Heating metal and wood

This task is about heat travels on metal and wood.

Diagnostic and formative information:

Data collected from trialling this resource suggest that students at this level have limited explanations for the effect of heat on metal.
Most students knew that the metal felt hotter than the wood. Fewer, although still a high number, knew that it would also feel colder on a cold day. However, most had only partial explanations for their observations. By far the most common explanation was that the sun made the metal hot. The second most common explanation was linked to the dark colour.

At Level 3 the first focus should be on exploring and describing what happens to metals in a variety of situations, eliciting and challenging children's ideas about why, before moving on to scientists' explanations. If moving past observations, some Material World Achievement Objectives are also likely to be covered. Most students at Level 3 are not ready to engage at the level of atoms and molecules.

The table below provides an analysis of the range of levels of responses from the trial, beginning with the least sophisticated responses.

Response	Analysis	Possible action
Because it's metal	No new information has been provided. The student may just be repeating the question, or they may be basing their response on some tacit knowledge of metals.	Ask for further explanation to obtain a better understanding of the student's ideas.
The sun is shining on it.	No new information has been provided. May not have observed carefully, or may not apply observation to more than one material at a time.	Ask: 'Has the sun been shining on the wooden part of the bench?' Work on observation skills. Compare different materials under the same conditions.
Metal gets hot in the sun (and wood doesn't).	Observation is correct. Has made a link between sun and the temperature of the metal.	Provide further experiences for students to observe and explore. Share and discuss observations and explanations.
Metal gets hotter/heats up faster than wood.	Observation is correct. Has compared a property of metal and wood.	Compare with a range of materials, including different types of metals. Share and discuss observations and explanations. Identify properties of materials that get hot (MW).
Metal reflects the sun / the sun reflects on it.	Beginning to link properties of metal to explain the fact that it gets warm. Incorrectly attributes this to reflection, which would make the metal cooler.	Vocabulary check: what is reflection? What happens to light when it is reflected? (Use mirrors to investigate.) So what might happen to heat?
Sun/heat is attracted to the metal. Metal attracts sun/heat.	Beginning to link properties of metal to explain the fact that it gets warm. Incorrectly attributes this to attraction. The student either has a misconception about how the metal heats up or lacks the vocabulary to describe it.	Observations to investigate where the sun falls to clarify the fact that the sun is not selective but shines on everything (if not in shadow). Clarify vocabulary.
The metal gets hotter because it is dark/black, and dark colours absorb more heat.	Correctly applying science knowledge, focussing on colour.	Challenge students to investigate wooden and metal objects of the same colour.
Metal absorbs/soaks up heat.	Explanation is incorrect	Leave metal and wooden spoons in hot water and feel the ends to develop the idea that heat travels more easily through metal than wood.
Metal is a conductor/conducts heat.	Uses a correct scientific term, but no further clarification.	Check if the student can explain the meaning of the word (students often pick up a scientific word, but do not really understand its meaning). Clarify that, because it is a good conductor, the metal conducts the heat away from the spot initially heated, thus allowing it to distribute the heat through the whole metal object. Use the analogy of a sponge soaking up water.
Metal circulates heat (1 student only).	Explanation includes an idea that the heat is distributed throughout the metal. distribute the heat through the whole metal object	Introduce scientific term "conduction". This can be explained as the passing on of heat from atom/molecule to atom/molecule. Investigate how scientists explain this at a particle level. Role play heat conduction.

Other less common but interesting responses:

"Metals hold heat." The opposite is usually true. Good conductors are less likely to hold heat. They get cold quickly too. Water, a poor heat conductor, stores heat well.
"The metal temperature changes to suit the temperature around it." This student is aware of the correlation between changes in the air temperature and metal temperature. They may also have a developing understanding of equilibrium, i.e., that heat energy will flow from where it's hot to where it's not, until both are the same temperatures.
"I think it's because the metal is made out of things that when you touch it it's cold, but wood stays the same temperature. It's like the seatbelt in your car. When it's hot the metal burns." This student is relating a known property of metals (they feel colder than many other materials at normal room temperature) to personal observations, and using both to explain her ideas.
"Wood gets full of water, metal doesn't." This student's explanation has been based on an interesting and valid, but distracting, observation. This sort of statement lends itself to student-led investigations, such as comparing both wet wood and dry wood with metal when they are left in the sun. Identifying distracters is a scientific skill.

		Y6 (11/2004)
a)	The metal arm.	very easy
b)	The metal arm is a better conductor than the wooden seat (or reverse of). Refer to Diagnostic and formative information for levels of response.	difficult
c)	The metal arm.	very easy

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Heating metal and wood

Heating metal and wood

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