Taking Temperatures

Provided by: Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education |Published on: October 13, 2023

Lesson Plans

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Synopsis

This inquiry-based lesson serves as an introduction to thermometers, the connection between temperature and molecule movement, thermal energy, the greenhouse effect, and climate change.
Students will learn how to measure temperature with a thermometer, how the laws of energy make a thermometer work, what factors contribute to warmer temperatures, and how human carbon emissions are contributing to climate change.

Subjects: Physics, Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education

Region: North America, USA - Midwest, United States, Wisconsin

Languages: English

Positives

This lesson encourages students to think critically about the environment.
There are many topics this lesson seamlessly introduces students to, such as the Celsius scale of temperature, the scientific process, and the greenhouse effect.

Prerequisites

The outdoor activity needs to occur on a sunny day.
It may benefit students to know what molecules are and understand the laws of energy.
The materials section references the DEN kit, which Wisconsin educators can borrow from UWSP. However, the materials for this particular lesson can easily be found online or even around the school, so this kit isn't necessary.

Differentiation & Implementation

Using the final student question about measures people can take to reduce climate change as a starting point, teachers can extend learning with a lesson about alternative energy sources.
This lesson can be used to create free-response questions about climate change and its connection to extreme weather events.
This would be a great introductory lesson for units about climate change, greenhouse gases, carbon footprint, ecosystems and the importance of biodiversity, and other related topics.
This lesson can enhance a classroom discussion on how climate change alters the polar ice caps and why this alteration is concerning.
Teachers can support this lesson with KEEP's Discovering Energy in Nature Kit and lesson series.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

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Resource Type and Format

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.

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