Do Different Colors Absorb Heat Better?
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/colors_absorb_heat_better
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/colors_absorb_heat_better
Teach Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder
This learning activity takes one 60min class period
Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»
See how this Activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards»
Grade Level
Online Readiness
Topics
Climate Literacy
This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.
Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.
Energy Literacy
This Activity builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.
Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.
Notes From Our Reviewers
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Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
Teaching Tips
- Teachers must plan for a sunny day or provide heat lamps.
- When using this lesson with younger students, the teacher may want to have the paper boxes prepared or semi-prepared ahead of time to avoid having the lesson bog down over box construction.
- Note the real-world applications in the lesson plan.
About the Content
- Students will do an experiment in which they observe how ice cubes melt in paper boxes of different colors.
- The main scientific idea in this activity is that an object's color has an effect on its ability to absorb and reflect light.
- The references provide background information for the teacher and resources for further exploration.
- Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
About the Pedagogy
- Students will test whether the color of a material affects how much heat it absorbs.
- Students leave ice cubes in boxes made of colored paper in the sun and predict which colored box ice cubes melt first. They record the order and time required for the ice cubes to melt.
- This is a hands-on activity for small groups of students.
- This is a simple but engaging and effective lesson.
- The lesson design is clear and the objectives should be easily met.
- The teacher plan is easy to follow and uses materials found in a typical classroom. The introduction, vocabulary, investigating questions, and rubric are helpful to guide students through the activity.
