GRADE 6 SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL TASKS
Energy Transfer
Grade-Level Expectations
The exercises in these instructional tasks address content related to the following science grade-level
expectation(s):
PS-M-C1 Describe and summarize observations of the transmission, reflection, and absorption
of sound, light, and heat energy (GLE 26)
Contents



These instructional tasks contain a set of document- or resource-based exercises about light
energy and transformation of light energy to heat energy.
Teachers may choose to use or modify the tasks as part of an instructional lesson or as a
formative or summative assessment.
The printable student version excludes teacher directions.
Objective(s)


Access prior knowledge
Build background knowledge about light waves and heat
transmission
Scaffolding Exercise 2



Analyze scientific sources
Determine relationships between related content
Strengthen scientific reasoning skills
Scaffolding Exercise 3


Build background knowledge about color appearance
Interpret and construct a diagram

Analyze data to identify error based on scientific
knowledge
Employ scientific reasoning
Propose a new plan based on previous findings
Scaffolding Exercise 1
Culminating Exercise


Scoring Rubric
Scoring Notes
Printable Student Version
Scaffolding Exercise 1
Display picture above. Have students work with a partner to do the following: write three statements you believe to be true about
the science behind greenhouses. Include the words light, transmit, reflect, absorb, and thermal energy. Then visit the following
website (http://home.howstuffworks.com/lawn-garden/professional-landscaping/alternative-methods/greenhouse.htm/printable)
to confirm or disprove your original thoughts. Write two more facts that you learn about the science behind greenhouses.
Scaffolding Exercise 2
The left image illustrates the basic relationship between visible light, infrared, and heat energy. The right image uses infrared
imaging. Have students work with a partner to research how the science behind these images is interconnected. Have students
present their ideas to a larger group for scientific discussion.
NASA Images
Scaffolding Exercise 3
Have students divide into two groups and analyze the graphic above. One person should research how the color white appears and
the other should research how the color black appears. Each person should then draw a diagram similar to the one above for either
the color black or the color white. Then students should meet with their partner to teach one another about the color they
researched.
Graphic from: http://www.knowitall.org/nasa/simulations/light/light_color.html
Culminating Exercise
Liam performed an experiment to investigate how different colors absorb or reflect light, which is then transferred into heat energy.
He wrapped 5 plastic bottles in different colors of construction paper. He measured and found that the beginning temperature for
the air inside the bottle was the same. Liam placed each bottle under a heat lamp. The following data was gathered.
Red
Yellow
Black
White
Temperature Temperature Temperature Temperature
(°C)
(°C)
(°C)
(°C)
Beginning
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
25
28
30
30
31
25
27
28
29
29
25
29
30
31
32
25
26
28
31
33
Which Color Heats Faster?
32
31
Liam’s science partner noticed that his data seemed flawed.
30
29
Task: Evaluate the data and answer the following:
 Identify the part of the data that seems to be flawed.
 Support your claim with scientific evidence.
 Present a possible cause for the error.
 Propose a plan to correct the flaw.
28
27
26
25
0 minutes
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
Rubric
Key Elements:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Response correctly identifies the data flaw.
Response supports the claim with scientific evidence.
Response presents a plausible cause for the error.
Response proposes a reasonable, valid plan to correct the flaw.
Response includes all four key elements.
4 Points
Response contains no scientific errors.
Response includes three of the four key elements.
3 Points
Response may include scientific errors.
Response includes two of the four key elements.
2 Points
Response may include scientific errors.
Response includes one of the four key elements.
1 Point
Response may include scientific errors.
A well-developed response should demonstrate a correct and thorough understanding of absorption and reflection of light. The
response should be clear, include specific details, show a higher level of reasoning skills where appropriate, and address the key
elements of the task.
Scoring Notes
Student responses will not be an exact imitation of the responses below. These are given only as examples.
A. Response correctly identifies the data flaw.
It appears that air in the bottle wrapped in white paper rose to a higher temperature than the bottle wrapped in black
paper.
B. Response supports the claim with scientific evidence.
According to research I have previously seen and science documents I have read, the color white reflects all
wavelengths of visible light and the color black absorbs all wavelengths of visible light. Therefore, white objects do
not heat up as quickly as dark objects because the light energy is not as easily transferred to heat energy.
C. Response presents a plausible cause for the error.
Liam may have made a simple error. He may have allowed too much time to pass before checking the thermometer
during the trials with the white paper.
Liam may not have used his thermometer properly when checking the bottle wrapped in white paper.
D. Response proposes a reasonable plan to correct the flaw.
To correct this flaw, I would perform the experiment multiple times and average the results. This should correct for
any scientific error that might occur when performing only one trial.
Printable
Student Version
Write three statements you believe to be true about the science behind greenhouses. Include the words light, transmit, reflect,
absorb, and thermal energy. Then visit the following website (http://home.howstuffworks.com/lawn-garden/professionallandscaping/alternative-methods/greenhouse.htm/printable) to confirm or disprove your original thoughts. Write two more facts
that you learn about the science behind greenhouses.
The left image illustrates the basic relationship between visible light, infrared, and heat energy. The right image uses infrared
imaging. Work with a partner to research how the science behind these images is interconnected. Present your ideas to a larger
group for scientific discussion.
NASA Images
Work with a partner to analyze the graphic above. Next, one person should research how the color white appears and the other
should research how the color black appears. Each person should then draw a diagram similar to the one above for either the color
black or the color white. Meet with your partner to teach one another about the color you researched.
Graphic from: http://www.knowitall.org/nasa/simulations/light/light_color.html
Liam performed an experiment to investigate how different colors absorb or reflect light, which is then transferred into heat energy.
He wrapped 5 plastic bottles in different colors of construction paper. He measured and found that the beginning temperature for
the air inside the bottle was the same. Liam placed each bottle under a heat lamp. The following data was gathered.
Red
Yellow
Black
White
Temperature Temperature Temperature Temperature
(°C)
(°C)
(°C)
(°C)
Beginning
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
25
28
30
30
31
25
27
28
29
29
25
29
30
31
32
25
26
28
31
33
Which Color Heats Faster?
32
31
Liam’s science partner noticed that his data seemed flawed.
30
29
Task: Evaluate the data and answer the following:
 Identify the part of the data that seems to be flawed.
 Support your claim with scientific evidence.
 Present a possible cause for the error.
 Propose a plan to correct the flaw.
28
27
26
25
0 minutes
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes