Date: April 12, 2000

Grade Level(s): 3

Subject(s):

• Science/Process Skills

Description:

Students are introduced to the concept of temperature. They realize that a thermometer is a more accurate way of measuring temperature than their fingers are. They learn that Celsius is the standard for measuring temperature.

Goals:

NSES: Science as Inquiry; Physical Science; Objects have many observable properties including size, weight, shape, color, and temperature, and the ability to react to other substances. Those properties can be measured using tools such as rulers, balances, and thermometers.

Objectives:

Students will be able to identify the standard unit for measuring temperature, degrees Celsius, and be able to determine why we need a standard unit for measuring temperature.

Materials:

Plastic cups Pitcher of ice water

Procedure:

Scientific Explanation:

What is temperature? The degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment. What is the standard unit of temperature? Degree Celsius. Scientists use Degree Celsius so that they come up with uniform results. No matter where the scientist is from, when he/she is talking about temperature he/she is measuring in Degree Celsius. How does a thermometer works? Alcohol expands when it is heated.

Focus Phase:

Ask the students questions to find out their knowledge about hot and cold.
-What do you think of when you hear the word HOT?
-What do you think of when you hear the word COLD?
-Where would you find something that is HOT? COLD?
-How can you tell when something is HOT? COLD?
Write student responses on the board. Do we all have the same opinions about what is hot and what is cold? Let's find out.

Challenge Phase:

Each group will have three different cups of water, A, B, C.
Cup B contains ice water, while cups A and B contain room temperature water.
The students' objective is to put the cups of water in order from warmest to coldest.
They will be using their fingers as thermometers. Tell the students that everyone gets a chance to stick one finger in each cup.
They should also know that they only stick their fingers in the water once.
Everyone can double-check their answers for their group by sticking a finger from the opposite hand in each cup once.
When all of the students have had a chance to put their cups in order they will record their findings on a chart that will be on the chalkboard.
Then, discuss their answers (most likely there will be different answers A, C, B and C, A, B).
Guide students to the conclusion that we need a more accurate way of measuring temperature.
Concept Introduction: Introduce the thermometer.
Ask, can anyone think of something that we can use to measure temperature more accurately?
Tell the students that we use thermometers to measure temperature.
Ask the students, "Which do you think can read the temperature better, a thermometer or your finger?"
Explain that fingers are not accurate tools for measuring temperature.
Thermometers have colored alcohol that expands if it is heated and just the opposite if it is cooled.
The students will learn that water freezes at 0 Celsius and it boils at 100 Celsius.
Explain to the students that they are scientists because scientists use thermometers with Celsius readings every day.
Provide and explain the worksheets.
Students will now use the thermometer to measure and record the temperatures of cups A, B, and C.
They will find that A and C are the same.
Have the students pour out all of the cups except for B, the ice water.
Have one of the students from each group go and fill cup A. We will pour hot water into cup A for the students.
The class will use the thermometers to measure and record the temperature of the hot water.
They will then make a prediction as to what the temperature will be when they mix the hot water with the cold water.
Next, they will pour cups A and B into cup C, and record the temperature of the mixture.

Concept Application:

Temperature is the amount of heat in an object, temperature is how hot or cold something is.
The students will take what they learn about the temperatures of ice and boiling water and make approximations to the temperature
of common things such as ice cream or hot chocolate.
They should be able to distinguish whether the substance is closer to 0 or 100 degrees Celsius.

Assessment:

The students will: