John K. Grammatico
Science (Reading a thermometer)
OBJECTIVES:
Students will be able to read a thermometer and record daily temperatures.
DURATION:
Half-hour lesson on learning to read temperature. 5 minutes to record daily temperature.
MATERIALS:
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1. A classroom thermometer
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2. Science journals
PROCEDURE:
Begin by showing students the larger numbers on the thermometer. Notice that they go in increments of ten. Practice counting by tens with students. Next, show students the smaller lines that fall between the larger numbers. Have a student count from one large number to the next, i.e. from 20 to 30. They will find a difference of 10 degrees between each larger number and each small line equals one degree. Next, ask students what they think the red liquid is and what it is used for. Prompt students to the correct answer and ask them how they think they would read the temperature according to where this red liquid is. Let students learn to read different temperatures by putting thermometer over a candle, then in a glass of cold water.
Once students are used to reading the temperature, they can record it daily in their science journals.
FOLLOW-UP
Let students make their own thermometer out of construction paper showing what their favorite temperature is.