the top of the page make a Materials list of everything needed to build the raft. Use the materials the survivors have, not the materials you tested.

  * Write directions to build the raft in numbered �Step by Step� format using measurement and specific directions. 1 cm of your materials = 2 ft of their supplies.

 3. Communicating to the Survivors:

   * Practice delivering your instructions. Have one of the rescue team members time the communication. Make sure you leave time for the survivors to ask questions throughout the instructions.

4. Survivor Raft Build - Each team will have 10 minutes to communicate and build the other teams raft.

Materials : One bag of raft supplies for each group. Each groups should bring their completed, successful raft from Step 6

    a. Partner with another rescue team. Each team will take turns being the "Rescue Team" and the "Survivors."

    b. Place the barrier between the teams so there is no visual path.

    c. Each team will get a bag with the correct amount of raft building supplies.

    d. The Chef from the Rescue team will instruct the other team on how to build the "Rescue Team's" raft.

    e. Survivors may question the Chef for clarity, but no other member from the Rescue Team may speak.

    f.  When the 10 minutes are over, teams switch roles and the Rescue Team become the Survivors and the Survivors become the Rescue Team.  Repeat steps d and e.

    g. After both teams have built the other's raft. Remove the barrier and compare Rescue Team rafts with Survivor built rafts.

    h. Discuss challenges and successes of Survivor Raft Build.