Unit/Lesson Plan Title: Transfer of Heat: Conduction
Primary Subject
Integrated Subjects
Grade Level(s)
Length of Unit
Research Sources
Physical Science
Math
5
2 weeks
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=186099
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/ice/activities/investigations/melting_race/
www.wordle.net
Elementary Science with Vernier
Unit Summary
This unit works as an introduction to heat and heat transfer with a brief description
and examples of each including conduction, radiation, and convection. The unit
acts as a more in-depth study of heat transfer through conduction while
experimenting with materials that can be used for conduction or insulation. The
final activity is a design-your-own thermos experiment assessing students’
knowledge of conduction and insulation of materials.
Key Vocabulary
Heat
Heat transfer
Convection
Conduction
Radiation
Temperature
Insulation
Thermometer
Conductor
Insulator
NC Essential Standards For 5.P.3 Explain how the properties of some materials change as a results of heating
Science
and cooling.
Commor Core Standards for 5.G.1 Graph points on the coordinate plane to solve real-world and mathematical
Mathematics
problems.
5.OA.3 Analyze patterns and relationships.
5.NBT.7 Perform operations with multi-digit whole numbers and with decimals to
hundredths.
Common Core Standards
5.W.2 Write informative/explanatory text to examine a topic and convey ideas and
for ELA & Literacy
information clearly.
5.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
Essential Questions
Day 1: What is heat? What is cold?
Day 2: How is heat transferred from object to object?
Day 3: How is heat transferred through conduction?
Day 4: Why aren’t insulators good conductors of heat?
Days 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9: What materials are better conductors or insulators?
Materials & Resources
Day 1
food coloring
ABC sheet
300mL of hot water
300mL of cold water
Day 2
“Heat Transfer” Keynote
“Bill Nye the Science Guy: Heat” found at
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=186099
2 metal knives
2 plastic knives
2 tongue depressors
1 stick of butter
6 sugar cubes
Day 3
“Hot Coffee Experiment” document
Metal thermos
Glass cup
Styrofoam cup
Hot coffee
“Blowing Bubbles Experiment” document
Glass bottles
Bubbles solution or liquid dish soap
Balloons
2 large containers
ice water
warm water
Day 4
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/ice/activities/investigations/melting_race/
1 small bowl
Tape
1 ice cube (racing cube)
An insulator for their racing cube, chosen from a variety of materials such as foil,
plastic wrap, felt, styrofoam, newspaper, even containers of water at different
temperatures, etc.
styrofoam ice chest (optional)
Day 5
LabQuest 2 devices
Go!Temp temperature probes (1 per group of 2 to 3 students)
Logger Lite Software (if accessible for teacher use)
“Hold Everything! Comparing Insulators” lab document adapted from the
Elementary Science with Vernier
Masking tape
Sharpie
Styrofoam cup
Tin can
Water
Days 6, 7, 8, and 9 (Including but not required or limited to)
LabQuest 2 devices
Go!Temp temperature probes (1 per group of 2 to 3 students)
Logger Lite Software (if accessible for teacher use)
“Keepin’ it Cool! Design Your Own Thermos” lab document adapted from the
Elementary Science with Vernier
Shoe boxes (1 for each group of 2-3 students)
Plastic or styrofoam cups
Hot cup lids
Aluminum foil
Construction paper
Scissors
Styrofoam peanuts or pieces for insulation
Plastic bubble wrap
Different sized jars with lids (punch holes in the lids with a hammer and nail so the
temperature probe will fit in the “thermos”)
Newspaper
Paper towels
Plastic containers with lids with holes in them
Wax paper
Whatever else you think the students may want or that you have handy (ex. Wool,
scrap fabric, batting, etc.)
Graph paper (to graph data results)
Day 10
Post-assessment
ABC Sheet
Safety Requirements
Some procedures utilize hot water and hot and/or sharp objects. Remind students
to use caution when handling hot or sharp objects.
Activities/Procedures
• Essential Question
• Explore/Engage
• Explain
• Elaborate (Inquiry)
• Evaluate
Day 1
EQ: What is heat? What is cold?
Have students complete a pre-assessment.
Open the lesson with a preassessment activity. Place students in groups of 2 or 3
and give each group an ABC sheet. Write heat energy on the board and have
groups write a related word or phrase for each letter of the alphabet (e.g. A- atom).
Once students are finished, share words and phrases to preassess the students’
prior knowledge.
Set up “Molecule on the Move” Activity. Put 300 mL of hot water in a beaker and
300mL of cold water in another beaker. Squeeze one drop of food coloring into
each beaker. Have students note what they observe. Guide the students to the
following conclusion: heat is the increase in molecule movement of an object. The
food coloring dispersed more quickly in the hot water because the molecules are
moving at a faster rate. Have students brainstorm real-life examples of this
process (e.g. boiling water).
Day 2
EQ: How is heat transferred from object to object?
Set us “Butter Melting.” Have a beaker of hot water and a beaker of cold water on
a front desk. Place 1 pat of butter on one end of each material: 2 metal knives, 2
plastic knives, and 2 tongue depressors. Place 1 sugar cube on top of each pat of
butter. Put 1 metal knife, 1 plastic knife, and 1 tongue depressor in the hot beaker
butter side up. Repeat with the other materials in the cold beaker. Ask the
students to predict what they think will happen to the butter and sugar cubes.
When the butter melts in the hot water, and the sugar cubes fall, guide the
students to the conclusion that the hot water caused the metal knives to heat up,
melting the butter. Explain that this is an example of heat transfer. The heat from
the water transferred to the knife causing the butter to melt. Explain that there are
3 types of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation.
Discuss “Heat Transfer” Keynote to analyze the above demonstration and to
define heat transfer and its types.
Show students part 1 clip of Bill Nye the Science Guy: Heat from the following
website: http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=186099
Have students answer the following question as a lesson exit slip: Define heat
transfer and give 3 creative examples that you have experienced.
Day 3
EQ: How is heat transferred through conduction?
Opening activity: “Hot Coffee”
Inform the students will conduct station investigations all about conduction. Place
students in 3 groups and complete the following stations:
• Activboard- Go to www.wordle.net. Have students use words or phrases
related to heat transfer and conduction to complete a wordle. Tell students
to be prepared to explain why they included the words and phrases.
• Writing Center-Answer one of the following prompts: Write a story about a
paper cup who wants to be a conductor. What are the advantages or
disadvantages of being a conductor? Write about a time that you
experienced conduction.
• Experiment-“Blowing Bubbles” document
Day 4
EQ: Why aren’t conductors good insulators of heat?
Day’s Experiment: “The Great Backwards Ice Cube Melting Race”
Adapted from
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/ice/activities/investigations/melting_race/
Use group projects to asses student learning.
Day 5
EQ: What materials are better conductors or insulators?
Inform the students that today they will be experimenting with the LabQuest and
Vernier temperature probes to determine what materials will be better conductors
and/or insulators. This experiment will be a whole-class lab demonstrating the
proper use and write up to prepare them for their own experimental design
tomorrow.
Divide the class into small groups of 2 or 3 students to work as a team. Distribute
1 labquest and temperature probe to each group. Give each student a copy of the
“Hold Everything! Comparing Insulators” lab adapted from the Elementary Science
with Vernier manual. Guide the students through the lab step-by-step ensuring
proper use of the LabQuest and proper data collection.
(Note: This lab is to be used as a demonstration for students before allowing them
to create their own inquiry-based labs the following day.)
Days 6 and 7
EQ: What materials are better conductors or insulators?
Inform the students that they will use their knowledge of conductors and insulators
to create their own experiment. Remind the students that they will be using the
LabQuest2 and temperature probes from the day before and to work step-by-step
to ensure data collection accuracy. Divide students into the same groups as the
prior day and distribute “Keepin’ It Cool! Design Your Own Thermos” lab adapted
from the Elementary Science with Vernier manual. Provide support when needed
but allow students to inquire and explore independently.
Direct students to “Analyze Your Data” question 6. Students will have the
opportunity to recreate this experiment the next day using different materials. This
will allow students to analyze their experiment from today noting positives and
negatives and increase inquiry based on experimental research.
Days 8 and 9 (If time allows)
EQ: What materials are better conductors or insulators?
Inform students that today will be an extension of their learning from the previous
day. Using results gathered from experimentation, have students recreate a
thermos designed to insulate better than the prior thermos. Distribute a new copy
of “Keeping It Cool! Design your Own Thermos” lab and place students in same
groups. Provide same materials from the day before and any additional materials
from the students. Again, provide support when needed but allow students to
inquire and explore independently. Inform students that as they work, they should
prepare a presentation to communicate their results to their classmates during the
next lesson.
Once students have completed the lab, direct students to use the data collected
from days 6 through 9 to create a double bar graph or double line plot to compare
and contrast their results. This data will be used as experimental evidence during
their presentations.
Day 10
EQ: What materials are better conductors or insulators?
Administer post-assessment.
Place students in groups of 2 or 3 and give each group an ABC sheet. Write heat
energy on the board and have groups write a related word or phrase for each
letter of the alphabet (e.g. A- atom). Once students are finished, share words and
phrases to assess how their knowledge of heat and transfer has changed since
day 1.
Allow groups to communicate their results to find what materials created the best
insulators and conductors of heat.
Accommodations for
Differentiated Instruction
Cross-Curricular
Integration
Created by
Email
Supporting Documents
Students will be read aloud the pre- and post-assessments if needed.
Students will work in collaborative groups so that each student can equally
contribute and support is given.
• Lab groups will be kept small so that everyone has a chance to
participate.
• Extension activities are provided for student groups who complete
activities early and need a challenge to keep them engaged.
• Writing prompt choices are given for student preference.
• All procedural directions are provided in a written format and can be
delivered orally if needed.
Math-Students will create a line graph and a double bar graph based off of data
collected from experiment. Students will also calculate and solve problems with
decimals to the hundredths place.
•
•
Writing-Students will have the choice of self selecting a writing prompt. Prompt
selections include both imaginative and expository.
Jennifer Eagle eaglejl@rss.k12.nc.us
Leslie Hunsucker lhunsucker@northhillschristian.com
Brittney Wagner bwagner@salisburyacademy.org
Preassessment, ABC Sheet, Hot Coffee Experiment, Dancing Penny Experiment,
The Great Backwards Ice Cube Melting Race, Adapted “Hold Everything!
Comparing Insulators” lab, Adapted “Keepin’ it Cool! Design Your Own Thermos”
lab