Topic: Heat and energy transfer: tackling misconceptions about “cold” being transferred. Students have a hard time deciphering the fact that cold cannot transfer in the same way that heat can. Heat is a form of energy while “cold” is not. Students struggle to grasp that instead, “cold” is just the absence of heat. For some it occurs because this can be a challenging concept to “see,” and though videos can explain the movement of particles, some students need the hands-on experience to really understand a concept like this. I’ve found that providing opportunities for students to experiment has been a beneficial way for them to explore their misconceptions.
STEP 1: GENERATE
For this step, each student will get an ice cube. They will place the ice cube in their hand and watch it melt. I will then prompt them with the following questions:
- “What’s happening to the ice cube?”
- “What is happening with the heat of your hand and the “cold” of the ice cube?”
From there, students will write down a hypothesis with their ideas. They will then be placed into random groups of three and given a whiteboard to brainstorm with (Thinking Classrooms-style). They will share their hypotheses with one another and then collectively come up with a “rule” for how temperature changes when a warm and a cold object touch. As students are working together, I will circulate around the room, continuing to challenge their thinking and guide them if necessary.
STEP 2: EVALUATE
Kahn (2010) shares, “Some computer simulations are particularly valuable for science teachers because they help students’ visualize aspects of science that are either too large or too small for to view, afford rapid testing of ideas, reveal trends via graphs or other representations, and provide extreme situations to support thought experiments and what if scenarios” (p. 216). With this in mind, in their groups, students will be given a computer to bring up the PhET website, specifically the Energy Forms and Changes topic. This simulation allows them to view how when the individual is biking, the temperature of the water increases, and when the individual stops biking, the temperature of the water falls.
While they are observing this, I would ask them the following questions:
- “Where is the energy coming from?”
- “In which direction is the energy moving?”
- “Where does the energy go?”
Khan (2010, p. 223) discusses the importance of “encouraging students to make comparisons,” as well as sharing that “students were also asked to make comparisons,” (2007, p. 889). So, after experiencing and playing around with the simulation further, I will also add the questions:
- “How does this simulation compare to the experience of ice melting in your hand?”
- “In the simulation, which object is your hand? Which object is the ice?”
Students will be given time to explore the different types of energy input that the simulation allows for and discuss their reasoning for changes that occur.
STEP 3: MODIFY
From here, students will head back to their whiteboards to look at the initial “rule” they came up with. They will be asked to make any changes they think are necessary to their rule now having the experience of viewing the simulation and comparing it to the ice melting activity.
This cycle could continue with different experiments that would help foster additional reflection, conversation and inquiry.
Here is the diagram I created for this cycle. I chose to have building inquiry skills in the centre as this is the heart of the T-GEM approach. I also chose to use the language of “thinking” within each step of the diagram because this is always at the centre of my classrooms. Students know that when they step into my room, they are going to have to use their brains. Lastly, I chose to have technology all around the GEM cycle because the T in T-GEM can truly occur at any stage.
