Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale

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published by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering

In this 50-minute activity for grades 3-5, students construct a simple thermometer using 2-liter bottles, straws, and an alcohol-water mixture. The main objective is to help young students understand the difference between temperature and thermal energy. A printable student worksheet, temperature conversion worksheet, assessment ideas, and vocabulary lists are included. This activity is part of a module titled "How Hot Is It?" See Related items on this page for a link to the full module.

Teach Engineering is an NSF-funded Pathway developed to provide high-quality experiential learning materials for K-12 classrooms.

https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesso...

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Thermo & Stat Mech - First Law = Heat Transfer - Thermal Properties of Matter = Temperature = Thermal Expansion	- Elementary School	- Instructional Material = Activity = Best practice = Lesson/Lesson Plan

Intended Users	Formats	Ratings
- Learners - Educators	- text/html - application/pdf	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2005 Regents of the University of Colorado
Keywords:: energy, experiential learning, heat energy, temperature, thermal energy, thermodynamics, thermometer
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created October 20, 2008 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: August 4, 2016 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: April 21, 2006
Other Collections:: The Physics Front

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Next Generation Science Standards

NGSS Science and Engineering Practices (K-12)

Analyzing and Interpreting Data (K-12)

Analyzing data in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to introducing quantitative approaches to collecting data and conducting multiple trials of qualitative observations. When possible and feasible, digital tools should be used. (3-5)
- Represent data in tables and various graphical displays (bar graphs and pictographs) to reveal patterns that indicate relationships. (3)

Asking Questions and Defining Problems (K-12)

Asking questions and defining problems in grades 3–5 builds on grades K–2 experiences and progresses to specifying qualitative relationships. (3-5)
- Ask questions that can be investigated and predict reasonable outcomes based on patterns such as cause and effect relationships. (4)

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions (K-12)

Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems. (3-5)
- Use evidence (e.g., measurements, observations, patterns) to construct an explanation. (4)
- Identify the evidence that supports particular points in an explanation. (4)

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations (K-12)

Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test solutions to problems in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to include investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions. (3-5)
- Make observations and/or measurements to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon. (4)

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking (5-12)

Mathematical and computational thinking in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to extending quantitative measurements to a variety of physical properties and using computation and mathematics to analyze data and compare alternative design solutions. (5)
- Measure and graph quantities such as weight to address scientific and engineering questions and problems. (5)

NGSS Nature of Science Standards (K-12)

Analyzing and Interpreting Data (K-12)

Analyzing data in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to introducing quantitative approaches to collecting data and conducting multiple trials of qualitative observations. When possible and feasible, digital tools should be used. (3-5)

Asking Questions and Defining Problems (K-12)

Asking questions and defining problems in grades 3–5 builds on grades K–2 experiences and progresses to specifying qualitative relationships. (3-5)

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions (K-12)

Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems. (3-5)

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations (K-12)

Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test solutions to problems in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to include investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions. (3-5)

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking (5-12)

Mathematical and computational thinking in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to extending quantitative measurements to a variety of physical properties and using computation and mathematics to analyze data and compare alternative design solutions. (5)

AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)

1. The Nature of Science

1B. Scientific Inquiry

3-5: 1B/E1. Scientific investigations may take many different forms, including observing what things are like or what is happening somewhere, collecting specimens for analysis, and doing experiments.
3-5: 1B/E2b. One reason for following directions carefully and for keeping records of one's work is to provide information on what might have caused differences in investigations.

4. The Physical Setting

4E. Energy Transformations

3-5: 4E/E2b. When warmer things are put with cooler ones, heat is transferred from the warmer ones to the cooler ones.
3-5: 4E/E2c. A warmer object can warm a cooler one by contact or at a distance.

11. Common Themes

11C. Constancy and Change

3-5: 11C/E2b. Often the best way to tell which kinds of change are happening is to make a table or graph of measurements.

12. Habits of Mind

12B. Computation and Estimation

3-5: 12B/E6. Add or subtract any two whole numbers between 1 and 100.
3-5: 12B/E9. Use appropriate units when describing quantities.

12C. Manipulation and Observation

3-5: 12C/E1. Choose appropriate common materials for making simple mechanical constructions and repairing things.
3-5: 12C/E2. Measure out a prescribed amount of a liquid or dry powder using a measuring cup, measuring spoon, or scale.
3-5: 12C/E3. Keep written or electronic records of information so that the records are understandable weeks or months later.

12D. Communication Skills

3-5: 12D/E3. Use numerical data in describing and comparing objects and events.
3-5: 12D/E4. Read simple tables and graphs produced by others and describe what the tables and graphs show.
3-5: 12D/E7. Write a clear and accurate description of a real-world object or event.

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=8201">Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering. Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale. Boulder: Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering, April 21, 2006.</a>

AIP Format

(Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering, Boulder, 2005), WWW Document, (https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson06_activity1).

AJP/PRST-PER

Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale (Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering, Boulder, 2005), <https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson06_activity1>.

APA Format

Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale. (2006, April 21). Retrieved May 1, 2025, from Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering: https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson06_activity1

Chicago Format

Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering. Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale. Boulder: Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering, April 21, 2006. https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson06_activity1 (accessed 1 May 2025).

MLA Format

Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale. Boulder: Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering, 2005. 21 Apr. 2006. 1 May 2025 <https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson06_activity1>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Title = {Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale}, Publisher = {Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering}, Volume = {2025}, Number = {1 May 2025}, Month = {April 21, 2006}, Year = {2005} }

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%T Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale %D April 21, 2006 %I Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering %C Boulder %U https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson06_activity1 %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %D April 21, 2006 %T Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale %I Integrated Teaching and Learning Program: Teach Engineering %V 2025 %N 1 May 2025 %8 April 21, 2006 %9 text/html %U https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson06_activity1

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Teach Engineering: Make Your Own Temperature Scale:

Is Part Of Teach Engineering: How Hot Is It?

A link to the full module that accompanies this activity.

relation by Caroline Hall

Accompanies Teach Engineering: How Much Heat Will It Hold?

This inquiry-based lab by the same authors explores the concept of heat capacity and how it is related to thermal energy storage. Appropriate for Grades 3-5.

relation by Caroline Hall

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