LEARNING-FOCUSED Lesson Plan

Plan for the concept, topic, or skill Not for the class period

Name
:

Huffman Academy

Topic:

SCIENCE (Physical Science)

Learning Goals for this Lesson

Standards:
ALCOS.S.4.E.2.A; ALCOS.S.4.E.2.B.

Students Will Know:

Students Will Be Able To:

The difference between an

experiment and an investigation
How experiments and
hypotheses are related
What Celsius is and how we
use it
What a scientist does

Read a thermometer;
Form a hypothesis and
test it
Explain different ways
scientific answers are found;
Explain the difference
between Celsius and
Fahrenheit, and why Scientist
use Celsius

Lesson Essential Question:

Activating Strategy:

Key vocabulary to preview and vocabulary strategy:

Inquiry, heat, energy, Investigation/Investigating,
Scientist, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics), Celsius, Fahrenheit, Thermometer,
instruments, temperature, degree

Lesson Instruction
Learning Activity 1:

LEARNING-FOCUSED. All Rights Reserved.

Graphic Organizer

Revisit the scientific method with the class; have them state the steps of
The Scientific Method (in correct, sequential order). Then, ask the
students, What does an experiment do? Take answers with cold calling.
Create a concept web of responses. Students should copy this web in a
new section of SCIENCE JOURNAL titled EXPERIMENT CONCEPT
WEB.

Read front page of Science Studies Weekly. Have kids underline the word
investigating in the first paragraph, scientists in the second
paragraph, scientific discoveries in the third paragraph, and
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in the
second paragraph of the Welcome to Another Year of Discovery!
section. Students should add these words/phrases to the vocabulary
section of their Science Journals.

Assessment Prompt for LA 1:

-Students should answer the following prompts in complete sentences:
1. Name one way we can find answers to our scientific
inquiries. [A: read reports written by scientists; ask scientists what
they have learned; use the scientific method to find our own
answers.]
2. What are four major components of science that we will
study this year? [A: STEM--science, technology, engineering and
mathematics]
-Answers should be written on a sheet of loose leaf paper and handed in
to the teacher.

Learning Activity 2:
Start by asking students if they can explain the difference between an
investigation and an experiment. Create a Venn Diagram to show
similarities and differences of an investigation and an experiment that the
kids suggest; students should draw this in their SCIENCE JOURNALS in
a new section titled INVESTIGATION/EXPERIMENT VENN DIAGRAM..
After the VENN DIAGRAM has been created with student suggestions,
provide the definition for both terms. Students should write the correct
definitions in the VOCABULARY section of their SCIENCE JOURNALS.

LEARNING-FOCUSED. All Rights Reserved.

Begin reading pages 2 and 3 of the Science Studies Weekly. As the

students are reading, students should underline the following:
instruments (paragraph 1); investigation (paragraph 2). Students will
write the definition of instruments in the VOCABULARY section of their
SCIENCE JOURNALS.

Assessment Prompt for LA 2:

-Students should answer the following prompts in complete sentences:
1. What is the most reliable way to learn something in a
scientific investigation? [A: to observe it (the investigation and its
results) yourself]
2. Name 3 instruments scientists might use in an
experiment and/or investigation. [A: magnifying glass,
microscope, telescope, binoculars, rulers tape measures, meter
sticks, graduated cylinders, clocks, watches, timers, calendars,
balances, scales, thermometer, seismograph]
3. Of the 3 items you listed, choose one and explain how
that item might be used. [EX. A: A microscope helps scientists
see things that are difficult to see with their eyes alone. A ruler
measures lengths. Etc.]

-Answers should be written on a sheet of loose leaf paper and handed in

to the teacher.

OPTIONAL: In lieu of items 2 and 3 above, the teacher can complete the
Its Tool Time! activity on the back of the Science Studies Weekly with
the students.

Learning Activity 3:
Begin this activity by asking the students, What is the weather like
outside? Allow the students to talk about how hot it might be, and ask, Is
it hot enough for water to boil? Allow students to provide their own
answers, then ask, How could we determine if it was hot enough to boil
water outside? Allow students to provide their own thoughts [All student
responses here could be cold calling or written on individual white
boards at students desks.]

Advise students that we can measure temperature. Write the word

temperature and the abbreviation temp. on the board. Students

LEARNING-FOCUSED. All Rights Reserved.

Assignment

Students will complete

Reading a
Thermometer activity in
In the Lab section.

Students will put into

groups of 3-4. Each
group will be given two
thermometers and a red
plastic cup. Students
will:
1. Form a
hypothesis about
what the
temperature
might be in the
scenario;
2. Observe
the change in
temperature on
the thermometer
according to the
scenario;
3. Documen
t observed
temperature in
DATA SHEET of
Science Studies
Weekly (page 3)
in both Celsius
and Fahrenheit.

should write this word and abbreviation in the VOCABULARY section of

their SCIENCE JOURNAL, along with the definition: a

measurement

that indicates how hot or cold something is;the word degree

and its definition: a unit for measuring temperature; and the word
thermometer, along with the definition:

an instrument used for

measuring temperature. The teacher will advise that the

thermometer works by absorbing heat and expanding or releasing
heat and constricting (reducing), which helps us measure and read
the temperature.

Next read the Spotlight section of the Science Studies Weekly about
Anders Celcius. As students read, have students underline the words
temperature scale, freezing point, zero degrees, boiling point, 100
degrees, Celsius, and Fahrenheit. Have students create a new
section in SCIENCE JOURNALS titled Reading Thermometers.

Here, students should draw a T-Chart. On the left side, students will write
100 0. On the right side, students will write Boiling Point, Freezing
Point. Then the kids will skip a line (or draw a squiggly line through one
row) and write Celsius and Fahrenheit on the left side, and Used by
scientists; used to measure temperature in most countries and Used to
measure temperature in the United States. Document should be folded in
half and glued into SCIENCE JOURNAL. Document includes a visual of a
thermometer for easy reference. Have students determine the
temperature shown on the thermometer example, and write that
temperature (in Celsius degrees) below the thermometer.

Assessment Prompt for LA 3:

-Access Reading Themometers game at
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-3/read-a-thermometer, and project
website/game on Promethean board. Have students, one at a time, come
to the board and answer the multiple choice questions -OR- allow
students to view the thermometer on the screen and call out answers.
-After each student has had a chance to answer, or after the teacher
believes students successfully answered enough questions, have
students write one thing that they learned about measuring temperature
today.

LEARNING-FOCUSED. All Rights Reserved.

The scenarios are:

Room
Temperature
[thermometers
sitting on desks]
Inside
Fist [two
members of the
group hold the
bottom of one
thermometer each
in their hand]
In Water
[teacher provides
water in a red
plastic cup to
students, and
students place
both
thermometers in
the cup at the
same time]
Inside
Fist After
Rubbing
Together [the
other two students
in the group will
rub hands
together, and then
hold the bottom of
each
thermometer.]

Summarizing Strategy:

LEARNING-FOCUSED. All Rights Reserved.