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Students have a lot of alternative conceptions about heat and temperature. This website designed for teachers to help students improve their conceptions of heat and temperature through a series of three in-depth lessons. The lessons are not designed to be completed in a single class, and they do not have strict timings included. Instead, they are designed more like small workshops, and each lesson could go on for numerous sessions. The extent to which the lessons are explored is completely up to the teacher; use as much or as little of the lessons as you see fit for your particular group!
These lessons make heavy use of the Energy2D Interactive Heat Simulation tool as well Google Apps such as Google Docs and Google Sheets. Teachers using the resources within on site should be are experienced in the topics of heat and temperature, and the lessons are designed for high school students with some prior knowledge of the topics.
This website focuses specifically on six of the 35 alternative conceptions identified in the Introductory Thermal Concept Evaluation (TCE) by Yeo & Zadnik (2001):
Although it's up to you as a teacher how you'd like to use this site, the lessons were designed to be delivered in the following order:
Teacher Support materials, Energy2D software, and tutorial videos can be found using the navigation tools at the top of this page. Academic Background and References can also be found there.
These lessons make heavy use of the Energy2D Interactive Heat Simulation tool as well Google Apps such as Google Docs and Google Sheets. Teachers using the resources within on site should be are experienced in the topics of heat and temperature, and the lessons are designed for high school students with some prior knowledge of the topics.
This website focuses specifically on six of the 35 alternative conceptions identified in the Introductory Thermal Concept Evaluation (TCE) by Yeo & Zadnik (2001):
- Objects of different temperature that are in contact with each other, or in contact with air at different temperature, do not necessarily move toward the same temperature.
- Skin or touch can determine temperature.
- Perceptions of hot and cold are unrelated to energy transfer.
- Heat only travels upward.
- Heat rises.
- Heat and cold flow like liquids.
Although it's up to you as a teacher how you'd like to use this site, the lessons were designed to be delivered in the following order:
- TCE Pre-Test (for students)
- Lesson 1
- Lesson 2
- Lesson 3
- TCE Post-Test (for students)
Teacher Support materials, Energy2D software, and tutorial videos can be found using the navigation tools at the top of this page. Academic Background and References can also be found there.
Before giving these lessons...
You should give your students the Thermal Concepts Evaluation (TCE) Pre-Test before participating in the lessons. Their responses on this test will serve as an invaluable resource for helping you determine where students need the most support. The table below can be used to match student responses with conceptions:
Note: The answer key to the TCE is not widely distributed, as doing so would risk invalidating the assessment. If you are an educator looking to use this resource, please send an email to [email protected] with the subject line "TCE Answer key". You will receive a copy of the answer key once it is confirmed that you are an educator. Alternatively, you can get a copy of the key by creating an account at PhysPort, a site dedicated to supporting physics teaching with research-based resources.
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