Lesson 3
What is a thermometer?
Home > Private: *ARCHIVE Year 3 Science – Focus Group > Unit 4 – Physical Sciences > Lesson 3 – What is a thermometer?
Lesson Plan
Preparation
- Collect traditional glass tube thermometers, digital and strip thermometers to show students.
- Collect the equipment needed for the investigation sheet.
Curriculum links
- Australian Curriculum: ACSSU049, ACSHE051, ACSIS053, ACSIS054, ACSIS057, ACSIS215, ACSIS058, ACSIS060
- NSW Curriculum: ST2-8PW-ST, ST2-10ES-S, ST2-1WS-S, ST2-2DP-T
- VIC Curriculum: VCSSU063, VCSSU056, VCSIS065, VCSIS066, VCSIS067, VCSIS069, VCSIS070, VCSIS071, VCSIS072
- WA Curriculum: ACSSU049, ACSHE051, ACSIS053, ACSIS054, ACSIS057, ACSIS215, ACSIS058, ACSIS060
Suggested teaching strategies
Introduction
- Display the digital lesson on your smartboard to introduce thermometers.
- The student summary and worksheet page should be used together.
- Students could work in a small group of up to five to complete the experiments. Instructions for the procedure for the experiments and to complete the table are provided in the next column. These could be written for students to follow, related orally or given as a mixture of oral and written format.
Development
- To assist in discussing the student summary, show students how traditional glass tube thermometers, digital and strip thermometers work.
- Provide students with printable versions of the student text and worksheet. Have students complete the worksheet. Students could work in a small group of up to five to complete the experiment sheet. Instructions for the experiment are as below:
1. As a class, choose 5 different places for each group to position their containers; e.g. freezer, fridge, classroom, outside in shade, outside in full sun. Students list these in their table.
2. Before they start, students rate the places (within their group) from 1 to 5—1 where they think a container will get the warmest and 5 the coolest.
3. Students take turns to pour 250 mL cold water into their group’s 5 identical containers. (All groups should have the same; e.g. glasses, glass jars, clear plastic cups. Don’t use containers that are too insulated as this may affect the water temperature too much.) The water temperature is measured and the time recorded.
4. Each container is placed in position. Note: Thermometers should not be left in the containers. Bring inside so each new reading will be unaffected by continual heat/cold.
5. Students take three more readings over the next couple of hours, and record in appropriate column. After the last reading, they rate the containers again and discuss and compare the results among the groups. Results can be recorded on graphs. (Also discuss what made the procedure a fair test.)
Differentiation
- The experiment method could be written for students to follow, related orally or given as a mixture of oral and written format.
Conclusion
- Groups should review their experiment results and check to see if they all achieved similar results. Discrepancies in results may be due to reading the thermometer incorrectly.
Assessments
Worksheet answers
1. thermometer, temperature, hot, cold
2. The liquid expands and rises up the tube as the temperature rises and contracts and lowers as the temperature falls.
3. Because the heat from your hands will transfer to the glass tube and make the temperature rise (giving a false reading).
4. (a) 15 ºC (b) 5 ºC (c) 37 ºC (d) 28 ºC
5. Possible answers: Tube thermometers are harder to handle because of heat transfer/made of glass which can break; Digital reading is easier to read than that of a tube thermometer.
Science as a Human Endeavour question
Lists could include: heaters of various forms, air conditioners, ovens, irons, electric blankets, pizza ovens, hair straighteners, hair dryers, washing machines, toasters, refrigerators, hot plates, clothes dryers, coffee makers.
Investigation sheet answers
Teacher check.
Student Pages












A thermometer is an instrument used to measure temperature.
Temperature is how hot or cold something is – or the amount of heat it has.

Different kinds of thermometers are used to measure the temperature of different things.



It contains a thin glass tube of coloured liquid.
The liquid expands and rises up the tube as the temperature rises, and contracts and lowers as the temperature falls.

Science – Unit 4 – lesson 3 – image – thermometer

The tube containing the liquid is marked in degrees so the temperature can be read.
The thermometer shown is marked in degrees using a scale called Celsius.
The temperature is 25°C.


If a thermometer like the one show is used to measure temperature, it should be hung or stood up vertically (upright).

It should not be held with your hands around the tube while taking temperature readings as the heat from your hands will transfer to the glass and make the temperature rise.



The temperature can be read by making sure your eyes are level with the top of the liquid in the tube.
If you look at the reading from above or below the level, it will not be the same.

Some thermometers are digital.
They contain a tiny device called a thermistor.
This measures the temperature which is then displayed on a screen.


Another type of thermometer is shaped like a strip of card. It has different inks on it which change colour according to the temperature.
Digital and strip thermometers are easier to use than a tube thermometer.
Knowing the temperature is useful for many reasons.
A person’s temperature should be around 37°C (Celsius).
A thermometer can tell if our temperature is too high and we have a fever.



Cooks and chefs measure the temperature of fridges, ovens and food so it can be cooked, stored and served correctly.


Science – Unit 4 – lesson 3 – roast meat


Vehicles like cars, trucks and planes have instrumens that show if an engine is overheating.



We like to know the temperature so we can dress for the weather and plan outdoor activities.

Science – Unit 4 – Lesson 3 – image – rain boots

Downloads

Student Summary
Summary of student page information

Worksheet
Activities for students to complete

Investigation Worksheet
An experiment to consolidate learnings