PS.6.2.2: Use models to explain how the transfer of heat and resulting change…
Use models to explain how the transfer of heat and resulting change of temperature impacts the behavior of matter to include expansion, and contraction.
The North Carolina Standard Course of Study, Science (2023) outcome PS.6.2.2 (Energy) for Grade 6 says: “Use models to explain how the transfer of heat and resulting change of temperature impacts the behavior of matter to include expansion, and contraction.” This Fieldbook unit teaches it hands-on, with everyday materials and a printable teacher guide and student sheet for every lesson. Official wording: North Carolina Standard Course of Study, Science (2023).
Hot and Cold: Particles on the Move Grade 6
Why tires go soft in winter, why sidewalks have gaps, and how a thermometer knows. Five lessons on what heating and cooling do to the particles in everything around us.
- Why do bike tires go soft in winter? 45–60 min
Students stretch a balloon over a bottle, move it between warm and ice water, and find out what happens to air particles when they cool down. Then they explain a cyclist's 'flat' tire on the first cold morning.
- How does a thermometer know? 50–60 min
Teams build a working thermometer from a bottle of coloured water and a clear straw, then calibrate it against a real thermometer. At the end, they explain how any liquid thermometer 'knows' the temperature.
- Why do sidewalks have cracks on purpose? 50–60 min
Students loosen a stuck jar lid with warm water, then go on a gap hunt around the school to find and measure the joints engineers build into sidewalks, walls and railings. They explain why solid things need room to grow and shrink.
Printable practice for PS.6.2.2
These pages practise a closely related idea; the match to PS.6.2.2 is partial.
- Hot and Cold: Particles on the Move workbook included with the unit
4 readings, 3 English-support pages, 3 practice pages, 1 word wall, 1 unit review, 1 unit test, with answer keys.
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Compared with NGSS: MS-PS1-4 (partial).
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