Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 130001
Heat Transfers: Conduction, Convection, Radiation
In this lesson, students will be able to differentiate among conduction, convection, and radiation by modeling each type of heat transfer in a
laboratory setting. Students will identify each heat transfer according to its characteristics.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 6
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter,
Internet Connection, Interactive Whiteboard, LCD
Projector, Overhead Projector, Speakers/Headphones
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s) 30 Minute(s)
Keywords: convection, conduction, radiation, heat transfer, heat
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Earth Systems
ATTACHMENTS
CERWorksheetandSample.docx
HeatTransferLabActivityandKey.docx
ObservationChart.docx
LabSafetyProcedures.docx
CheckListHeatTransferPoster.docx
Summative Assessment Student Sample.JPG
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
The students will be able to explain the differences between conduction, convection, and radiation.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
1. Heat flows from warmer objects to cooler objects.
2. Heat flow may cause a change in temperature.
These were taught using the following benchmark: SC.4.P.11.1. Students should recognize that heat flows from a hot object to a cold object and that heat flow may
cause materials to change temperature.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
Guiding questions should be posted on the board prior to commencement of lesson. With the objective in mind, ask the students the following questions. These
questions should be addressed throughout the lesson. A variety of answers are appropriate for each question; sample answers have been included below:
How does heat transfer by conduction?
Heat transfers by conduction through solids when a warmer object has direct contact with a cooler object.
How does air or water flow during the process of convection?
page 1 of 4 Cold air or water sinks and hot air or water rises. The water than sank is then warmed and rises, while the water that rose is cooled and sinks. This rising and
sinking is what causes convection.
How is radiation transferred?
Radiation is transferred through electromagnetic waves. There is no direct contact.
How are the heat transfers different from each other?
In radiation, heat is transferred via electromagnetic waves, during conduction, heat is transferred from a warm object to a cooler object, and during convection, hot
air rises and cool air sinks.
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
1. The teacher will elicit prior knowledge through questions during a class discussion. This discussion should occur before performing the experiments.
The teacher will review the following questions by choosing a student to answer each question. This should lead to a discussion with the whole class.
How is heat transferred?
Heat is transferred from warmer objects to cooler objects.
What affects temperature?
Heat flow may cause a change in temperature.
2. Show the Study Jams video "Energy Light & Sound: Heat."
Equipment needed for video: LCD projector, laptop, speaker.
Students will take notes in their science notebooks or on a sheet of paper.
Notes should be organized in a three column chart with the headings Questions/Definition/Example
The teacher should pause the video after the discussion of each important concept. The teacher should take this time to address what is happening and to give
students time to write questions that they have, the definition, and examples of important concepts discussed during that segment of the video.
After the video, teacher will have a class discussion. Sample questions below:
What are the three methods of heat transfer?
Conduction, convection, and radiation
What is temperature?
Temperature is a measurement of heat.
What is radiation?
Radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves which move through space.
What is conduction?
Conduction is the process of heat transfer from a hot object to another by direct contact.
What is convection?
Convection is the transfer of heat through liquid or gas.
3. The teacher should close the discussion by telling the students they will be using this information for a lab activity.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
1. Before beginning activities, the teacher will:
Arrange students into groups of 3-4 students. The article "Instructional Grouping in the Classroom" by Beatrice A. Ward may assist with choosing a strategy.
Set up lab stations. Each station will have all of the materials needed for each activity. The teacher should organize and prepare the materials before each class
period.
Activity 1: ice cubes, food coloring, 1000 ml beaker, water, and hot plate
Activity 2: hot plate, 1 piece of aluminum foil, shredded candle wax
Activity 3: lamp, paper plate, chocolate, and marshmallow
Another option would be to set up the 3 activities separately twice on two sides of the room and have students rotate through them.
2. The teacher will model lab safety procedures. A suggested list is attached.
Required safety equipment for this lab: apron, goggles, and heat resistant gloves.
To assess if students understand the safety procedures, the teacher will walk the room during the activity and ask the following questions:
"What should you do if the hot plate quits working?"
Expected answer: Immediately notify the teacher.
"What is the proper way for handling a hot beaker?"
Expected answer: Use heat resistant gloves to move it, but only if instructed to do so by the teacher.
3. The teacher will model and review instructions for all three activities. Students will begin the activity after the teacher has ascertained that all students understand
the procedures and there are no further questions.
4. The teacher will instruct students in the completion of the Heat Transfer Lab activity. The teacher will provide a copy of the attached Observation Chart for each
activity for students to use. Students will use this chart to document their observations. This chart may be attached in their science journal/notebook. Lab directions
are included in the attached lab activity document.
5. Students should have their journals and Observation Charts to record their observations as they complete each activity.
6. The teacher will be walking around to assist any students and to make sure all students are participating and on task. Ask questions while you're walking around to
monitor groups. For example, "What do you think is going to happen once the colored water is put inside the beaker?" Expected answer: The colored water will sink.
The teacher will give feedback verbally as he/she is walking around the classroom. Example of verbal feedback:
"Great job on measuring the water."
"Good handling of equipment."
"Great details on observations."
7. After the lab activities are completed,
Students will turn in their journals which will be reviewed for observation accuracy. Teacher feedback will then be written in their journals. Examples of feedback:
page 2 of 4 "You are very observant to note that the cold water went to the bottom of the beaker."
"The hot water does rise to the top of the beaker, good job."
"Yes, eventually all the water mixes when the temperature evens out throughout."
Students will answer questions on post-lab activity questions at the end of the Heat Transfer Lab activity worksheet. Students will complete the post lab questions
independently, not as a group. An answer key is included on the last page of the document.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
Students are instructed to make a poster of a real life natural occurrence that represents all three heat transfers, convection, conduction and radiation.
The following are required on the poster. A check list is provided to help guide students.
Drawn illustration of a real-life occurrence that represents all three types of heat transfer.
Label the illustration to indicate where convection, conduction, and radiation each occur.
Indicate the initial heat source.
Draw arrows to show the direction in which the heat moves.
Write an explanation about why your example was chosen.
Students will present their posters to the class.
A sample of a completed student poster showing a volcano is attached. The following statements would explain the three forms of heat transfer shown in the picture
Convection: air near the magma is heated and rises, while the cooler air sinks.
Conduction: The heat from the magma is conducted through the cooler rocks.
Radiation: the heat from the volcano can be felt by an observer standing far away from the actual eruption.
In order to differentiate instruction, the teacher may provide the real-life examples such as a melting iceberg as it travels through warmer water, the water cycle, a
hiker sitting on a rock on hot summer day, or a hurricane forming above the warm ocean.
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
As a group, students will complete a CER (Claim/Evidence/Reasoning). The attached CER Worksheet and Sample can be used to guide students as to how to complete
a CER.
Claim: Make a claim based on what you learned in the experiment you performed today.
Evidence: Support your claim using evidence you collected in your experiment.
Reasoning: Use science concepts to provide reasoning for why the evidence you presented supports the claim.
Summative Assessment
Students will make a poster of a real-life natural occurrence that represents all three heat transfers: convection, conduction, and radiation. See the Independent
Practice section.
Formative Assessment
At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher will ask questions to solicit prior knowledge. Some questions to solicit prior knowledge are:
What is heat?
Heat is thermal energy that is in transit.
How is heat transferred?
Heat is transferred from warmer objects to cooler objects.
After students watch the Study Jams video, "Heat," they will complete the "Test Yourself" activity on the website.
During the lab, ask students the following questions:
What happens to the water filled-beaker as it sits on the hot plate over time?
Possible answer: The water at the bottom of the beaker starts to get hot. This water then begins to rise to the top of the beaker.
What is heating up the water?
Possible answer: The hot plate is heating up the water. Heat from the hot plate is transferred to the water.
What does the colored water represent?
Possible answer: The colored water represents cold water.
What does the light bulb represent?
Possible answer:The light bulb represents heat from the Sun.
What starts to happen to the chocolate and marshmallow as heat from the light hits it?
Possible answer:The chocolate and marshmallow start to get soft and eventually melts.
To assess if students understand lab safety procedures, the teacher will engage students with questions. See Guided Practice.
During the lesson, students will be writing down their observations and results on their individual journals.
Students will complete the lab activity questions on the third page of the Heat Transfer Lab Activity.
Feedback to Students
1. Students will receive feedback on their observations during the Heat Transfer Lab Activity.
Observations could include:
As the aluminium foil is heated, the pieces of wax begin to melt.
As the colored water is placed inside the clear boiling water, it will settles on the bottom of the beaker. As time passes, the colored water starts to mix in with
the rest of the water
After a few minutes, the chocolate begins to melt and the marshmallow starts to soften.
Example of feedback:
"What you are describing is convection, conduction or radiation of heat."
2. Students will turn in their journals which will be reviewed for observation accuracy. Teacher feedback will then be written in their journals. See the Guided Practice
section.
3. If students do not seem to understand what they are observing as they are doing the heat transfer activities, the teacher should direct them back to their notes from
page 3 of 4 the video.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Students with special needs (ESE, ELL) will draw their observation and results.
Directions will be repeated to ensure students understood.
One-on-one assistance with the lab activities will be provided if needed.
Students will also be allotted additional time.
ELL students will be provided a Heritage dictionary.
Students will be paired with other students to assist with activity. Low academic be paired with middle/high performing students.
Extensions:
A possible extension to this lesson would be for the students to research the heat transfer that occurs in geothermal vents.
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, Interactive Whiteboard, LCD Projector, Overhead Projector, Speakers/Headphones
Special Materials Needed:
Materials per group include:
100 ml beaker
Three ice cubes
blue food coloring
pitcher of water
1 small sheet of aluminum foil
1 candle
penny
hot plate
paper plate
portable lamp
piece of chocolate and marshmallow
dictionary
Further Recommendations:
The teacher should organize students in groups of three to four students.
Material should be sorted and organized for each table for every group prior to the lab.
As students are performing the lab, the teacher is encouraged to walk around and make observations and ask questions to assess understanding.
Additional Information/Instructions
By Author/Submitter
This lesson takes about 1.5 hours. You could either complete it during a longer block period or over two shorter class periods.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: jenny Gonzalez
Name of Author/Source: jenny Gonzalez
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Miami-Dade
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
SC.6.E.7.1:
Description
Differentiate among radiation, conduction, and convection, the three mechanisms by which heat is transferred through
Earth's system.
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