Keeping it Cool With Solar: Hot Spot/Cool Spot

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Intended Grade Level(s):
K-2
Energy Content:
Energy Fundamentals,
Light (Visible),
Solar Thermal
Learning Goal(s):

  1. Students will consider and pose questions about what type of energy source can cause an ice cube to melt.

  2. Students will explore how the sun affects the Earth’s surface on the playground.

  3. Students will analyze data to understand how the sun affects the earth’s surface on the

    playground.

  4. Students will link the idea of sun/shade to hot/cool.

Unit:
Keeping it Cool With Solar
Lesson Number:
1
Pedagogy & Practice:
Early Childhood Learning,
Engineering Design,
Establishing a Culture of Science
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems,
2: Developing and Using Models,
3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Relevant NGSS PE:
K-PS3-1
Other Subjects Covered:
ELA: Speaking & Listening,
ELA: Vocabulary Development
Estimated Activity Length:
30 min
Files Associated with this Activity:
PDF icon Playground Picture for Keeping it Cool unit Lesson 1 (1).pdf
PDF icon Keeping it Cool With Solar Lesson 1.pdf
Description:

This is the first lesson where K-2 students will investigate the effect of sunlight on the earth’s surface (K- PS3-1). The students will observe a video of an ice cube melting as the anchoring phenomenon for the unit. In this first lesson, students will explore the playground areas to observe hot and cool areas, and how they correlate to sun and shade.

Science Kit Material(s) Used:
Infrared Temperature Gun
Other Material(s) Used:
● Markers - red for hot, blue for cool ● Blank/recycled paper for drawing ● Drawing materials