Middle School STEM Science Lab/Activity Planner
Name of Lab/Activity: Inquiry Activity for Finding Conduction Rate in Different Materials
California Science Standard(s):
Grade: 6
3c. Students know heat flows in solids by conduction (which involves no flow of matter) and in fluids by
conduction and by convection (which involves flow of matter).
Learning Objective/Goal:
Students will be able to
 Understand the process of heat transfer through conduction;

Explain that different materials conduct heat at different rates.
Language Objective/Goal: (based on California Common Core Standards)
W6.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
RI.6.7. Integrate information presented in tables and graphs (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well
as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
Driving Question
If you were stirring a pot of spaghetti in boiling water in the kitchen, would you rather use a wooden or
metallic spoon? Why? Why are kitchen items such as teapots and pans usually made of metal? Discuss
other examples of good and poor heat (thermal) conductors in the home.
Materials & Resources:

Four rods of different materials (copper, iron, aluminum, and glass), with the same diameter


Chocolate chips
Ring stand (or block of wood or brick for resting the heated rods)

Hot plate or another heat source

Metric ruler

Matches

Watch or clock with a second hand

Graph paper

Science Notebook
This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Texas Instruments
Community Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
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Procedures:
Teaching Notes:
1. Label each rod (A, B, and C, etc.).
2. Using a metric ruler, mark off one-centimeter increments on the rods.
3. Using graph paper, make a data table with an entry for each rod.
4. Turn on the hot plate.
Allow 5 minutes for the
pre-assessment, 10 minut
explaining the activity,
15-20 minutes to construc
and 5-10 minutes for the
debrief. (30 Minutes)
5. Put chocolate chips on the marks on the rods made up with each
materials.
6. Place one end of one of the rods on the edge of the hotplate,
balancing the other end on the wood block.
7. Time how long it takes for the heat to travel down the rod, recording
the time when it melts the drops of wax.
8. Repeat with each of the other rods.
9. Make a graph with time versus distance to record the information from
the data table.
10. Make a list indicating which rod was the best conductor to which rod
was the poorest conductor.
Math Connection:
Teaching Notes:
Students will make a graph with time versus distance of the chocolate chips
from the heat source for each material and make a list comparing which rod
was the best conductor to which rod was the best insulator.
Technology Extension of Learning:
Conduction Video Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_IbPRNZ6ho
Teaching Notes:
(10 minutes)
These videos show the
demonstration of
Conduction.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa/heatingandcooling/he
atingact.shtml
This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Texas Instruments
Community Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
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Formative Assessment:
Teaching Notes:
Student will write their answers of the questions below:
1. In which wire was heat felt first? How much of a difference was there in
the time it took the two wires to heat?
2. Explain the difference in the rate of heating of the two wires.
3. From your observations, do you think cork or copper is a better
conductor? What properties make one material more conductive than the
other?
4. Explain why the metal feels colder even though it is the same temperature
as the wood or plastic.
5. In what order did the quarters fall from the spoons? Explain this based on
heat conductivity.
6. Identify and explain a kitchen item made of each plastic, metal and wood.
Distinguish the uses of these items based on heat conductivity.
7. Explain energy transfer through heat conductivity in your own words.
8. Can you think of situations when you might want to stop heat from
escaping from somewhere?
9. Are there times when you want something to heat up or cool down
quickly?
10. What are some different ways that we could investigate heating and
cooling things?
Strategies for EL and Special Needs Students:
Conduction Visual Diagram
Vocabulary:
1. Conduction
2. Conductor
3. Insulator
Alignment in science unit: (Brief description of lessons taught prior to this lab/activity)
Conduction is one of the ways that energy is transferred from the earth's atmosphere to the air.
Conduction is the process by which heat energy is transmitted through collisions between neighboring mol
Some solids, such as metals, are good heat conductors, while others, such as wood, are poor conductors.
water are relatively poor conductors and thus are called insulators. Not surprisingly, many pots and pans
have insulated handles. In this activity, students will explore the process of conduction in different
materials.
Brief description of lessons taught after this lab/activity:
What does conduction have to do with the atmosphere? Air is a poor conductor of heat energy but a good
This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Texas Instruments
Community Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
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insulator. Because air is such a poor energy conductor, large vertical temperature gradients can exist
near the ground, particularly on clear and windless days. On such days, the land surface may experience
a great deal of heating, as direct solar radiation is absorbed and converted to infrared radiation.
Lab/Activity adapted from: (website, textbook, etc.)
Lab idea adapted partly from textbook and partly from website
This lesson was developed by:
Teacher’s Name
Formative Assessment
adapted from:
Created by the Authors.
Currently Teaching at:
(School & District)
George, Alum Rock
School District
Hoover Middle,
San Jose Unified School
District
Karen Lombardo
Subha Banerjee
This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Texas Instruments
Community Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
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