Make AP Precalculus exponential modeling feel meaningful, hands-on, and worth the class time with this Holiday Café Cooling Lab! In this Unit 2 performance task, students collect real cooling data from hot water, transform the data by subtracting room temperature, build a vertically shifted exponential decay model, and interpret the model in context.

This activity is designed to support AP Precalculus FRQ 2-style non-periodic modeling skills. Students solve for parameters (a) and (b), interpret a horizontal asymptote, calculate average rates of change, describe concavity, and think critically about model limitations and real-world assumptions.

The holiday café theme makes the task engaging, but the math stays rigorous and curriculum-aligned. It is perfect when you want something seasonal that still supports AP-level thinking and discussion.

What’s included:

• 4-page student lab packet
• Optional no-lab student data page
• Teacher guide with setup, pacing, safety notes, and printing options
• General answer key for data-dependent student work
• Sample data set with fully worked sample solution
• Rubric suggestion, common student mistakes, and differentiation ideas

This resource can be used as a live lab, a no-lab modeling task, a review activity, or an AP Precalculus performance task. The included sample data makes it easy to use even if you do not have access to thermometers, hot water, or lab materials.