Using Task Cards in Teaching Methods of Thermal Energy Transfer

Under the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science one of the standards for Grade 6 is to investigate methods of thermal energy transfer including conduction, convection, and radiation.  This standard can be easily taught with the help of task cards.

In my class, I usually start by having short discussions about the differences between the methods of heat transfer.  I make sure that they fully understand this first before proceeding to giving them applications.  After discussing the differences, I reinforce learning with the help of several thermal energy situations as an example.  After knowing that my students understand our lesson through few sets of examples, I usually go on with an activity that can also be categorized as a group assessment.

In this activity, I usually provide task cards with different situations written on them.  It can either be in complete sentences or just short phrases.  The students have to match them to the proper thermal energy transfer – conduction, convection or radiation.

I usually group my students for this activity.  Each group will be given six to ten cards of different methods, depending on the time limit, number of members in each group, and the availability of cards.  The answer documents are also given per group so that each of them can work on their own.

For about three to five minutes, I will let them read each card.  After reading, I will give another three to five minutes to decide where they will place the card.  For example, the situation goes like this; “A girl grabs a coin from the table and she felt very cold.  After a while, the coin gets warm due to the heat coming from her palm.”  Since the transfer of thermal energy was made possible by the contact of the two matters, the palm and the coin, the students must place the card inside the conduction box.

After the activity,  we will discuss their answers by group.  To lessen the dull moments and to continuously hold their attention, I let them get the cards one by one consecutively.  One member will read the situation and tell the class where they have placed it and we will all decide whether the group’s answer is correct or not.

There are tons of ways to use the cards.  It’s pretty easy to make you own cards, but for a few bucks and a ton of save time you can buy the conduction, convection, radiation cards that we use in our classes.

There are times where a situation can fall under two methods.  During these times, the class unintentionally generates debate and I just listen to their ideas.  Once everybody has shared their ideas, I explain to them that several situations may fall under two methods depending on the circumstances they are considering.

Hope you will enjoy it once you try it in your own class!