A HOUSE FIT FOR A HERO

The Marvel Superheroes are coming to Australia to fight crime and they need a house to stay in. I’ve been
given the job to build them an incredible house fit for a superhero. I’ve spoken to the heroes and they all
want the house to be made out of something different; so I’ve decided to use a variety of materials! The only
problem is that I have never been to Australia before. I know the summer is hot, but what materials will
withstand the Australian sun and won’t melt in summer?

DESIGN BREIF
You are an employee at Superheroes Housing Australia. The construction of the house will
begin in week 6 of term. He believes that this house could be the best Australia has ever
seen!

But he needs your help. You and a team of your colleagues must inform the builder of the
best materials to use to build the house. As part of this task, you must test the materials in
the summer sun to make sure they can withstand the Australian heat.

PRESENTATION
PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS You need to communicate your
In your testing the builder wants you findings to the builder. You can choose
to consider the following: to do this by email, video call (Imovie)
- The materials need to or phone call (voice recording). In your
withstand temperatures up to reply you must include:
40 degrees without melting.  What materials you would use
- There needs to be at least 6 to build the house
options of materials that can  What materials you wouldn’t
be effectively used use to build the house
- The windows and doors need  Images/data of your testing
to be edible  Are there any special features
- Which materials melted and that you could recommend to
how long it took them to melt keep the house cool and
- He wants pictures/ data prevent materials from
recordings of your melting?
experiment  What the variables were – what
you changed, what you kept
the same, what you measured

TIME
The builder has a strict
time frame to work by.
EVALUATION He MUST receive your
Before sending your reply to the builder consider: reply in 5 lessons time
- If I had to build the superhero house, what would I make it out of? (Friday week 6).
- Are there any materials that might need retesting? (was the test fair)
- Are there any other ideas that I have had since testing that might be
effective for the builder to use?
- Are you happy with the information you supplied the builder?
Why/why not?
 ROLE ALLOCATIONS
(Cut and thread onto a lanyard)

 Collects and returns  Makes sure the team
equipment understands what to
do
 Reports if any
equipment is broken  Keeps the team on
or damaged task and following
directions
 Asks the teacher and
other team speakers
for help
 Speaks on behalf of
their team
 WILL IT MELT?
Item/ Order it will Order it How long it Could you use this to
material melt in actually took to melt make the house out
(prediction) melted in of?
Eg. Gold coin 12 12 Didn’t melt Yes
 ADDING AND REMOVING HEAT

MATERIAL 1: MATERIAL 2: MATERIAL 3:

This is a solid/ liquid This is a solid/ liquid This is a solid/ liquid

I predict that if I add/ remove heat I predict that if I add/ remove heat I predict that if I add/ remove heat

What actually happened was What actually happened was What actually happened was

It is now a solid / liquid It is now a solid / liquid It is now a solid / liquid

Was my prediction correct? Yes / no Was my prediction correct? Yes / no

Was my prediction correct? Yes / no
 CHECKLISTS

Have you told the builder? Yes or no Have you told the builder? Yes or no
What you did in the experiment What you did in the experiment

Photos of the table and experiment Photos of the table and experiment

The materials you think the builder The materials you think the builder
should use should use

The materials you think the builder The materials you think the builder
shouldn’t use shouldn’t use

The variables: (cows moo softly) The variables: (cows moo softly)
- What did you change? - What did you change?
- What did you measure? - What did you measure?
- What did you keep the same? - What did you keep the same?

Special features that you think might Special features that you think might
keep the house cool keep the house cool

Any other facts or questions you have Any other facts or questions you have