Set-up Directions:
Teacher should have all materials (two Celsius thermometers, a package of modeling clay, two one quart bowls, cotton gauze, vegetable shortening, two quarts of water, a tray of ice cubes, stop watch, and rubber glove) arranged in a central location to allow students to view the experiment. Water and ice should be combined in two bowls. Celsius thermometers should be used to record temperature of ice water. Towels should be available in case of spillage.
Teacher Presentation & Motivation:
The teacher will read the book, Nature's Children: Polar Bears, and then lead a discussion on the adaptations needed to survive in an arctic environment. Ask the following questions: If you were to travel to an arctic environment, what would you take with you? How do you think a polar bear’s fat helps to keep it warm? The teacher should review the vocabulary words: blubber, insulation, and conduction. Teacher should present daily challenge question and have students predict answers to the question.
Activity 1 - Ice Water Experiment
Students will record the temperature of the ice water in each bowl. Student volunteers will then test the various insulators provided by the teacher by following these procedures.
First, test the cotton gauze by wrapping the bulb end of one room temperature Celsius thermometer in gauze and secure the top of the gauze with rubber band. Gauze should not cover the minimum temperature of the ice water. Students must be able to view the temperature decrease when the thermometer is lowered into the ice water. Have one student with a stopwatch start the stopwatch as soon as a second student lowers the gauze covered thermometer into the ice water. Students should record on notebook paper the time it takes for the temperature to decrease from your room temperature to the temperature of your ice water. Remove gauze covered thermometer from ice water. Remove gauze and allow thermometer to return to room temperature.
Take the second Celsius thermometer which should be at room temperature and place a ball of modeling clay around the bulb of the thermometer. Have a student volunteer time how long it takes for the temperature to drop to the ice water temperature when the clay covered thermometer is lowered into the ice water.
Repeat procedure with a ball of vegetable shortening. Students should record the time it took for each trial. If the experiment is a success, the modeling clay or vegetable shortening should insulate the thermometer for the longest period of time.
Teacher should lead a discussion on how the vegetable shortening or modeling clay is of a similar consistency to blubber. Teacher should question students as to why they think these materials acted as an excellent insulator while the gauze did not. Possible answers could include: it is thicker or denser and thereby prevents heat loss. Teacher should discuss with students that vegetable shortening is a form of fat much like the insulating fat found in polar bears. Teachers should redirect students to the class challenge question and have them write a paragraph explaining why blubber is the best insulator for an arctic environment. Teacher will have several students read their paragraphs later in the wrap-up section of this lesson.
Activity 2 - BrainPOP Heat Movie
Students will view as a class closure activity the Brain POP movie, Heat, to review the properties of heat and insulation. Students will view the video clip on the class computer as whole class.
Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.
Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?
Students may take the quiz on heat while the video clip is loading. While viewing the video clip, students should take notes on what the definition of heat is and list several examples of heat. The video may be paused or rewound in order to help with the note taking.
Post Viewing Activities
How will students utilize the information they gathered while viewing the multi-media or video?
As a class, students will discuss their definition of heat based on the notes they took while watching the video clip. Also, they will discuss several examples of heat.
Wrap Up:
Several students will read the paragraph they wrote during Activity 1 which answers the Class Challenge Question. Finally, the teacher will lead a discussion on other materials that are used as insulation, such as: clothes, blankets on a bed, fur, housing insulation.