The Quicker Picker Upper?
 

Is BountyTM really "the quicker picker upper?" Join this project to find out which paper towel is the quickest picker upper and the most absorbent. Each participating class will conduct simple experiments to determine which paper towel really is the best. Participants will be asked to follow a format for 2 experiments, complete a table of information, and complete a brief questionnaire.

  • Conduct scientific experiments
  • Translate results into a table of information
  • Compare data
  • Evaluate advertising claims
  • Determine which product is the best buy
  • Share information globally
  • Use computers to produce tables and text
  • Use e-mail to exchange information

    •  

    K-5 global classrooms, number unlimited 
     

    All results are due by April 25, 1998. The site will be posted by May 9, 1998.
     

    Participants and visitors will be invited to send their feedback about this project.
     

    Barbara Evans

    evansba@cmi.k12.il.us

    Robeson School

    2501 Southmoor Drive

    Champaign, IL 61821

    USA

    217.351.3885
     
  • Internet access
  • E-mail capabilities
    		•
     

    Complete the following registration form and e-mail to evansba@cmi.k12.il.us
  • Your full name
  • Your e-mail address
  • Your school
  • School address
  • School phone number
    		•
     
     
     
    Obtain 3 roles of paper towels: 1 roll of BountyTM, 1 roll of ScottTM, and 1 roll of generic or housebrand. You will need a 9"x13" pan, water, measuring cups and spoons, and a stopwatch or watch with a sweep hand. Conduct the following experiments as whole class activities or in cooperative learning groups.

     Absorbency test:

  • Pour 1/4 cup (63 ml) of water into a 9"x13" pan.
  • Hold the paper towel lengthwise over the water.
  • Dip the paper towel into the water so that the bottom of the towel just touches the bottom of the pan. Hold it for 10 seconds.
  • Lift the paper towel out of the water and lay it flat on the table.
  • Mark with a pen the highest place the water reached.
  • Measure that height in centimeters and record it on the following chart.
  • Repeat this procedure with the other 2 towels. The quicker picker upper will be the paper towel with the highest watermark.

    • Quantity test:

  • Pour 1/2 cup (125 ml) of water into the 9"x13" pan.
  • Fold a dry paper towel into fourths.
  • Submerge the folded towel in the water for 60 seconds.
  • Lift the towel out of the water and hold it above the pan. Allow it to drip into the pan from 1 corner for 10 seconds.
  • Measure the amount of water LEFT in the pan. Subtract that amount from the original 125 ml (24 teaspoons) to determine the amount of water it absorbed. Record your findings on the chart below.
  • Repeat this experiment with the other 2 paper towels. The most absorbent towel will be the one that left the least amount of water in the pan.

    •  

    Brand of 
    Paper Towel

    Which absorbs fastest?
    (Height in cm)

    Which is the most absorbent?
    (Amount in ml)

    BountyTM

    		 . .

    ScottTM

    		 . .

    Generic

    		 . .
     

    Use your data to answer the following questions.
  • Which paper towel absorbs water the fastest? 
  • Which paper towel absorbs the most water? 
  • Which brand of paper towel would you recommend? 
  • Are there any factors you should consider when buying paper towels? 
  • Did anything surprise you when you conducted these experiments?
    		•
     

     
    Mrs. Brown’s 3rd grade class
    Verstovia Elementary School
    Sitka, Alaska

          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       5.4
               43 
    ScottTM                       4.5                    28.4
    Generic                        7                     26
     
     Comments:  Our results show the generic paper towel picked up water faster than BountyTM or ScottTM.  Bounty absorbs the most water in 60 seconds.

    Mrs. Silverman’s 2nd grade class
    Clinton Avenue School
    Pt. Jefferson Station, New York

          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                        7                    25
    ScottTM                        6                    50
    Generic                       6.5                    65
     
     
    Comments:  We learned that the most expensive is not always the best.

    Ms. Roth’s 4th  grade class  (8 teams of scientists)
    Park School
    Eau Claire, Wisconsin                  Team 1

          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       10.5                    82
    ScottTM                          5                    93
    Generic                          3                    98
     
                                                       Team 2
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                        7                    33
    ScottTM                       4.5                    28
    Generic                       3.5                    30
     
                                                        Team 3
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       10                    91 
    ScottTM                        4                    90
    Generic                       3.5                   130
     
                                                        Team 4
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       15                    91
    ScottTM                      4.5                    90
    Generic                        5                   130
     
                                                         Team 5
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                        7                    44
    ScottTM                       4.5                    52
    Generic                         2                    63
                                                         Team 6
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       8.5                    50
    ScottTM                       7.5                    70
    Generic                        3                    N/A
     
                                                         Team 7
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                        6                    12
    ScottTM                        3                    25
    Generic                        1                    53
     
                                                        Team 8
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       10                    90
    ScottTM                       6.5                    65
    Generic                         4                    40
     
    Questionnaire responses:
         Which paper towel absorbs water the fastest?  BountyTM
         Which paper towel absorbs the most water?  BountyTM
         Which brand of paper towel would you recommend?  BountyTM
        Are there any factors you should consider when buying paper towels?
            Absorbency, price, softness, strength
        Did anything surprise you when you conducted these experiments?
            Students were surprised at how large the performance margin was between BountyTM and the other brands.
    Comments:   BountyTM absorbed fastest in 8/8 times.
                        BountyTM absorbed more in 5/8 times.
                        ScottTM absorbed more in 2/8 times.
                        Generic absorbed more 1/8 times.

    Ms. Care’s 2nd grade class
    P.V. South Elementary School
    Collegeville, Pennsylvania

          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                        5                    50
    ScottTM                        7                    95
    Generic                        4                   100
     
    Questionnaire responses:
        Which paper towel absorbs water the fastest?  ScottTM
        Which paper towel absorbs the most water?  BountyTM
        Which brand of paper towel would you recommend?
            We recommend BountyTM because it absorbs almost as fast as ScottTM, but holds more water when “cleaning up.”
        Are there any factors you should consider when buying paper towels?
            Consider a paper towel that does not fall apart when using it.  Use one like ScottTM or BountyTM.
        Did anything surprise you when you conducted these experiments?
            We were surprised at how much more water BountyTM held than ScottTM since they are both well known brands claiming to be good.
     

    Mrs. Evans’ 1st grade class (6 teams of scientists)
    Robeson School
    Champaign, Illinois
                                                        Team 1

          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       5                    55
    ScottTM                       4                    25
    Generic                       6                    25
                                                        Team 2
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       5                    65
    ScottTM                       4                    25
    Generic                       6                    25
     
                                                        Team 3
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       5                    50
    ScottTM                       4                    25
    Generic                       6                    25
     
                                                        Team 4
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       5                    50
    ScottTM                       4                    25
    Generic                       8                    35
     
                                                        Team 5
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                       5                    50
    ScottTM                       4                    25
    Generic                       6                    35
                                                        Team 6
          Brand of Paper Towel     Which absorbs the fastest? 
                   height in cm     		     Which absorbs the most? 
                  ml absorbed 
    BountyTM                      4.5                    50
    ScottTM                        5                    25
    Generic                        6                    35
     
    Questionnaire responses:
        Which paper towel absorbs water the fastest?  Generic
        Which paper towel absorbs the most water?  BountyTM
        Which brand of paper towel would you recommend?
            2 teams recommend the generic brand, while 4 teams recommend BountyTM.
        Are there any factors you should consider when buying paper towels?
            You should think about how much water it absorbs.
        Did anything surprise you when you conducted these experiments?
            We were surprised that BountyTM wasn’t the fastest.
     

     
    Mrs. Silverman’s 2nd grade class
    Clinton Avenue School
    Pt. Jefferson Station, New York
     
    This was a fun experiment.  It was fun counting the seconds.  We enjoyed that some kids got to pour water.

    Ms. Roth’s 4th  grade class
    Park School
    Eau Claire, Wisconsin

    This experiment was fairly easy to do and clean up after.  The students were working on an advertising unit and discussing techniques advertisers use to sell products.  They have also been discussing decision making .  This tied in nicely.  Thank you for organizing this project.
     
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