Are you ready to dive into the world of cups just like Jessie? Let's embark on a fun adventure to discover different cup designs, materials, and shapes!
Explore Cups: Design, Materials, and Shapes!
K-12 Resource: Activity
Discover different cup designs, materials, and shapes
Project Details
- Grade Level K-5
- Subject Science, Art
- Activity Type Engineering, Design
About
Learning Objectives
Materials Needed
- 3 different cups (plastic, paper, ceramic, etc.)
- Hot beverages (with adult supervision)
- Pencil and paper
- Exploring Cups Worksheet
Assignment
Watch Video
Watch Morning Cup of Joke to get started.
How do we even use cups, anyway? Collect three different cups to explore.
Explore Cup Designs
Look closely at the cups you’ve collected. Some cups might be tall and skinny, while others are short and wide. Take a moment to observe and compare their shapes and answer the following questions:
- What are the properties of each material?
- Why do you think these materials were chosen?
- How are they different and similar from each other?
Draw each cup from observation. Use the Exploring Cups Worksheet.
Investigate Cup Materials
Touch and feel the cups. Do they feel the same or different? Some cups might feel smooth, while others feel rough. Can you guess what materials they’re made of? Plastic? Paper? Ceramic? Discuss with your friends or family members.
Test Cup Functionality
Now, let’s investigate how cups are engineered for specific purposes. Pour a little bit of warm water into each cup (with adult supervision). Remember to always ask for help from a grown-up when handling hot beverages or sharp objects. Feel the temperature of the cups. Which ones feel warm? Which ones stay cool? This will help us understand how cups are designed to hold hot beverages.
Experiment with Holding the Cups
How many ways can you hold each cup? Which way is most comfortable?
Reflect and Share
After exploring and experimenting with cups, take a moment to reflect on what you’ve learned. Share your observations and discoveries with your friends or family members. What did you find most interesting about cups?
Create Your Own Cup
Feeling creative? Design your own cup! Use art materials like paper, markers, and stickers to create a cup that’s perfect for you. Think about what shape and materials you want to use. You can draw it or make a 3d model out of paper.
Wrap Up
Congratulations! You’ve completed your adventure in exploring cup designs, materials, and shapes. Keep studying objects around you! What choices do you think the maker made when they designed it?
Extensions
- Create a cup for people who have difficulty gripping.
- Explore more household objects, like chairs, spoons, or shoes.
Suggested Modifications
It can be helpful to have a wide variety of cups and allow students to choose which ones they want to use for the activity.