Professor Picklebottom
Coolest Cup Challenge
Professor Picklebottom is planning the perfect summer picnic, but he has one big problem... his ice keeps melting! Should he use a metal cup, a glass, a paper cup or something else?
Help him investigate which material keeps drinks cold the longest before his lemonade turns warm!
Ages
5-12 yrs
Duration
min
30
Difficulty
Easy
Stage
Stage 1-3
Cite this resource
Created by Darin Carr (BSc, DipEd)
NESA Accredited Teacher · Chemistry & Physics Specialist · 30+ years in-class teaching
Resource Version: 1.0
First Published:
Last Updated:
1 Aug 2026
MISSION VERIFIED
Classroom tested. Teacher designed. Safe at home.
Designed by Darin Carr (BScDip Ed)
Practising NESA accredited
Australian Science Teacher
★ 30+ years of classroom experience
MISSION PROGRESS
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Before you investigate... watch the mystery
MISSION HOOK
Professor Picklebottom and the team are travelling and collecting amazing science mysteries.
✔ Coming in Term 1 2027
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Mission Equipment
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1 metal cup
1 glass
1 paper cup
1 paper napkin
4 similar ice cubes
Stopwatch or timer
Let’s Investigate
Follow the missions steps below to solve the mystery.
1
Meet the Challengers
Place a metal cup, a glass, a paper cup and a folded paper napkin on the table.
Try to use ice cubes that are as similar in size as possible.
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
2
Build Your Fair Test
Place one ice cube onto each material.
Try to start them at the same time.
Start your timer and let the Ice Cube Race begin!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
3
Start the timer
Start the timer and observe the ice cubes on each cup.
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
4
Compare the Results
When enough time has passed, compare all four ice cubes.
Which one stayed frozen the longest?
Which one melted first?
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
5
he Coolest Cup Champion!
Congratulations!
You've discovered that some materials let heat move into the ice much faster than others.
Now think beyond today's investigation...
If you wanted to keep a drink cold on a hot summer day...
Which cup would you choose?
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Which material do you think will keep the ice frozen for the longest?
□ Metal
□ Glass
□ Paper Cup
□ Paper Napkin
1
Meet the Challengers
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Which material do you think will keep the ice frozen for the longest?
□ Metal
□ Glass
□ Paper Cup
□ Paper Napkin
1
Meet the Challengers
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Which material do you think will keep the ice frozen for the longest?
□ Metal
□ Glass
□ Paper Cup
□ Paper Napkin
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Which material do you think will keep the ice frozen for the longest?
□ Metal
□ Glass
□ Paper Cup
□ Paper Napkin
The Crazy Scientist LAB Learning System™
Every experiment follows The Crazy Scientist Lab Learning System™ — a simple way to help kids think like real scientists.
We
-
LINK to what they already know,
-
ACTIVATE curiosity through hands-on discovery
-
BUILD understanding that actually sticks.
Imagine you're outside on a hot summer day with an icy cold drink.
It's hot, you're thirsty and the last thing you want is a warm drink!
Would a metal cup keep your drink colder for longer? What about a glass, a paper cup or even wrapping it in a napkin?
Before you guess, let's investigate and discover which material is the coolest!
Time to become a Heat Detective!
Place one ice cube on each material and start your timer.
Watch carefully as the ice cubes begin to melt.
Which material keeps its ice the longest?
Did your prediction match what you observed?
Congratulations, Heat Detective!
You discovered that not all materials let heat travel at the same speed.
That tiny ice cube helped explain why we use different materials every day:
Insulated drink bottles keep drinks colder for longer.
Paper coffee cups stop your hands from getting too hot.
Oven mitts protect you from hot baking trays.
Cooler bags help keep picnic food cold.
Engineers choose materials very carefully. Sometimes they want heat to move quickly... and sometimes they want to slow it down!
"Want the full teacher guide? The Crazy Scientist Lab includes classroom delivery tips, how to manage the WOW moment, differentiation for Stage 2 & 3, — ready to teach tomorrow."
Think Like a Scientist
Scientists don't just do ONE experiment; they change one part of the experiment (independent variable) and then see how it affects another part of the experiment
(dependent variable)
Change ONE variable and test again.
Does the size of the ice cube change how quickly the ice melts?
Can you improve a cup to keep the ice colder for longer?
Dr Puddledrip’s Science Tip
Read the Science
Teachers & Homeschoolers: Print-ready HD versions of this Science Behind It poster and companion G&T Challenge Card are available inside The Crazy Scientist LAB.
Scientist's Challenge
Designed for HPGE, gifted learners and children who enjoy an extra challenge.
Teachers & Homeschoolers: Print-ready HD versions of this Science Behind It poster and companion G&T Challenge Card are available inside The Crazy Scientist LAB.
The Next Question...
You've solved today's mystery. Now discover where curiosity can take you next.
Teachers & Homeschoolers: Print-ready HD versions of this Science Behind It poster and companion G&T Challenge Card are available inside The Crazy Scientist LAB.
Vocabulary
Material
A material is a substance used to make objects. Different materials have different properties that make them useful for different jobs.
Heat
Heat is a form of energy that moves from warmer objects to cooler ones. This energy transfer can change the temperature of a material.
Thermal Conductor
A thermal conductor is a material that allows heat energy to move through it easily. Metals are usually good thermal conductors.
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Keep Exploring This Mystery
One experiment leads to even more amazing discoveries inside the Learning Universe.
Curiosity Files
BIG Questions & Discovery
Illustrated Facts
Explore • Discover
Road Trip Science
Discover science everywhere
The Teacher's Cauldron
Think. Experiment. Inspire
Books
Read • Explore
Videos
Watch & Learn
LAB Resources
Premium learning resources
Ready for Your Next Discovery?
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TOMORROW?
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