Scorching swings and slides
View Sequence overviewStudents will:
- conduct an investigation into how heat transfer might be slowed or stopped.
- make predictions and claims about what will happen to the temperature of different materials that have been shaded from direct contact with a heat source.
- observe, record and interpret the results of their investigation.
Students will represent their understanding as they:
- use oral, written and visual language to record and discuss investigation results.
- record data in a table.
- discuss findings and compare results.
In this lesson, assessment is summative.
Students working at the achievement standard (science inquiry) should have:
- posed an investigable question.
- collected and represented data that answers their investigable question.
- undertaken measures to ensure the measurement of the temperature of the objects is as accurate and reliable as possible.
- considered factors that made their investigation fair.
- made a claim (drawn a conclusion) based on their evidence.
Refer to the Australian Curriculum content links on the Our design decisions tab for further information.
Whole class
Class science journal (hard-copy or digital)
Demonstration copy of Investigation planner Resource sheet (or create your own)
Demonstration copy of Variables grid Resource sheet (or create your own)
Sunny day
NOTE: This investigation relies on being enacted on a sunny day. However, the investigation can be modified if conditions and context don’t enable this.
Each group
Resources required will depend upon the investigation planned by the team, but should be easily sourced from classroom materials.
Each student
Individual science journal (hard-copy or digital)
Investigation planner Resource sheet (or create their own)
Lesson
The Inquire phase allows students to cycle progressively and with increasing complexity through the key science ideas related to the core concepts. Each Inquire cycle is divided into three teaching and learning routines that allow students to systematically build their knowledge and skills in science and incorporate this into their current understanding of the world.
When designing a teaching sequence, it is important to consider the knowledge and skills that students will need in the final Act phase. Consider what the students already know and identify the steps that need to be taken to reach the level required. How could you facilitate students’ understanding at each step? What investigations could be designed to build the skills at each step?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkRe-orient
Review previous lessons. Focus on how playground equipment and surfaces can warm up significantly on a hot sunny day.
The Inquire phase allows students to cycle progressively and with increasing complexity through the key science ideas related to the core concepts. Each Inquire cycle is divided into three teaching and learning routines that allow students to systematically build their knowledge and skills in science and incorporate this into their current understanding of the world.
When designing a teaching sequence, it is important to consider the knowledge and skills that students will need in the final Act phase. Consider what the students already know and identify the steps that need to be taken to reach the level required. How could you facilitate students’ understanding at each step? What investigations could be designed to build the skills at each step?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkIdentifying and constructing questions is the creative driver of the inquiry process. It allows students to explore what they know and how they know it. During the Inquire phase of the LIA Framework, the Question routine allows for past activities to be reviewed and to set the scene for the investigation that students will undertake. The use of effective questioning techniques can influence students’ view and interpretation of upcoming content, open them to exploration and link to their current interests and science capital.
When designing a teaching sequence, it is important to spend some time considering the mindset of students at the start of each Inquire phase. What do you want students to be thinking about, what do they already know and what is the best way for them to approach the task? What might tap into their curiosity?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWhy do we seek shade in the heat?
Discuss how and why people seek out shade on a hot sunny day.
- Why do people like to sit in the shade on a hot sunny day?
- What different types of shade are there?
- Trees, shade sails, tents/cabanas, gazebos, patios, awnings, hats, umbrellas etc.
- Where do you usually find these types of shade?
- What do you think is the best (most effective) type of shade?
By referring back to the student questions asked during the Launch phase, and through questioning and discussion, determine that it would be advantageous to know which type of shade would be most effective to use on a playground.
The Inquire phase allows students to cycle progressively and with increasing complexity through the key science ideas related to the core concepts. Each Inquire cycle is divided into three teaching and learning routines that allow students to systematically build their knowledge and skills in science and incorporate this into their current understanding of the world.
When designing a teaching sequence, it is important to consider the knowledge and skills that students will need in the final Act phase. Consider what the students already know and identify the steps that need to be taken to reach the level required. How could you facilitate students’ understanding at each step? What investigations could be designed to build the skills at each step?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkThe Investigate routine provides students with an opportunity to explore the key ideas of science, to plan and conduct an investigation, and to gather and record data. The investigations are designed to systematically develop content knowledge and skills through increasingly complex processes of structured inquiry, guided inquiry and open inquiry approaches. Students are encouraged to process data to identify trends and patterns and link them to the real-world context of the teaching sequence.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider the diagnostic assessment (Launch phase) that identified the alternative conceptions that students held. Are there activities that challenge these ideas and provide openings for discussion? What content knowledge and skills do students need to be able to complete the final (Act phase) task? How could you systematically build these through the investigation routines? Are there opportunities to build students’ understanding and skills in the science inquiry processes through the successive investigations?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkDo we need shade?
Plan an investigation to find out: What difference does shade make to how hot an object will get on a sunny day?
The investigation should allow students to collect temperature data of two identical objects: one object placed in the shade and one placed in the sun. Depending on the experience of your students you might plan the investigation together, or you might allow students more freedom to plan the investigation with a collaborative team.
Plan/discuss how students might collect, record and represent their data. Support students to use a variables grid and an investigation planner.
Your school context and layout will impact how you conduct this investigation. You might:
- measure how quickly two ice cubes or chocolate buttons melt when placed in the sun or shade, for comparison of the heat.
- measure the temperature of a ground surface such as asphalt or exposed dirt, in both the sun and the shade.
- modify the investigation to measure the temperature of different objects that have been placed under the same shading, to determine which heats up less.
It also provides teachers with an opportunity to assess students’ skills in Science Inquiry.
Writing questions for investigation
How do we turn a general question into one that can be scientifically investigated?
In this task, students have an opportunity to consider a general question about the difference being shaded makes to the temperature of an object or area. A variables grid can be used to turn a broad question into an investigable one.
Investigable questions are characterised by their clear identification of what is being changed and what is being measured in a fair test, supporting students to investigate a specific physical phenomena.
This enables them to plan a fair-test investigation. The question they have devised can be answered empirically, and data can be collected to support and justify claims made.
Representation: Investigation planner
An investigation planner scaffolds the process of investigating for students.
An investigation planner is a scaffold that supports students to plan, conduct, record and represent data and information. It provides a valuable opportunity for students to develop the skills of Science Inquiry by guiding them through the process.
It also provides teachers with an opportunity to assess students’ skills in Science Inquiry.
An investigation planner is a scaffold that supports students to plan, conduct, record and represent data and information. It provides a valuable opportunity for students to develop the skills of Science Inquiry by guiding them through the process.
It also provides teachers with an opportunity to assess students’ skills in Science Inquiry.
The Inquire phase allows students to cycle progressively and with increasing complexity through the key science ideas related to the core concepts. Each Inquire cycle is divided into three teaching and learning routines that allow students to systematically build their knowledge and skills in science and incorporate this into their current understanding of the world.
When designing a teaching sequence, it is important to consider the knowledge and skills that students will need in the final Act phase. Consider what the students already know and identify the steps that need to be taken to reach the level required. How could you facilitate students’ understanding at each step? What investigations could be designed to build the skills at each step?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkThe Investigate routine provides students with an opportunity to explore the key ideas of science, to plan and conduct an investigation, and to gather and record data. The investigations are designed to systematically develop content knowledge and skills through increasingly complex processes of structured inquiry, guided inquiry and open inquiry approaches. Students are encouraged to process data to identify trends and patterns and link them to the real-world context of the teaching sequence.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider the diagnostic assessment (Launch phase) that identified the alternative conceptions that students held. Are there activities that challenge these ideas and provide openings for discussion? What content knowledge and skills do students need to be able to complete the final (Act phase) task? How could you systematically build these through the investigation routines? Are there opportunities to build students’ understanding and skills in the science inquiry processes through the successive investigations?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkDoes shade affect heat transfer?
In collaborative learning teams, students plan, conduct and record the findings of their investigation.
After the final temperature measurements have been taken, allow students time to analyse their results. Encourage them to make a claim as a group about how shade affects the temperature of an object, referring to their data as proof.
Teams might complete a sentence stem such as “The shade causes the material to … We think this because…”
Individual students might also represent the transfer of heat from the sun to the objects by drawing a labelled diagram in their science journals.
The Inquire phase allows students to cycle progressively and with increasing complexity through the key science ideas related to the core concepts. Each Inquire cycle is divided into three teaching and learning routines that allow students to systematically build their knowledge and skills in science and incorporate this into their current understanding of the world.
When designing a teaching sequence, it is important to consider the knowledge and skills that students will need in the final Act phase. Consider what the students already know and identify the steps that need to be taken to reach the level required. How could you facilitate students’ understanding at each step? What investigations could be designed to build the skills at each step?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkFollowing an investigation, the Integrate routine provides time and space for data to be evaluated and insights to be synthesized. It reveals new insights, consolidates and refines representations, generalises context and broadens students’ perspectives. It allows student thinking to become visible and opens formative feedback opportunities. It may also lead to further questions being asked, allowing the Inquire phase to start again.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider the diagnostic assessment that was undertaken during the Launch phase. Consider if alternative conceptions could be used as a jumping off point to discussions. How could students represent their learning in a way that would support formative feedback opportunities? Could small summative assessment occur at different stages in the teaching sequence?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWhat claims can we make about shade?
Discuss the effect the shade had on the transfer of heat and the change in the temperature of the object/ground covering investigated.
Through discussion and questioning, guide students to make generalisations about the impact of shade on heat transfer.
- Do things in the shade get as hot as things in the direct sun?
- Why do you think that is?
- Where does the heat go if it can’t reach the object as easily?
- What other examples of ‘blocking’ out heat can you think of?
Discuss the implications of these findings on playground design.
Reflect on the lesson
You might:
- review the list of questions in the class science journal. Determine which questions have been answered during the session and add any new questions that have arisen.
- add to the class word wall.
- re-examine the intended learning goals for the lesson and consider how they were achieved.
- evaluate the importance of fair-testing principles and how they are an essential element for reliable scientific discovery.