The Heat is On!
Primary Subject
Science: Energy Conservation and Transfer
Integrated
Subjects
Math, E.L.A.
Grade Level
5th Grade
Length of Unit
9 Days
Research
Sources
•Middle School Science with Vernier
•Energy for Educators: Bringing Energy into the Classroom, Jill Williams
Adapted from the Needs Projectʼs Energy Works www.need.org
•http://www.wisc-online.com/Objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=sce304
•http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0062-radiation.php
Unit Summary
In this unit, students will explore how heat is transferred between objects
from a distance (radiation). Using a Vernier LabQuest and temperature
probes, students will create an inquiry based experiment to prove which
color shirt would be the hottest to wear to a baseball game on a sunny day
in May. Students will work with a partner to design and implement the
experiment. They will use the data collected to support or refute their
hypothesis, and discuss the results with members from other groups.
Partners will then work together to create and present a Comic Life poster to
display at a gallery walk.
Key Vocabulary
energy, source, solar energy, radiation (radiator, radiant heat), temperature,
thermal energy, transfer (transformation), electromagnetic waves, absorb
(absorption),
Process Skills: record, data collection, purpose, hypothesis, conclusion,
observation
Math: range, temperature, duration, table
N C Essential
Standards For
Science
Energy Conservation and Transfer
5.P.3.1 Explain the effects of the transfer of heat (either by direct contact or
at a distance) that occurs between objects at different temperatures. Focus:
Radiation
Common Core
Standards For
Mathematics
Analyze Patterns and Relationships
5.OA.3 Generate two numerical patterns using two given rules. Identify
apparent relationships between corresponding terms. Form ordered pairs
consisting of corresponding terms from the two patterns, and graph the
ordered pairs on a coordinate plane.
Convert like measurement units within a given measurement system.
5.MD.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a
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given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these
conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.
Common Core
Standards
For ELA
Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details: Standard 3
Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals,
events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based
on specific information in the text.
Craft and Structure: Standard 6
Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important
similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Standard 7
Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the
ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem
efficiently.
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration: Standard 1
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 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.
b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that
contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of
information and knowledge gained from the discussions.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas Standard 5
Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays
in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main
ideas or themes.
Writing Standards
Text Types and Purposes: Standard 1
1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with
reasons and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an
organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the
writerʼs purpose.
b. Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g.,
consequently, specifically).
d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion
presented.
Research to build and Present Knowledge: Standard 7,8
7. Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build
knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
8. Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase
information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
Page 2
Essential
Day 1: I can recognize that the sun is the main source of electromagnetic
Questions /
energy on Earth.
I Can Statements Day 2: I can defend the statement that a warmer object can warm a cooler
object at a distance.
Day 3: I can construct an experiment that demonstrates how radiant energy
is transferred through electromagnetic waves.
Day 4: I can evaluate how color affects the absorption of radiant energy.
Day 5-7: I can develop a digital poster project to display how color affects
the absorption of radiant energy.
Day 8: I can appraise the finished projects of my classmates and compare
them to my own.
Day 9: I can explain the effects of radiation.
Materials &
Resources
Vernier LabQuest with temperature probes (at least 5 sets), sets of paper
(red, light blue, yellow, white, and black) for each station, tape, 5 lamps, lab
notebooks, pre-assessment, post-assessment, vocabulary Keynote /
flashcards (print 4 slides per page on card stock), rubric for Comic Life
Project, two video segments (see Supporting Documents), computers or
laptops, document camera (optional), poster board, glue, aluminum foil
Safety
Requirements
Do not allow students to touch the heated lamp shade or bulb.
Page 3
Activities/
Procedures
• Essential
Question
• Explore/Engage
• Explain
• Elaborate
(Inquiry)
• Evaluate
Day 1:
Essential Question / I Can Statement: I can recognize that the sun is the
main source of electromagnetic energy on Earth.
Explore / Engage: Explain to students that we are beginning a new unit
with a pretest to measure what they already know about the topic. Be sure
that students are aware that the pretest is just a starting point for the
learning process and should not be stressful. Administer the Pretest
(approx. 15 mins)
Explain: As the lesson is introduced, students will be prompted to record
their thoughts and findings in the lab notebook. Pass the lab notebooks out
to the class and allow time for the students to explore the contents of the
notebook.
Background Teacher Information: Energy / Sun
Students will respond to questions posed on page 2 of the lab notebook
throughout the lesson.
What is energy?
•Energy is the ability to do work, the ability to make a change. Everything
that happens in the world involves a change of some kind, the exchange of
energy in some way.
•Energy cannot be created or destroyed. The total amount of energy in the
universe remains the same. When we use energy, we do not “use it up;” we
convert one form of energy into other forms. Usually the conversion of
energy produces some heat.
Solar Energy
•Solar energy is energy from the sun (radiant energy). The radiant energy is
emitted from the sun in all directions and some of it reaches Earth. Show
Radiation Basic video segment (19 sec.) See Supporting Documents.
•Radiant energy is energy that travels in electromagnetic waves or rays.
On the following website, watch as electromagnetic waves from the sun
raise the temperature. Discuss additional examples.
http://www.wisc-online.com/Objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=sce304
Pretest and Posttest questions addressed:
#5 During energy transformations, energy is never created or destroyed.
#8 What is energy? The ability to do work or cause change.
#10 The passing or movement of one form of energy to another is called
energy transfer.
Elaborate: After discussion and the video, students will answer additional
questions to complete pages 2 and the first two on page 3 of the Lab
Notebook
Evaluate: Teacher observation, student participation in discussion and
additions to the lab notebook.
Page 4
Day 2 / Radiant Energy / Demonstration
Essential Question / I Can Statement: I can defend the statement that a
warmer object can warm a cooler object at a distance.
Engage:
Post the following questions on the board before students enter the room.
1. The Sun is millions of kilometers away. How can heat from the Sun get
here to Earth?
2. If you look inside an electric stove or toaster oven, how can you tell
whether itʼs turned on or off?
Page 5
Energy Likes to Move. Have the song “I Like to Move It, Move
It” (Madagascar Song) playing as students enter the classroom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WchZA7g2x1I&feature=related or
download from iTunes.
Give students eight minutes to read, discuss, and respond on a Post-It
note. Students should be prepared to share their ideas with the class as a
review of the previous day.
Explain:
Teacher Notes: If there is a temperature difference between objects, heat
will naturally move from high to low temperatures. The place you find the
higher temperature is the heat source. The area where the temperature is
lower is the heat sink. There is no such thing as “cold.” When an object
seems cold it is because there is an absence of heat.
*Real-World Connection / Lab Notebook Response: What happens as you
walk closer to a campfire or fireplace? Extreme heat moves toward a
cooler place. Do you think the color of an object affects the way that
energy is transferred?
Radiant energy is energy that travels in electromagnetic waves or rays.
Objects that are good absorbers of radiation are good radiators, as well.
Radiation is the primary way that air is heated.
Radiation Examples: Microwavable popcorn, light energy emitted by the
flashlight, fireplace
Elaborate (Inquiry): Demonstration lesson about radiation. Refer to page
4 of the lab notebook throughout the demonstration to connect students to
the scientific method and the lab processes that apply.
The purpose of this demonstration is to show a transfer of heat from the
source (lamp) to the temperature probe (approximately 18 in. away).
Students will contrast the readings of the original probe to the temperature
probe that is located below a source (lamp) that is not radiating heat
(approximately 18 in. away). The teacher will demonstrate how the
readings can be switched between the two most commonly used
temperature scales (Celsius to Fahrenheit) within the LabQuest.
Evaluate: Students will make the connection that light is associated with
heat, resulting with the temperature increase reading from the probe.
Contrast the terms temperature (quantitative measure of heat) and thermal
energy (the moving heat).
One location will have the temp. probe measuring room temperature as
the lamp is turned off (18 in. away). The other temp. probe will record the
increasing temperature from under the heat lamp (18 in. away).
Optional: Teachers could show the temperature increase in temperature
under the document camera.
Pretest and Posttest questions addressed:
#3 Radiation is the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.
#4 Radiation is the transfer of energy in the form of electromagnetic
waves.
#6 Which Vernier LabQuest probe acts as a thermometer? temperature
probe
#9 What is an example of radiation? Campfire
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Day 3 / Experiment (Pages 5-8 in the lab notebook)
Essential Question / I Can Statement: I can construct an experiment that
demonstrates how radiant energy is transferred through electromagnetic
waves.
Explore / Engage: Have the song “The Heat is On” playing as students
enter the classroom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZ9WVBXBvw
Tell them that today they are going to explore one way of changing radiant
energy into thermal energy. Explain to students that on this day “Your job is
to create an experiment to prove which color shirt would be the hottest to
wear to a baseball game on a sunny day in May.”
Explain: Divide the students into groups. Each group should have 5
temperature probes, 5 LabQuests, tape, 5 desk lamps with a bulb and 5
pieces of different colored paper (red, light blue, yellow, black and white).
Give students a moment to analyze the materials provided and to record
them in the lab notebook. Explain to students that after the experiment they
will create a product showing the knowledge that they have gained
throughout the experiment.
Elaborate (Inquiry): Each group creates and records a hypothesis (What
they think will happen) after discussing the purpose of the experiment and
the materials. The teacher will demonstrate how students should fold each
paper in half and tape the sides and one end together to make pouches.
Given the data table, allow students to create their own procedure ( a written
list of the steps). Remind them that the distance from each light source
(lamp) to each pouch must be kept at an equal distance.
Evaluate: After the students have measured the temperatures over five
minute increments, have them draw conclusions from their data collected.
Students will then answer the questions posed on page 8 of the lab
notebook. Was their hypothesis proven or disproved?
Day 4 / Which color best absorbs radiant energy?
Essential Question / I Can Statement: I can evaluate how color affects the
absorption of radiant energy.
Explore / Engage: Have students partner up with someone who was not
their original group mate to discuss their findings from the experiment on
day 3. To wrap up, discuss the results with the students. Did the results
differ from group to group? What conclusions did they come up with?
Explain: When energy hits objects it can be reflected or absorbed. The
absorbed radiant energy can be converted into heat (thermal energy). Dark
colored objects tend to absorb radiant energy. Shiny or light colored objects
tend to reflect radiant energy. Dull objects tend to absorb radiant energy.
Radiant energy can be transferred by the sun or by an artificial source
(lamp).
Elaborate (Inquiry): Collaborate in whole group to discuss your findings.
Evaluate: “The Heat is On!” Rubric (page 9 of the lab notebook) Review the
expectations for the Comic Life Poster Presentation as stated on the rubric.
Pretest and Posttest questions addressed:
#1 Which color best absorbs radiant energy? dull black
#7 Dull black objects are good radiators of heat.
#9 Which color would have the least amount of temperature change after
being heated by a heat source.
Page 7
Day 5 - 7 / Comic Life Poster Presentation
Essential Question / I Can Statement: I can develop a digital poster
project to display how color affects the absorption of radiant energy.
Engage: Review expectations for behavior and project completion.
Explain: With a provided partner, students will create a Comic Life poster to
present the results of the experiment. Laptops are needed (1 for each pair).
By the end of day 7 students will have completed projects for the Gallery
Walk on day 8.
Elaborate: An extension activity for early finishers: Create a Radiant Energy
Catcher by taking a half piece of poster board and gluing aluminum foil to
one side. Roll the poster board into a cone-shape, leaving a two inch
opening at the bottom (similar to a megaphone). These will be used during
the engagement activity on day 8.
Evaluate: Student participation in the creation of the Comic Life Poster.
Day 8 Gallery Walk
Essential Question / I Can Statement: I can appraise the finished projects
of my classmates and compare them to my own.
Engage: Students will go outside with the Radiant Energy Catchers that
they made on day 7. The purpose of this activity is to find the point in the
sky where they can catch the largest amount of radiant energy. Students
will put two fingers through the two inch opening and move the cone
towards the sun until they feel the largest amount of heat.
Explain: Instruct students to turn to page 11 of the lab notebook. Explain
that today they will have the opportunity to participate in a Gallery Walk.
Review expectations for behavior and the completion of the reflection on
page 11.
Elaborate: Students will record how other projects differ from their own on
page 11. They will note interesting findings from the other projects. They will
also reflect on how their experiment could be improved.
Evaluate: After completing the Gallery Walk, students will meet back as
whole group to reflect on their findings. Students will also reflect on how the
experiment from day 3 has helped them to form concrete ideas about how
energy is transferred through radiation.
Day 9 Reflection / Posttest / Extension Activities
Essential Question / I Can Statement: I can explain the effects of
radiation.
Engage: Watch: Radiation and the Sun Video (2 min. 27 sec.)
See Supporting Documents
Explain: Tell students that on this day they will reflect on the completed unit
by filling out page 12 of the lab notebook. Instruct students to get back with
their partner from the Comic Life Poster Project. The students will record the
strengths and struggles of the project, along with questions that they may
have for the future. Students will also rate the project using the Fun-OMeter.
Elaborate: If time, Allow time for students to share their completed lab
books.
Evaluate: Administer the Posttest (approx. 15 mins.)
Page 8
Prior Knowledge Activities: Processing Skills (See Support Documents)
Extensions Activities:
* Make paper thermometers to use for calculations and converting from
Celsius to Fahrenheit and from Fahrenheit to Celsius.
* Use the Labquest and temperature probes to track the increase in
temperature of each color over a period of time (graphing skills / math)
* Students will predict whether food coloring disperses more quickly in hot
water, cold water, or room temperature water, and then carry out a short
activity to explore their predictions. http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/hotand-cold-colors/
* Additional lessons on energy http://classroom.jc-schools.net/sci-units/
energy.htm
Accommodations
for Differentiated
Instruction
Partner and group opportunities, small group facilitation, vocabulary
Keynote / flashcards, technology integration, incorporation of real-world
connections, student choice for design and completion throughout the unit.
Time increments for data collection will be determined by studentsʼ work
pace
Cross-Curricular
Integration
Math: Measuring the increase and decrease of temperature. Noting the
range of the data collected.
ELA: Comic Life Poster Presentation, Lab Notebook Responses
Assessments
• PerformanceBased
• Formative
• Summative
Pretest, Posttest, Lab Notebook, Experiment Teacher Observations, Comic
Life Rubric
Created By
Email
Jennifer Barbee, Greta Compton, Wendy DiStefano
barbeejb@rss.k12.nc.us , comptogm@rss.k12.nc.us,
distefwb@rss.k12.nc.us
Supporting
Documents:
Lab Notebook, Pretest, Posttest, vocabulary Keynote / flashcards, rubric,
Processing Skills document, Radiation Basics Video, Radiation and the Sun
Video
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