Introductory Activity :

Duration: 1 week

Description: "Hot Rot" should be conducted over the course of a week. Students measure the amount of heat energy created by decomposing organic matter.

Goals:

1. Students will recognize various forms of energy (e.g., heat, light, and electricity) and understand the many ways in which energy can be transformed form one type to another.
2. Students will understand that various forms of energy (e.g., mechanical, chemical, electrical, magnetic, nuclear, and radiant) can be measured in ways that make it possible to determine the amount of energy that is transformed.
3. Students will learn ways that heat can move from one object to another.

Body :

Divide the class into two groups. Each group receives the necessary materials to complete the experiment. Also, each student receives a data log sheet. One group will use mulch in the experiment, and the other group will use potting soil.

Students shovel 500 grams of potting soil or cypress mulch into a gallon zipper bag. Students weigh each of the following items and then place them in the gallon bag: banana peel (5cm x 5cm), piece of styrofoam (5cm x 5cm), 5cm x 5cm piece of writing paper, cracker (5cm x 5cm), and 5 grams of leaves. Students are encouraged to be as accurate as possible when measuring items in order to control the variables. Students should record the weights of the above items on their data log sheet. Each bag should be labeled with the name of each group member.

Students weigh the bag and its contents using the scale. Next, a thermometer is placed in the bag to take an initial reading. The weight of the entire bag and the initial temperature should be recorded on the data log sheet. Ask students to calculate the weight of the plastic bag. After all data has been recorded, the thermometer should be removed. The bag should be zipped closed and placed on a windowsill (or outside in a sunny area).

Over the next few days, students take temperature and weight measurements and record this information on their data log sheets. Make sure that students also collect qualitative data. At the conclusion of the experiment, compare data from the two groups (mulch and potting soil), discussing variables and results. Ask students to compose graphs showing the differences in temperature and weight for the two situations. Students should also write a summary of what they learned from conducting this experiment.

Conclusion Activity :

Vocabulary:

1. Conduction - When energy is passed directly from one item to another.
2. Convection - The movement of gases or liquids from a cooler spot to a warmer spot.
3. Radiation - The final form of movement of heat energy. The sun's light and heat cannot reach us by conduction or convention, because space is almost completely empty. There is nothing to transfer the energy from the sun to the earth. The sun's rays travel in straight lines called heat rays. When it moves like that, it is called radiation.
4. Biomass Energy - Organic material such as dead tree branches, grass clippings, leaves, or even household trash contains energy that is released when the material is broken down through mechanical processes, chemical processes, or through decomposition.
5. Quantitative Data - Any information that can be collected through means of measurement (temperature, weight, mass, density, volume, etc.)
6. Qualitative Data - Qualitative data is extremely varied in nature. It includes virtually any information that can be captured that is not numerical in nature.
7. The Scientific Process - An organized method of coming to a conclusion. The steps in this process include asking a question, forming a hypothesis, making inferences, developing a procedure, recognizing the variables (controlled and non-controlled), and communicating the data and results accurately.

Vocabulary Words :

• Conduction - When energy is passed directly from one item to another.
  

Evaluation Activity :

Collect students' data log sheets and summaries to check for understanding.

Internet Resources Referenced in this Lesson :

California Energy Commission Education