Grade: 3
Lab #: 3, Heat Energy
(revised 7/20/2014)
Materials:
Materials
Station
Source *
Amounts
Rubbing Alcohol
1
Lab Kit
2 bottles/class
Food coloring
1&2
Lab Kit
2 sets/class
Empty 8 oz. Water Bottles
1
Parent Donation
3 bottles/class
Clear Drinking Straws
1
Lab Kit
3/class
Modeling Clay
1
Lab Kit
Electric Kettle
1&3
Lab Kit
2
Electric Burner
2
Lab Kit
1
Saucepan
2
Lab Kit
1
Instant Cocoa
2
Parent Donation
12 envelopes/class
Styrofoam Cups
2
Parent Donation
1/student
Metal Serving Spoon
2
Lab Kit
1
Wooden Spoon
2
Lab Kit
1
Plastic Serving Spoon
2
Lab Kit
1
Ladle
2
Lab Kit (need to purchase)
1
Balloons
3
Lab Kit
4/class
Deep Plastic Container
3
Lab Kit
2
Plastic 1L sized bottle
3
Lab Kit
Cooler & Ice
3
Parent Volunteer to bring
I gallon size bag of ice
Water
3
Use jugs in lab & fill in building
4 gallons/class
Marshmallows
2
Parent Donation
1 bag/class
*Some of the items marked as Parent Donation may be available from the prior year. Check the lab kit
before asking parents to donate the items.
Talking Points:
Heat is a form of energy. The heat energy of a substance is determined by how active its atoms and
molecules are. A hot object is one whose atoms and molecules are excited and show rapid movement. A
cooler object’s molecules and atoms will be less excited and show less movement. When these molecules
are in the excited state, they take up a lot of space because they’re moving around so fast. When the atoms
and molecules settle down, or cool, they take up less space.
Set up in lab prior to classes arriving:
 Make copies of Lab Report forms. Roughly 25 per class OR enough for 1
per student.

Fill Jugs with water and cooler with ice from cafeteria
Job(s) for volunteers on the day of the lab:
 Set up lab based on instructions listed below.
 Teachers are responsible for introducing and leading the lab with parent
volunteers assisting with the activities at each station.
 Clean up lab.
Grade: 3
Lab #: 3, Heat Energy
(revised 7/20/2014)
Station 1: Making a thermometer
Students will learn to make a thermometer and understand the basic premise on which thermometers work.
Set Up:
1. Have electric kettle filled with water and heating before students arrive. It takes about 6 min to get
water hot.
2. Have a jug of room temp water available to fill water bottle/thermometer.
3. Have alcohol, funnel and food color ready.
4. Pre-fit straws with modeling clay so that the stray does not go all the way to the bottom of the
bottle. Do this ahead of time for all three bottles so they are ready to attach.
Lab Steps:
1. Pour equal parts of tap water & rubbing alcohol into the water bottle, filling it about 1/8-1/4 full (use
the funnel so you don’t spill).
2. Add 3-4 drops of food coloring to liquid in the bottle.
3. Put the straw in the bottle, but don't let the straw touch the bottom. Use the modeling clay to seal the
neck of the bottle, so that the straw stays in place and no air gets in the bottle except through the end
of the straw.
4. Pour hot water from the kettle into the big plastic container. Put the bottle into the container and see
what happens.
5. The students should observe that the liquid moves up the straw.
6. Use a new water bottle for each student rotation.
Explain:
The liquid moved up the straw because it expanded when it was warmed. If the bottle got really hot,
the liquid would have come through the top of the straw. A real thermometer is carefully calibrated
for temperature changes and uses mercury rather than water.
Grade: 3
Lab #: 3, Heat Energy
(revised 7/20/2014)
Station 2: Conduction & Convection
Students will learn what types of materials “conduct” heat and how heat travels in liquids and gases
(“convection”) and have a little treat to quench their thirst.
Set Up:
1. Heat up the water and premix the hot chocolate so that it is all mixed and heated when the students
arrive (add 12 envelopes of cocoa and ½ gallon of water to the pot). Make more hot chocolate as
needed but remember to give small samples (two ladles full – about 1/3 of the cup). Use a ladle to
scoop the hot cocoa.
2. Use the water heating in the kettle (share with station 1) to fill the beaker.
3. Have a jug of water available to fill beakers between rotations.
4. Have ice cubes (from cafeteria or home fill gallon size bag of ice for all experiments).
Lab Steps 2a:
1. Place all three spoons (metal, wood & plastic) in the container of hot water not the hot chocolate
container. Keep hot chocolate separate to keep it sanitary.
2. Have each student line up and touch the handles of the spoons.
3. Compare the temperatures of each spoon and ask students which spoon is warmer.
Explain:
The metal spoon is warmer because it is a better conductor of heat. Metal conducts or transfers heat
easier than wood or plastic because the molecules are closer together in metal. That is why the metal
spoon feels warmer. The wooden spoon is the coolest because it is difficult for the heat to travel
across the wood fibers. They act like bridges that the heat must cross.
Lab Steps 2b:
1. Fill the glass beaker labeled “hot” with the water from the kettle.
2. Put tap water in the second beaker and add several ice cubes so that the water is cold.
3. Place a few drop of red food coloring in the cold water and watch how it moves. Notice that the dye
does not move very quickly in the cool water.
4. Place a few drops of red food coloring in the warm beaker and watch how it moves. Notice how the
food coloring in this beaker quickly mixes to a more uniform color.
5. You can repeat this experiment in both beakers without dumping the liquid using blue food coloring
and may be able to see the blue move through the red.
Explain:
Warm water has active molecules which move around. Cold water contracts and falls. The method by
which heat travels in liquids and gases is called “convection”.
Grade: 3
Lab #: 3, Heat Energy
(revised 7/20/2014)
Station 3: Temp changes
Students will learn how heat and cold affect volume.
Set Up:
1. Have hot water and iced water prepared in large plastic containers.
2. Have electric kettle or hot pot with warm water plugged in. After you fill the plastic container the
first time, refill the kettle to heat up for the next rotation. For each rotation you will need to replenish
the hot water in the tub.
3. Blow up balloon to stretch it out.
Lab Steps:
1. Place the neck of the balloon over the opening of the liter bottle.
2. Move the bottle back & forth between the cold water and hot water tubs.
3. Have the students observe what happens to the balloon.
Explain:
Heat is a form of energy. The heat energy of a substance is determined by how active its atoms and
molecules are. A hot object is one whose atoms and molecules are excited and show rapid movement. A
cooler object's molecules and atoms will be less excited and show less movement. When these guys are in
the excited state, they take up a lot of space because they're moving around so fast.
In this case, the air inside the bottle is heated and it expands filling the balloon. When it is cooled, the air
contracts and takes up less space so the balloon deflates.
Science Lab Report Form
CWES Science Lab: Heat Energy
Station 1
Name:
Date:
Question: (Problem Statement)
How does a thermometer work?
Hypothesis: (A guess to be tested)
Record Your Observations:
1.
Why did the liquid move up and down the straw on the thermometer you built?
_________
2.
What other observations did you make?
Conclusion: (Revisit the hypothesis. Support your conclusion with your findings.)
The hypothesis is correct/incorrect because in the experiment…
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
CWES Science Lab: Heat Energy
Station Two
Name:
Date:
Question: (Problem Statement)
Which spoon do you think will be the hottest and why?
Hypothesis: (A guess to be tested)
Conclusion: (Revisit the hypothesis. Support your conclusion with your findings.)
The hypothesis is correct/incorrect because in the experiment…
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Record Your Observations:
1.
What happened when food coloring was added to the hot water? Why?
2.
What happened when food coloring was added to the cold water? Why?
3.
What is the term that refers to the transfer of heat? Conduction or convection?
4. What is the term that refers to the method by which heat travels? Conduction or Convection?
CWES Science Lab: Heat Energy
Station Three
Name:
Date:
Question: (Problem Statement)
How does temperature affect volume?
Hypothesis: (A guess to be tested)
____________
Record Your Observations:
1. Did the hot water cause the balloon to inflate or deflate?
_______________
2. Did the ice water cause the balloon to inflate or deflate?
_______________
Conclusion: (Revisit the hypothesis. Support your conclusion with your findings.)
The hypothesis is correct/incorrect because in the experiment…
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________