MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

Which is the best activity to help keep a home cool in the summer?

a. Open the refrigerator often.

b. Turn off the television, radios, and computers.

c. Open the windows during the day.

d. Close the shades where the sun is shining.

Correct Answer: d

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

Which of the following is an example of heat conduction?

a. An air vent from a furnace sending hot air into the house.

b. A metal cup heating up when hot water is poured into it.

c. The sun melting the ice formed on a frosty lawn.

d. Cool air sinking to the ground on a cold night.

Correct Answer: b

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

By what process does heat energy travel from the sun to the earth?

a. Heat is radiated through space.

b. Heat is conducted through air molecules.

c. Convection of heat through air currents.

d. Heat travels through the wind.

Correct Answer: a

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

What happens to the light particles when light hits an uneven surface?

a. They are reflected off in a straight line.

b. They are scattered in many directions.

c. They are absorbed by the surface.

d. They pass through the surface.

Correct Answer: b

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

What happens to light when it passes through a translucent material such as waxed paper? Most of the light

a. passes through

b. is reflected in a straight line

c. is absorbed and very little is reflected

d. is not allowed to pass through

Correct Answer: a

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

In a room in the wintertime, where would you find the warmest air?

a. near the ceiling

b. near the floor

c. in the corners

d. by a window

Correct Answer: a

MC	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

What makes a hot air balloon rise? The particles of air in the balloon

a. decrease in size and make the balloon lighter than air.

b. increase in size and make the balloon lighter than air.

c. are farther apart and make the balloon lighter than air.

d. are closer together and make the balloon lighter than air.

Correct Answer: c

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

Jason and Shaun were having an argument about science. Jason says that science is only important if you want to be a scientist. He argues that we will never use the things we are learning in science class, especially what we have just learned about heat and how it moves.

Help Shaun out; defend the idea that we all use science in our daily lives.

List at least 5 examples of how science is important in your life. Make sure that at least 3 of them have to do with conduction, convection, or radiation and how they benefit your life.

Possible Answers:

Give 1 point for any reasonable response.

1. Saving money by effectively heating your house using convected heat or radiant heat.
2. Being able to cook outdoors using radiant heat over a fire or with a dutch oven, which uses conduction.
3. Using a stove or oven properly for best cooking results, which can use conduction and convection.
4. Knowing how to keep food warm at a ball game or picnic, which involves stopping the movement of heat with an insulator.
5. Knowledge of radiant heat from the sun, and how to protect your self from its rays.
6. Accept two other responses, which defend science, but are not necessarily related to heat.

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

What are three ways heat travels?

Correct Answer:

Radiation, conduction, convection

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

Amber bought a coat with goose down insulation to keep her warm in the winter in Utah. Explain why a coat filled with goose down is a good choice to keep her warm.

Correct Answer:

Goose down is fluffy insulation with many pockets of dead air space. The warmth given off by the body will be trapped in these spaces and will keep her warm.

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

Nate was stirring hot soup on the stove. Why should he use a wooden spoon instead of a metal spoon?

Correct Answer:

Metal conducts heat very well and wood does not conduct heat very well. The heat in the soup will be conducted to the metal spoon and make it too hot to touch, but would not make the wooden spoon too hot.

E	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

List and explain at least five examples of how your knowledge of heat energy helps you understand the world around you. Two examples must include technology.

Possible Answer:

Heat always travels from where there is more of it to where there is less of it so when I touch something very hot, the energy will move into me and I will get burnt.

I know that heat energy can travel by convection and radiation as well as conduction so I donÕt need to touch a campfire to get warm.

I know that when heat energy is added to liquids and gases, the molecules move faster and farther apart, and the substance becomes less dense and rises. So I know how a hot air balloon works.

I know that some matter lets heat energy pass through it easily (conductors) and some matter slows down the movement of heat (insulators). Therefore, I know the advantage of using a wooden spoon when cooking. I also know why the walls of my house are insulated and its windows are insulated.

I know that still air can be a good insulator so I understand why the birds at my winter feeder fluff out their feathers on cold winter mornings.

P	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

Keeping Cool

Activity Description:

Students will compare the temperatures of soda pop cans filled with water when they are placed in various insulation materials

Materials:

Per group of four students:

        4 empty soda pop cans

        4 32 oz. "big gulp" paper cups

        assorted insulation materials: shredded newspaper, quilt batting, Styrofoam

        packing "peanuts,"  home insulation, etc.

        4 thermometers, calibrated identically

For class:

        ice water to fill cans for entire class

        pitchers

        funnels

        worksheets (see below)

Prior to Assessment:

Students need to know how to conduct a controlled experiment.  They should be able to read thermometers and organize data in a table.

Time Needed:

1-2 class 45-minute class periods

Procedure:

1.  Students are directed to conduct a controlled experiment to investigate which kind of insulation keeps the ice water coolest. 

2.  In the experiment students place empty soda pop cans in the large paper cups.  They place three different kinds of insulation around three of the soda pop cans. 

3.  They should use one soda pop can as a control for the experiment, and no insulation should be placed around it.  Students pour cold ice water into each can.

4.   Thermometers are placed in the cans, and students measure and record the temperature of the ice water every minute for ten minutes.  Students should create a method for recording their temperatures.  The teacher may choose to give students guidance in some areas of the assessment.  For example, the data table below could be given to the students.

Teachers may want to use a worksheet for students to complete their work.

Scoring Guide:

1 point:   Attempt to conduct a controlled experiment

2 points:  Completes some aspects of the controlled experiment

3 points:  Completes most aspects of the controlled experiment

4 points:  Successfully completes nearly all aspects of the controlled experiment

AN EXPERIMENT WITH INSULATION

Name ________________________________ Date ______________            

Keeping Cool

Introduction: 

In this activity you will see how different materials help keep a cup of cold water the coldest.  After your teacher has explained what materials you will use, make a prediction which one will work best to insulate the cup.

Prediction:

Procedure:

1.  Place the insulating materials in the paper cup and then place the aluminum can inside them.

2.  Carefully pour cold water into the can and then place a thermometer in the can.

3.  Record the temperatures every other minute for 20 minutes.  Write the temperatures in the data table.

4.  Clean up as directed.

Data: Insulating Material

Minute

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Questions:

1.  What is the experimental variable in the experiment?

2.  What are some of the controlled variables in the experiment?

3.  What materials insulated the best? Worst?

Conclusion:

Write a conclusion about what you have learned in the experiment.

P	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

Teacher materials:

Data worksheet for each student

Seven identical bottles wrapped in different materials

1-Control-No wrapping

2-Carpet

3-Rubber

4-House insulation

5-Cotton bat

6-Tin foil

7-Foam

Procedure:

1. Have the students write a hypothesis about which bottle will keep the water the warmest.

2. Fill each bottle with hot water. Insert a thermometer into each bottle and seal their tops with clay.

3. The students will rotate from bottle to bottle recording the temperature every 6 to 7 minutes.

They will take data for approximately 40 minutes.

4. Have them compute the temperature change of each bottle and write an appropriate conclusion.

Scoring Guide:

5	3	1
The data appears complete, consistent and accurate.	Some data is missing, but the data appears accurate.	Most data is missing or seems inconsistent with the rest of the class.
The hypothesis and conclusion show careful thought and preparation. The hypothesis is written correctly and the conclusion matches the hypotheses.	The hypothesis is correct, but the conclusion does not match the hypothesis.	The hypothesis and or conclusion are missing or poorly written.

Total Points earned _____

Which Insulator Works Best?

Time	Bottle 1	Bottle 2	Bottle 3	Bottle 4	Bottle 5	Bottle 6	Bottle 7
	Control	Carpet	Rubber	Insulation	Cotton bat	Canvas	Tin foil
Difference in temperature

Hypothesis:

Conclusion:

P	6^th Grade	Standard: 06
Objective: 01. Investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation.
ILO:

Michael wanted to investigate the effect of color on light absorption. He painted one soda can white and another one black. He then filled each can with room temperature water, placed a thermometer in each, and set them both outside in a sunny location. He recorded the water temperature in each can every five minutes for 30 minutes. Here is a copy of his data sheet.

	Water temperature in degrees Celsius
Time	White Can	Black Can
0 minutes	20	20
5 minutes	21	22
10 minutes	22	24
15 minutes	24	26
20 minutes	26	28
25 minutes	27	31
30 minutes	29	34

1. Use MichaelÕs data to create a double line graph. Be sure to include title, scale and label the x and y-axis, and provide a key.

2. What conclusions would you make from this data and its graph?

3. What could Michael change to improve his experimental design?

Correct Answers:

1. Possible graph: