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Insulation
Information

Subjects

Mathematics
--Measurement
Health
--Safety
Science
--Physical Science

Grade

K-2
3-5
6-8

Brief Description

Students conduct an experiment to determine which material is the best insulator.

Objectives

Students will

  • wrap thermometers in swatches of various materials;
  • place the thermometers in ice;
  • compare the temperatures on the thermometers after 10 minutes;
  • graph the results.

Keywords

temperature, cold, thermometer, wind chill, insulation

Materials Needed

  • four identical thermometers
  • three swatches of different types of fabric
  • four paper cups
  • a cooler partially filled with ice
  • a copy of the wind-chill teaching master for each student (optional)

Lesson Plan

What kinds of clothing best protect people from the cold? Try this experiment to find out: Find four thermometers. They should all be the same kind and each should record the same temperature at the start of the experiment.

Wrap three of the thermometers in a swatch of material. Each swatch should be a different material. For example, you might wrap one thermometer in cotton, one in wool, and one in polyester. Do not wrap the fourth thermometer. Place each thermometer in a paper cup and then place all four cups in a cooler partially filled with ice. Wait ten minutes, and then remove the cups from the cooler. What is the temperature on each thermometer? Record the results.

If desired, repeat the experiment with swatches of different material (for example, fur, nylon, down, felt, denim, corduroy). Use the information to create a graph showing which materials are the best insulators.

Extension Activity: Encourage students to practice reading a simple wind chill table using the Teaching Master provided.

Assessment

Assess students based on their participation in the activity and their answers to the questions on the wind-chill teaching master.
Teaching Master Answer Key: 1). t; 2). f; 3). t; 4). t; 5). f; 6). 15 degrees; 7). -9 degrees; 8). 40 mph; 9). 25 degrees.
Think About It! The 10 degree day with a 10 mph wind is colder (-4 degrees) than a 20 degree day with 20 mph winds (+4 degrees).

Lesson Plan Source

EducationWorld.com

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

MATHEMATICS: Number and Operations
GRADES Pre-K - 2
NM-NUM.PK-2.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.PK-2.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-NUM.3-5.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.3-5.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-NUM.6-8.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.6-8.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another

MATHEMATICS: Measurement
GRADES Pre-K - 2
NM-MEA.PK-2.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
NM-MEA.PK-2.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-MEA.3-5.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
NM-MEA.3-5.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-MEA.6-8.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
NM-MEA.6-8.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements

MATHEMATICS: Data Analysis and Probability
GRADES Pre-K - 2
NM-DATA.PK-2.1 Formulate Questions That Can Be Addressed With Data and Collect, Organize, and Display Relevant Data to Answer
NM-DATA.PK-2.2 Select and Use Appropriate Statistical Methods to Analyze Data
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-DATA.3-5.1 Formulate Questions That Can Be Addressed With Data and Collect, Organize, and Display Relevant Data to Answer
NM-DATA.3-5.2 Select and Use Appropriate Statistical Methods to Analyze Data
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-DATA.6-8.1 Formulate Questions That Can Be Addressed With Data and Collect, Organize, and Display Relevant Data to Answer
NM-DATA.6-8.2 Select and Use Appropriate Statistical Methods to Analyze Data

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH: Health
GRADES K - 4
NPH-H.K-4.1 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
NPH-H.K-4.2 Health Information, Products and Services
NPH-H.K-4.3 Reducing Health Risks
NPH-H.K-4.4 Health Influences
NPH-H.K-4.6 Setting Goals for Good Health
GRADES 5 - 8
NPH-H.5-8.1 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
NPH-H.5-8.2 Health Information, Products and Services
NPH-H.5-8.3 Reducing Health Risks
NPH-H.5-8.4 Health Influences
NPH-H.5-8.6 Setting Goals for Good Health

SCIENCE
GRADES K - 4
NS.K-4.1 Science as Inquiry
NS.K-4.2 Physical Science
GRADES 5 - 8
NS.5-8.1 Science as Inquiry
NS.5-8.2 Physical Science

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    08/30/2010



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