Unit/Lesson Plan Title: N R G Transfers!
Primary Subject
Science
Integrated Subjects
Math, Reading, Writing
Grade Level
3rd
Length of Unit
Approximately 2-3 weeks
Research Sources
Lesson 5 modified from http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/
preview?LPid=14860
Lesson 6 modified from: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/
435855main_BuildaSolarOven_6to8.pdf
NC Common Core
Elementary Science with Vernier by Marti Moore, David
Carter, Barbara Andersen, and Tara Windle
www.srpnet.com
Virginia Cooperative Ext. 4-H
Unit Summary
Students will be able to determine the difference between
potential and kinetic energy. Students will be able to
distinguish between materials that are good conductors
and those that are good insulators. Students will know that
when heat is applied to objects, molecules begin to move
more rapidly. Students will interact with solar energy.
Students will learn how static electricity is created.
Students will compare materials to see which will repel a
balloon and which would attract a balloon.
All items in bold are available as supporting
documents attached to this lesson plan.
Key Vocabulary
NC Essential Standards
For Science
energy
conductor
insulator
transfer
thermal energy
potential energy
kinetic energy
temperature
static electricity
friction
atoms
electrons
protons
neutrons
molecule
charge
attract
repel
solar
Essential Standards:
3.P.3 Recognize how energy can be transferred from one
object to another
Clarifying Objective:
3.P.3.1 Recognize that energy can be transferred from one
object to another by rubbing them against each other.
3.P.3.2 Recognize that energy can be transferred from a
warmer object to a cooler one by contact or at a distance
and the cooler object gets warmer.
Common Core Standards 3.NTBT.2 Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using
For Mathematics
strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties
of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and
subtraction.
3.MD.3 Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar
graph to represent a data set with several categories.
Solve one- and two-step “how many more” and “how many
less” problems using information presented in scaled bar
graphs. For example, draw a bar graph in which each
square in the bar graph might represent 5 pets.
3.MD.4 Generate measurement data by measuring
lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an
inch. Show the data by making a line plot, where the
horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate units whole
numbers, halves, or quarters.
Common Core Standards 3.RL.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate
for ELA & Literacy
understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the
basis for the answers.
3.RL.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits,
motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions
contribute to the sequence of events.
3.RI.7 Use information gained from illustrations
(e.g.,maps, photographs) and the words in a text to
demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when,
why, and how key events occur).
3.RI.9 Compare and contrast the most important points
and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.
3.W.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a
point of view with reasons.
a.! Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state
an opinion, and create an !organizational structure that lists
reasons.
b. Provide reasons that support the opinion.
3.W.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce
writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3
above.)
3.W.8 Recall information from experiences or gather
information from print and digital sources; take brief notes
on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
3.SL.1.a Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher- led) with
diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on
othersʼ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied
required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and
other information known about the topic to explore ideas
under discussion.
3.SL.1.c Ask questions to check understanding of
information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
Essential Questions
Lesson 1: What is energy and how is it transferred?
Lesson 2: Does greater potential energy convert into
greater kinetic energy?
Lesson 3: What role does friction play in static electricity?
Lesson 4: What are insulators and conductors?
Lesson 5: Which material would be best in keeping
objects cold? Why?
Lesson 6: Which materials will allow a marshmallow to
heat up the quickest?
Lesson 7: Post Assessment
Materials & Resources
Van de Graaff generator
KWL chart
Keynote presentation on Potential and Kinetic Energy
Study Guide Outline
The Little Engine that Could by Wally Piper
pull-back toy cars
meter sticks
motion detector probes
Vernier Lab Quest
science notebooks
exit slips
balloons
empty soda cans
confetti
wool fabric scraps
plastic bags
plastic cups
ice cubes
foil
wool scraps
felt
newspaper
styrofoam
cotton
towels
paper towels
cardboard boxes
black construction paper
marshmallows
oven mitts
aluminum pans
string
toothpicks
saran wrap
temperature probes
animal fur
Safety Requirements
Students will need to use oven mitts when using the solar
oven.
Activities/Procedures
•Essential Question
•Explore/Engage
•Explain
•Elaborate (Inquiry)
•Evaluate
Lesson 1
EQ: What is energy?
Pre-Assessment to assess prior knowledge (PreAssessment)
KWL chart on energy. Students will work in small groups
to list what they know about energy. Teacher will later
record onto a class chart. Students will generate a list of
things that they want to know about energy. This will be
recorded onto the class chart.
Potential and kinetic energy will be introduced through a
ActivInspire presentation. (introduction to energy.flp)
Activities/Procedures
•Essential Question
•Explore/Engage
•Explain
•Elaborate (Inquiry)
•Evaluate
Exit Slip: The students will demonstrate their knowledge of
energy on the provided exit slip.
Lesson 2:
EQ: Does greater potential energy convert into greater
kinetic energy?
Read The Little Engine that Could by Wally Piper aloud to
the class. Discuss simple machines.
Lesson 25 from Elementary Science with Vernier: (25
Drive with Energy)
Students will work in small groups to conduct an
experiment using toy cars. The students will pull the cars
back to predetermined distances and release the car. The
students will then measure how far the cars travelled using
the motion probe. Students will record this information in
their science notebooks.
Students will create a bar graph to display the information
from the experiment.
Exit Slip: The students will demonstrate their knowledge of
potential or kinetic energy on the provided exit slip.
Activities/Procedures
•Essential Question
•Explore/Engage
•Explain
•Elaborate (Inquiry)
•Evaluate
Lesson 3:
EQ: What role does friction play in static electricity?
Teacher will demonstrate how friction assists in static
electricity. Students will make predictions about what
would happen if animal fur was rubbed 1 time versus 100
times against a metal rod and placed on the Van de Graff
generator.
The teacher will introduce students to static electricity by
asking the students, “How can you tell if static electricity is
around you?” The teacher will encourage students to
describe any experiences that they have had with static
electricity. Record answers and discuss.
Teacher will explain how static electricity is created
showing the students an atom. Teacher will explain three
smaller particles of the atom: electrons, protons, and
neutrons. Teacher can use the following (Electricity info
for teachers) for background information.
Teacher will demonstrate attraction and repulsion through
a demonstration with magnets, Teacher will also show how
a balloon can pick up confetti when charged (more
electrons than protons). Static electricity is a build up of
electrons.
Students will work in small groups to complete an inquiry
lesson on static electricity.
Activity: Stuck on You: Static Electricity
Exit Slip: The students will demonstrate knowledge of
static electricity on the provided exit slip.
Activities/Procedures
•Essential Question
•Explore/Engage
•Explain
•Elaborate (Inquiry)
•Evaluate
Lesson 4:
EQ: What are insulators and conductors?
Teacher will have set up in the classroom three glasses of
water. One will be hot, one room temperature, and one will
have ice in it. A wire coat hanger will be placed in each
glass. Upon entering students will make observations in
their lab notebooks using their five senses.
Teacher will begin the lesson by asking if the students
have heard of the words conductor or insulator? Teacher
will have students give examples of each.
Teacher will build background knowledge by showing the
Keynote presentation (Heat Conducting Materials) to the
class. Students will be completing a study guide outline as
the teacher is building background knowledge. (Lesson
Outline)
Invite two students come to front of the class and give
each of them an ice cube in a sealable bag. Have the
students hold the ice cube and ask, “What is happening?”
Clarify that the ice did not bring cold to the hand, but the
heat from the hands moved to the ice cube, until they
finally became the same temperature.
Students will show what they know about insulators and
conductors on the provided exit slip.
Activities/Procedures
•Essential Question
•Explore/Engage
•Explain
•Elaborate (Inquiry)
•Evaluate
Lesson 5:
EQ: Which material would be best in keeping objects cold?
Why?
Students will participate in an ActivInspire lesson (Keeping
Warm - Thermal Energy.flp)
Design a Refrigerator
Tell the students that today they are going to design a
refrigerator. The goal is to keep their ice cube from melting.
Students will be designing 2 refrigerators, using different
materials. They may use paper towels, wax paper, foil,
plastic bags, newspaper, styrofoam, towels, or cotton. The
students will assemble their refrigerators. After the
refrigerators are assembled, students will place 2 ice
cubes inside each. Go outside. Instruct students to take an
initial reading of the temperature in Fahrenheit using the
Vernier LabQuest. They will record this data in their lab
notebooks. Students will use a stopwatch or a timer to
record the temperature every 2 minutes for 10 minutes.
Students will record the final temperature at the end of 10
minutes in their lab notebooks. Students will then make a
bar graph to display data. Which worked best? Why?
Students will use information to come up with a design for
a cup that would keep drinks cold on the beach or in the
desert.
Activities/Procedures
•Essential Question
•Explore/Engage
•Explain
•Elaborate (Inquiry)
•Evaluate
Lesson 6:
EQ: Which materials will allow marshmallows to heat up
the quickest?
Teacher will build background knowledge of thermal heat
and heat transfer by showing the ActivInspire flip chart
(Keeping Warm - Thermal Energy.flp)
The team mission is to design and build a solar box
cooker, and test it out to see if it works well enough to cook
a marshmallow!
The teacher will tell the students that they must meet the
following specifications:
1. Your solar oven may be no larger than 16 inches by 16
inches.
2. You may use any available materials to line the bottom
and inside of box.
3. Your food may not touch the bottom of the oven directly.
You must design a way to best cook the marshmallow off
of the bottom surface.
4. After you complete your solar oven, you need to insert a
thermometer inside. Set the Vernier LabQuest to record
the temperature every 30 seconds for 10 minutes.
Record this information on the data table provided.
(Marshmallow data table)
Assessment complete Quality Assurance Form (Quality
Assurance Form)
•Activities/Procedures Lesson 7:
•Essential Question
•Explore/Engage
EQ: What have you learned about energy?
•Explain
•Elaborate (Inquiry)
Post Assessment (Pre-Assessment)
•Evaluate
Students will complete the post assessment to show what
they have learned throughout the unit on energy.
Accommodations for
The pretest and post test will be read aloud to students
Differentiated Instruction requiring read aloud.
Students will work in collaborative groups.
Groups will be kept small so that all students are able to
participate in group work.
Utilize the EC and the ESOL teachers.
Cross-Curricular
Integration
Math-Students will be adding and subtracting numbers,
drawing scaled bar graphs to represent data collected,
measuring with rulers, and generating measured data.
ELA- Students will ask and answer questions relating to
the text to demonstrate knowledge, use info from
illustrations and graphs to demonstrate understanding,
write opinion pieces and provide support of their opinions,
recall information from experiences and sort informational
evidence, and collaborate with partners in discussions.
Assessments
•Performance-based
•Formative
•Summative
Lesson 1
Pre-assessment, KWL Chart, Exit question: Students will
demonstrate knowledge of energy on provided exit slip
Lesson 2
Data sheet: investigation observations Think-Pair-Share:
discuss observations, create a bar graph to display data
that was collected from the experiment, Exit Question:
Demonstrate knowledge of potential and kinetic energy on
the provided exit slip.
Lesson 3
Data sheet: investigation observations Think-Pair-Share:
discuss observations Exit question: Demonstrate
knowledge of static electricity on provided exit slip.
Lesson 4
Lesson Outline, discuss observations Exit question: Show
what you know about insulators and conductors on the
provided exit slip.
Lesson 5
Investigation observations, discuss observations, observe
discussions, Writing activity: Come up with a design for a
cup that would keep drinks cold on the beach or in the
desert. Support your opinions with what you learned from
the experiment.
Lesson 6
Investigation observations, data sheet, observation of
group discussions, Quality Assurance Form
Lesson 7
Post Assessment
Created By
E-Mail
Terrance Crawford crawfordtn@rss.k12.nc.us
Jessie Cook
egolfjr@rss.k12.nc.us
Supporting Documents
Pre-Assessment
introduction to energy.flp (Flipchart)
Lesson Outline
25 Drive with Energy LQ and Drive with Energy
(Lesson 25 from Elementary Science with Vernier)
Exit Slips
Stuck on You
Heat Conducting Materials.ppt (Keynote)
Keeping Warm - Thermal Energy.flip (Flipchart)
Marshmallow data table
Quality Assurance Form
Electricity Info for Teacher
Post-Assessment