Lesson Proposal Form – Winter Quarter 2012
Your name: Sonya Lopez
Title of Lesson: It’s getting hot, hot, HOT!
Grade Level: 6th Grade
Subject(s): Earth Science
Time required/planned for: 90 minutes
Summary:
The purpose of this lesson is to demonstrate the three types of heat transfer: radiation,
conduction and convection. The students learn about the types of heat transfer from a takehome worksheet and in-class lab. They complete a heat transfer worksheet before the
lesson that includes pictures of household items that involve 1 or more methods of heat
transfer. The lab includes two demonstrations (done by me) and one performed by the
students in groups. The demonstrations I perform include a wax dot and match
demonstration. The wax dot demonstration highlights how metal and other materials
conduct heat and the match demonstration shows how radiation excites molecules enough
to ignite the match from a distance. Then students break into groups to perform a
convection experiment using hot and cold water placed under a larger water container.
Using color dye they can see how differing water temperatures affect the dye movement.
The learning goals are:
1. Students will be able to distinguish between conduction, convection and radiation.
2. They will be able to identify what type of heat transfer is used for household items.
3. They will be able to explain how heat affects molecules in the air, water and through
materials.
Level of inquiry:
Students will need to drawn on their experience with personal household items to identify
the type of heat transfer is occurring. They justify if 1 or more heat transfer is being used.
For their group experiment, they write a hypothesis based on their prior knowledge with hot
and cold water to determine how the dye will move in their experimental apparatus.
Introduction / Motivation:
Mr. Adamucci and Mrs. Daggett go over the heat transfer presentation they prepare to
supply students with their notes. For homework, they are handed my heat transfer
worksheet that starts with them completing the definition of each heat transfer. Then using
the definitions, they are given 12 pictures to describe which type(s) of heat transfer are
occurring. Since they are familiar with the household products they should be able to
provide clear justification for their choice.
Procedure:
Homework (Attachment #1): Students complete the following worksheet (answers
provided)
Lab (Attachment #2):
1. Read through the laboratory description (Page 1 and 2)
2. Draw the experimental set-up on Page 1 for the Wax and Match demonstrations
3. After the demonstrations the students fill the heat source, direct heat moves and the
type of heat transfer occurring for each demo.
4. Students then break into groups to perform their experiment showing heat
convection (see attachment for procedure)
a. Must read procedure and concisely formulate a hypothesis
b. Follow instructions and create set-up (similar to what’s shown in Results
section).
c. Answer discussion question about molecule movement
d. Readdress hypothesis within the conclusion
Lesson Closure:
We used the discussion question as the lesson closure. Most students needed some
guidance for this section because they understood what happens to hot water (rises) and
cold water (sinks), but did not understand from the perspective of molecules. We openly
discussed how the molecules were excited within the hot section of the container and this
allowed them to move quickly and the red dye dispersed. We also discussed the molecule
movement in the other two demonstrations.
Is this lesson based upon or modified from existing materials? If yes, please
specify source(s) and explain how related:
No.
References:
Power Sleuth, 2009. Energy Heats Maine—Lesson 5 PDF, Main Energy Education Curriculum
Available at: http://www.powersleuth.org/docs/EHM%20Lesson%205%20FT.pdf
Conduction, Convection and Radiation Worksheet. Available at:
http://cyfair3.schoolwires.net/195120511192812467/lib/195120511192812467/_files/CCR_
Practice.pdf
Youtube videos:
Convection (Pie dish lab):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OojnMRWoucE&feature=related
Conduction (wax dot) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UcBRveX_78
Attachments:
1. Heat Transfer worksheet
2. It’s getting hot, hot, HOT lab
3. Classroom PowerPoint presentation
List CA Science Standards addressed:
Heat (Thermal Energy) (Physical Science)—Heat moves in a predictable flow from warmer
objects to cooler objects until all objects are at the same temperature.
As a basis for understanding this concept, students know:
 energy can be carried from one place to another by heat flow, or by waves including
water waves, light and sound, or by moving objects.
 when fuel is consumed, most of the energy released becomes heat energy.
 heat flows in solids by conduction (which involves no flow of matter) and in fluids by
conduction and also by convection (which involves flow of matter).
 heat energy is also transferred between objects by radiation; radiation can travel
through space.
Supplemental questions:
How do the activities of the lesson support the learning goals?
Using the worksheet, extensive discussion and demonstrations the students are overly
exposed to the types of heat transfer that occur.
How will you connect and make this relevant to the students’ lives?
The connection is made when the students are asked to identify the type of heat transfer
that occurs when using their household products. There shouldn’t be guessing because the
students should know if direct contact is involved (conduction), air or fluid is warmed
(convection) or if there is a light source emitting electromagnetic waves (radiation).
How will you foster student-student interactions, and/or student engagement in general?
They will have to work as a group to fill in their experimental results (drawings), and
address whether their original hypothesis was correct.
How will you address different learning styles (auditory, visual, hands-on)?
Visual—drawing the experimental apparatus
Hands-on—performing convection experiement. Unfortunately students cannot handle
matches or candles and are unable to perform the conduction and radiation experiments.
Auditory—instead of performing the match and wax demo they must pay attention to me as
I perform them. Students were encouraged to come closer to the front to observe if they
could not see from their seat.
How do you plan to assess student understanding?
The discussion question was purposely added to address student understanding. They have
to clearly explain molecule movement and how it travels from the heat source in each
demonstration.
**Do you have specific questions or areas for which you would like group feedback?
Name _____________________________
Date ______________Period ____
Heat Transfer Worksheet
Fill in the blanks using the correct form of heat transfer
1. The transfer of heat through material by direct contact is
2.
CONVECTION
CONDUCTION
.
is the transfer of heat in a fluid (gas or liquid) as a result of the movement of the
fluid itself.
3. What kind of heat transfer does the sun use? (hint: it transfers heat via electromagnetic waves through
space).
RADIATION
Identify the method of heat transfer that takes place in each illustration. Some illustrations may show
more than one form of heat transfer.
1
2
3
RADIATION
CONVECTION
CONVECTION
(steam)
CONDUCTION
(iron plate)
4 RADIATION
5 CONVECTION
6 RADIATION
7 RADIATION (coals)
CONVECTION (air)
CONDUCTION
(grill)
8 CONVECTION
(oven)
CONDUCTION
(gloves + pan)
9 CONVECTION
10 RADIATION
(flame)
CONDUCTION
(pan)
11 CONDUCTION
12 CONVECTION
Last Name ______________________
First Name _____________________
Date ________________Period ____
Methods of Heat Transfer—Laboratory
(Conduction, convection, and radiation)
Demonstrations
In the box below, draw a picture of the demonstration. Label the heat source, the direction(s) heat is moving
and describe the type (convection, conduction or radiation) of heat transfer that is taking place.
Match Demonstration
Wax Dot Demonstration
CONDUCTION
RADIATION
RADIATION
HEAT
SOURCE
HEAT
SOURCE
Hot/Cold Lab
QUESTION
What happens when we cold half a container of water and warm the other half? How will the heat current
move? What kind of heat transfer is occurring?
HYPOTHESIS
If we add blue dye above the cold section of the container, then the dye will
____________
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If we add red dye above the hot section of the container, then the dye will
____________
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PROCEDURE
1. Fill the plastic container with room temperature water—about 5 cm deep
2. Place a cup of ice under one side of the container and a cup of hot water under the other
3. Let the water settle (allow time for the cold section to cool and warm section to warm)
4. Use two droppers for the dye colors
– Cold section—Blue dye
– Hot section—Red dye
5. At the same time release 2-3 drops of dye above the correct sections
6. Use words and pictures to describe what you observe
– Where is the cold water (blue dye) moving?
– Where is the hot water (red dye) moving?
7. Clearly state what type of heat transfer this is
RESULTS
In the box below, draw a picture of the set up. Label the heat sources, the direction(s) heat is moving and
describe the type (convection, conduction or radiation) of heat transfer is taking place.
Cold water
Hot Water
CONVECTION
Discussion
What happens to the heat when it leaves the energy source? Explain what happens to the molecules.
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Conclusion
Was your Hypothesis for the plastic container demonstration correct? Explain
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