Objective

By the end of this lesson, RR will understand how heat affects solids and liquids, and how energy flows through simple systems. RR will be able to describe examples of heat transfer and observe changes in materials when they are heated or cooled.

Materials and Prep

• A small ice cube or a piece of solid ice
• A cup of warm water (not boiling)
• A few small solid objects (like a spoon, a rock, and a piece of chocolate)
• A timer or stopwatch
• Paper and crayons for drawing observations

Before the lesson, make sure to have all materials ready and explain to RR the importance of being careful with hot water. Discuss safety first!

Activities

• Ice Melting Experiment:

  RR will place the ice cube in a bowl and observe what happens over time. Set a timer for 10 minutes and check the ice every few minutes. RR can draw the changes in the ice as it melts.

• Warm Water Adventure:

  RR will drop different solid objects (spoon, rock, chocolate) into the warm water and observe what happens. RR will note which objects dissolve, change shape, or stay the same.

• Heat Transfer Drawing:

  After the experiments, RR will draw a picture showing how heat moved from the warm water to the solid objects, and how it made the ice melt. RR can label the parts of the drawing to explain the process.

Talking Points

• "What do you think will happen to the ice when we leave it out? Let’s watch it closely!"
• "When we put the spoon in warm water, how do you think the heat will affect it? Will it change?"
• "Can you feel the warmth of the water? That’s energy moving! Energy can make things change!"
• "Why do you think the chocolate melts faster than the rock? Let’s think about how heat works!"
• "Look at the water after we put the ice in it. What do you see? Is it colder or warmer now?"
• "When something gets hot, it can change shape or even turn into something else, like ice turning into water!"
• "Energy flows from the warm water to the cold ice. That’s how heat travels!"
• "Let’s draw what we learned. How did the heat move? Can you show me in your picture?"