Insulating food for meals on wheels/Lesson

From OER in Education

Outline: Time: 1 hour Group: whole class and groups of 6 Focus: insulation

Learning Objectives for science

  • Some materials are better thermal insulators than others
  • Turn ideas into a form that can be investigated
  • Consider what apparatus and equipment to use

Resources 6 cans, thermometers, funnels, kettle, stop clocks, measuring jugs, elastic bands, cotton wool, bubble wrap, wool material, foil.

Introduction – 15 minutes

  • Half the class wear outdoors clothes in the classroom and the other half do not.
  • The teacher leads a discussion on the properties of materials used for clothing. This should lead to the differences between the two groups and how they are feeling.
  • Discuss this with reference to temperatures: what temperature of the room? Inside the coat? Outside?
  • Explain the concept of an insulator keeping the heat in and ensure this understood.

Development – 35 minutes

  • Introduce the topic scenario for ‘meals on wheels’.
  • What materials can ‘meals on wheels’ use to keep food hot?
  • Using the equipment provided investigate which material makes the best insulators.
  • Record results in your book.

What the children do

  • Use their knowledge to join in teacher-led discussion.
  • Think about reasons for differences in temperature of groups of children.
  • In designated groups talk about how to find out which material would be best.
  • Using the equipment provided, investigate which material keeps the water in the can warmest for the longest time.
  • Think about how to make it a fair test.

What the teacher does

  • Lead the discussion on materials long enough for children to notice the difference wearing outdoor clothes insides makes.
  • Introduce the idea of insulators using examples of everyday life – loft and wall insulation.
  • Remind class if ‘meals on wheels’ topic and pose problem of keeping food warm for long periods of time.
  • Pose questions – ‘What materials will you use to keep food warm for as long as possible?’, ‘How will you make it a fair test?’, ‘What will be your prediction?’, ‘How will you record your results?’

Differentiation

Mixed ability groups – by outcome.

Assessment

By observation or recorded work