Lesson 54: Temperatures and Thermometers
Lesson Objectives
- Demonstrate measuring length by placing tools end to end with no gaps or overlaps
- Measure objects with every day objects (e.g. pennies)
- Select the appropriate tool to measure an object
- Select a tool and measure the lengths of given items
- Compare lengths of given objects without measuring them and identify the appropriate tool
- Understand tools used for weight and vocabulary associated with weight
- Understand purpose of thermometers and determine temperature using thermometers
Materials
- Extend Workbook (Page 54)
- Thermometer
- Visual representation of thermometer explaining Celsius vs. Fahrenheit
- Black and red expo markers and dry erasers
Step 1: Warm Up (5 min)
Play temperature games like hot or not? Give various temperatures in Fahrenheit and ask students if it would be hot or not? Discuss differences in weather temperatures in your area versus other parts of the world per season. Ask students what else might show hot temperatures and what might show colder temperatures (e.g. boiling water, food out of the oven would be hot; snow and food out of the freezer would be cold).
Step 2: Vocab Review (5 min)
Review thermometers and temperature, and introduce Celsius and Fahrenheit. Explain that Fahrenheit scale indicates that the freezing point is 32°F and 212°F as the boiling point of water; whereas, in the Celsius scale 0°C is the freezing point of water and 100°C is the boiling point of water. Explain that America and a few other countries stick to Fahrenheit scale for temperatures, while the rest of the wrold uses what many believe to be the simpluer Celsius scale, which is part of the metric system.
Step 3: Model (5 min)
Draw a thermometer on the white board and use a red expo marker to represent an actual thermometer. Explain that the amount of red you see in a thermometer shows how hot or cold it is outside. A tall red line means a that the temperature is very warm or hot, so we can go swimming, we can wear shorts and short sleeved shirts, and play outside. When the red line is short, that means the temperature is very cold, so we can play in the snow or rain, play inside, and we would wear long pants and coats.
Step 4: Guided Practice (5 min)
Ask students to come up with items that would be hot, cold, and in between. List what types of clothes you would wear in each setting, and ask students to draw a thermometer with a cold temperature (0-50), in between temperature (60-75), and warm or hot temperature (75-100+).
Step 5: Student Practice (5 min)
Go to Student Workbook Page (54). Read the directions at the top of the page. Using the thermometer visual to the side, have students list the temperature in Fahrenheit and Celsius on the lines provided, and to circle the appropriate clothing for each temperature set.
Step 6: Wrap Up (5 min)
To wrap up the lesson, review the learning objectives and core vocabulary words again and ask your students about their experience.
