Lesson Protocol : Learning to Read the Thermometer

Lesson created with my peers; Alessia De Bellis, Paola Penate and Johanna Bleich

Intended Audience: Cycle 1. Grade 2

Overview and context of lesson:

This lesson will teach students how to read a thermometer while also gaining a better understanding of different temperatures of water. After all, the goal is for students to understand how different temperatures of water (room temperature, cold & hot) produce different outcome measurements. Students will also be exposed to how water and temperature relates to weather. 

Driving Question:

How is water affected by temperature?

Phenomenon:

Students will explore using a thermometer and water.

Learning goals:

Students will know:

• “Working with the thermometers helped reinforce math skills for developing number sense with numbers up to one hundred” (Governor & Carter, 2021, p.37)
• Different ways to use a thermometer.
• Students will know why room temperature, hot and cold water produce different measurements on a thermometer. 
• Students will know there are scientific ways of measuring temperature.
• Students will know the definition of expand, contract, Fahrenheit, and Celsius.

Students will do the following:

• Think critically about the relationship between water temperature and thermometer reading.
• Investigate the changes in the thermometer.
• Annotate their findings.
• Hypothesize what factors lead to a change in the thermometer. 
• Students will work in groups to complete their given work.

Students will understand:

• Difference between Fahrenheit and Celcius.
• Difference between a positive and negative temperature reading.
• Different measurement levels on a thermometer given temperature of water.

Overview of each phase:

- ENGAGE: The students will see a demonstration that will allow them to create claims about the phenomenon at hand. 

- EXPLORE: The students will use plastic cups, water, and thermometers to explore the relationship between the water temperature and the thermometer reading. 

- EXTEND: The teacher will discuss the experiment with the students and connect the conversation with outside experiences.

- EXPLAIN: The students will have a class discussion showing their understanding of the topic. While also completing a worksheet that evaluates their understanding. 

- EVALUATE: Formative and Summative assessments:

Formative Assessment.

The teacher will note each student's participation in the experiment.

Completing the temperature worksheet will assess the students' understanding of how to read the temperature.

Summative Assessment: 

The completion of the homework submitted to SeeSaw. (Option to have them even take their own temperature and/or those in their household as well and share the results)