(5-8) H6

Science Curriculum Preview Committee Clarification of Learning Results

Revised 06/29/04

5-8

H6: Describe how energy put into or taken out of a system can cause changes in the motion of particles in matter.

Curriculum Organizing Questions

How might you explain / model the changes taking place in this system at the molecular / atomic level as energy moves through the system?

How can we model changes of state at the molecular / atomic level?

How are changes in energy related to atomic / molecular motion?

What is happening in this example to energy?

What is happeningin this example to molecular motion?

Elaboration
This requires that students develop the ability to relate the macroscopic properties of substances to the microscopic structure of the substances and is not appropriate for early middle school students. NSES p.127.

Students will need an understanding of the particulate nature of matter before tackling this performance indicator.Students of all ages show a wide range of beliefs about the nature and behavior of particles. They lack an appreciation of the very small size of particles; attribute macroscopic properties to particles; believe there must be something in the space between particles; have difficulty in appreciating the intrinsic motion of particles in solids, liquids and gases; and have problems in conceptualizing forces between particles. Despite these difficulties, there is some evidence that carefully designed instruction carried out over a long period of time may help middle school students develop correct ideas about particles. Atlas p. 58.

Specific Ideas

Heat is the random motion and vibration of particles. The higher the temperature, the greater the motion of particles.Benchmarks 4D3.

Changes of state--melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation--can be explained in terms of motion of atoms / molecules. Benchmarks 4D3.

Energy put into a system (heating a material) causes particles to move faster. Benchmarks 4D3.

Energy removed from a system (cooling a material) causes particles to move slower.

Developmental & Instructional Implications
These are identified as high school concepts by the NSES.We suggest that this indicator be taught at the upper level of this grade span.

Heat energy is a difficult idea for students, who thoroughly confound it with the idea of temperature. Children may not recognize temperature as a physical parameter that can describe the condition of a material. There may be misconceptions about the idea of temperature and how to measure it. For an extensive discussion of misconceptions about temperature and heat. See Driver et al pages 138-142.

See pages 143-147 in Driver et al for a detailed description of children's ideas about energy.

Examples

Back to Big Ideas Grid H Back to Standard H Back to Index

Curriculum Organizing Questions	How might you explain / model the changes taking place in this system at the molecular / atomic level as energy moves through the system? How can we model changes of state at the molecular / atomic level? How are changes in energy related to atomic / molecular motion? What is happening in this example to energy? What is happeningin this example to molecular motion?
Elaboration	This requires that students develop the ability to relate the macroscopic properties of substances to the microscopic structure of the substances and is not appropriate for early middle school students. NSES p.127. Students will need an understanding of the particulate nature of matter before tackling this performance indicator.Students of all ages show a wide range of beliefs about the nature and behavior of particles. They lack an appreciation of the very small size of particles; attribute macroscopic properties to particles; believe there must be something in the space between particles; have difficulty in appreciating the intrinsic motion of particles in solids, liquids and gases; and have problems in conceptualizing forces between particles. Despite these difficulties, there is some evidence that carefully designed instruction carried out over a long period of time may help middle school students develop correct ideas about particles. Atlas p. 58.
Specific Ideas	Heat is the random motion and vibration of particles. The higher the temperature, the greater the motion of particles.Benchmarks 4D3. Changes of state--melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation--can be explained in terms of motion of atoms / molecules. Benchmarks 4D3. Energy put into a system (heating a material) causes particles to move faster. Benchmarks 4D3. Energy removed from a system (cooling a material) causes particles to move slower.
Developmental & Instructional Implications	These are identified as high school concepts by the NSES.We suggest that this indicator be taught at the upper level of this grade span. Heat energy is a difficult idea for students, who thoroughly confound it with the idea of temperature. Children may not recognize temperature as a physical parameter that can describe the condition of a material. There may be misconceptions about the idea of temperature and how to measure it. For an extensive discussion of misconceptions about temperature and heat. See Driver et al pages 138-142. See pages 143-147 in Driver et al for a detailed description of children's ideas about energy.
Examples