This simple activity shows how the sun and heat affect things

Title – How Heat Affects Things
By – Janette Gonzalez
Primary Subject – Science
Grade Level – 1

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science:

112.3.a (2) Introduction.

Students observe that heat from the Sun or friction is an example of something that causes change.

112.3.b (1.7) Science concepts.

The student knows that many types of change occur. The student is expected to:
(B) identify and test ways that heat may cause change such as when ice melts.

Learning Objectives:

• The student will be able to identify how the sun affects objects.
• The student will be able to identify where temperature is hotter, in the shade or in the sun.
• The student will be able to identify what kind of air is around us (hot or cold) and how it affects us.

Materials:

• plastic bags (one for each student)
• chocolate (at least two per bag)
• science notebook

Pre-Activity Preparation:

No example is needed because they are going to do the lesson with you and make their own example

Transition:

The students will start out working individually, then they will partner.

Establishing Set/Motivation/Introduction:

Start out by asking what they know about the sun and how they think that it affects us and the things around us.

Procedures:

1. Have all the students come sit on the leading carpet.
2. Read a short book or information about the sun and heat to them.
3. After you are done with reading and telling information, pass out a bag with chocolate inside to each student.
4. Make sure and tell them rules and consequences if they are playing around and not following directions when they are outside.
5. Have the students line up to go outside.
6. When you get outside, have the students with the bag that says shade on it, put their bags in the shade.
7. Wait until all the “shade” students are done. Then have the students with the “sun” bags put their bags of chocolate in the sun.
8. Leave the bags where they are for about ten minutes. While waiting, let the students go play.
9. After ten minutes, call all the students back so they can grab their bag and line up to go back inside.
10. When you get back to the classroom, have a student with a sun bags find a partner with a shade bag and have then sit together and observe the 2 chocolates and record their observations in their science journal.
11. Give them some time to work. After everyone is done, have them all go to their seats. Review with them what they learned and observed.

Closure Questions:

• What happened to the chocolate that was in the sun?
• Why didn’t the chocolate in the shade melt?
• Which temperature is hotter shade or sun?

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