Standard #: SC.4.P.11.2


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Identify common materials that conduct heat well or poorly.


General Information

Subject Area: Science
Grade: 4
Body of Knowledge: Physical Science
Big Idea: Energy Transfer and Transformations - A. Waves involve a transfer of energy without a transfer of matter.

B. Water and sound waves transfer energy through a material.

C. Light waves can travel through a vacuum and through matter.

Clarification for grades 5-8: The target understanding for Big Idea 11: Energy Transfer and Transformations, is the Law of Conservation of Energy: Energy is conserved as it transfers from one object to another and from one form to another.

Date Adopted or Revised: 02/08
Content Complexity Rating: Level 1: Recall - More Information
Date of Last Rating: 05/08
Status: State Board Approved
Assessed: Yes

Related Courses

Course Number1111 Course Title222
5020050: Science - Grade Four (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
7720050: Access Science Grade 4 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))


Related Access Points

Access Point Number Access Point Title
SC.4.P.11.In.2 Identify materials that are strong conductors of heat, such as metal.
SC.4.P.11.Su.2 Recognize a common material that is a strong conductor of heat, such as metal.
SC.4.P.11.Pa.2 Recognize common objects that conduct heat.


Related Resources

Lesson Plans

Name Description
The Playground Project

Students will enjoy designing their "dream" playground while applying math and science skills in this engineering design challenge lesson. Students will find the area and perimeter of their playground designs. They will also use a budget sheet to make decisions about what to include in their playground, considering the physical properties of the materials they "purchase."

Heating Up the Neighborhood

This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of heat insulators as they build a model house and test different materials to use as insulators, stopping the warm air from escaping and keeping the cool air out. Students will also have an opportunity to use technology in their exploration of heat energy.

Turn Up the Heat!

In this Model-Eliciting Activity (MEA), students will work in groups to develop a procedure to rank which company would offer the best pot holders. Students will consider factors such materials, heat resistance, durability, Physical properties ( shape and color) and appearance to help pick the best option. Students will apply their knowledge of how heat transfers and understanding of materials that don't conduct heat energy to help evaluate the companies.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Thrift Town Melt-Down - Let's Cool up!

During this activity, students will look at data from a fictional town, Thrift Town and develop a strategy of choosing which material would be the best to help insulate an ice cream container. The students will utilize higher order thinking skills, as well as deduction to find a solution.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Cube Cooler—An Engineering Design Challenge

This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of heat insulators as they build cube-coolers to slow the melting rate of ice. It is not intended as an initial introduction to this benchmark.

Stop Heat From Escaping In this activity, students act as engineers to determine which type of insulation would conserve the most energy.

Original Student Tutorial

Name Description
Thermal Conductors and Insulators

Explore thermal energy and identify materials that allow thermal energy to transfer through them easily and materials that do not with this interactive tutorial.

Teaching Idea

Name Description
Heat Transfer Students will explore how different colors absorb or reflect heat using a black can of water, a white can of water, and a plain can of water.

Video/Audio/Animation

Name Description
Experiment - Which is the best insulator?

Watch a demonstration of an experiment which tests the effectiveness of two different insulators. The participants will demonstrate their thinking as they run an experiment, identify variables and collect data.

Student Resources

Original Student Tutorial

Name Description
Thermal Conductors and Insulators:

Explore thermal energy and identify materials that allow thermal energy to transfer through them easily and materials that do not with this interactive tutorial.

Video/Audio/Animation

Name Description
Experiment - Which is the best insulator?:

Watch a demonstration of an experiment which tests the effectiveness of two different insulators. The participants will demonstrate their thinking as they run an experiment, identify variables and collect data.



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