Unit:Lesson Plan Template

Thermodynamics
Lesson plans
Brian O’Neill
EDTECH 506
Summer 2014

Lesson Title:
The zeroth law: Thermal equilibrium

Grade/Age Level:
11th-12th grade

Subject Area:
Honors physics (could be adapted for college-prep physics)

Time allotted for the lesson (express in number of class meetings and/or
number of hours):
One class period

Short description of lesson (write a brief, yet concise description of what

occurs in this lesson):
In this lesson, the learners are introduced to the concept of thermal equilibrium and the
zeroth law of thermodynamics.

Local curriculum standards & objectives met in this lesson:

Students will know…
1. Know the definition of temperature
2. Know that heat flow (like work) is a transfer of energy
3. Know that the internal energy of an object includes the energy of random motion of the
object’s particles and their intermolecular bonds
Instructional Procedures
a. Lesson Set: The lesson will open with a demonstration of a standard liquid
thermometer and discussion of how it works.

b. Techniques and activities: Students will pre-read sections 13-1 to 13-3 in Giancoli
before coming to class. In class students will navigate to the “Zeroth law” page
of the Thermodynamics site. After reading the text, they will complete an
activity linked from the PhET website.

c. Lesson Closure: Students will work with a partner to complete discussion

questions based on PhET activity.

Adaptations for special learners

For students with attention deficit or processing disorders, the self-pacing of the PhET
online activity will allow them to take it in at their own speed. The teacher will be available
to check in with all students to see how they are progressing and can check to make sure
that special learners are on track and understanding the instructions.

Supplemental Activities
Extension: For students who would benefit from an extra investigation, have them research
the origin and conversion between different temperature scales. They should record their
findings along with their discussion questions in a notebook.

Assessment/Evaluation
This lesson will rely solely on informal, formative assessment provided by the teacher
through discussion and checking in with students as they work. When all students have
completed the activity, the teacher will lead a discussion based on students’ responses in
order to assess if students, overall, understand the fundamental concepts of the zeroth law
of thermodynamics.

Learner Products
Students will answer questions regarding the zeroth law
Lesson Title:
The first law: Conservation of energy in thermodynamic processes

Grade/Age Level:
11th-12th grade

Subject Area:
Honors physics (could be adapted for college-prep physics)

Time allotted for the lesson (express in number of class meetings and/or
number of hours):
One class period

Short description of lesson (write a brief, yet concise description of what

occurs in this lesson):
In this lesson, the learners are introduced to the first law of thermodynamics by
investigating different processes that can happen to a sample of gas. The online
simulation shows heat being added or taken away from and work being done on or by a
sample of gas.

Local curriculum standards & objectives met in this lesson:

Students will know…
5. 1st law of thermodynamics
a. In word form
b. In equation form
c. Know that the 1st law of thermodynamics is essentially a statement of conservation
of energy.
6. Use 1st law of thermodynamics to solve problems about heat, work, and energy
7. For each of the four main types of thermodynamic processes, be able to describe its
characteristics and which gas law it corresponds to (if any):
a. Isothermal
b. Isobaric
c. Isochoric
d. Adiabatic

Instructional Procedures
a. Lesson Set: The lesson will open with a demonstration of a heat syringe to show
an example of an adiabatic compression and the relationship between heat,
work, and temperature. Students will be asked to explain how a heat syringe
works using concepts they have learned from the lesson.
 b. Techniques and activities: Students will read sections 15-1 and 15-2 in Giancoli
before coming to class. In class students will read over the first law of
thermodynamics page of the Thermodynamics site and complete the linked
activity, using the PhET simulation, “Gas Properties.” This activity is a full online
lab that guides students to see the relationships between pressure, volume, and
temperature through different processes that can be done to a sample of gas.

c. Lesson Closure: Students will close lesson by answering questions about gas laws
and the four types of thermodynamic processes.

Adaptations for special learners

For students with attention deficit or processing disorders, the self-pacing of the PhET
online activity will allow them to take it in at their own speed. The teacher will be
available to check in with all students to see how they are progressing and can check to
make sure that special learners are on track and understanding the instructions.

Supplemental Activities
Extension: For students who would benefit from an additional challenge, have them
create a table making connections between the three gas laws, the four
thermodynamics processes, and the equation for the first law of thermodynamics.

Assessment/Evaluation
Assessment of learning from this lesson will be based on students’ lab reports they
create using the PhET simulation, “Gas Properties.” Student work will demonstrate if
they have mastered an understanding of the first law of thermodynamics and
conservation of energy.

Learner Products
Students will be producing a lab report that includes graphs and answers to discussion
questions about thermodynamic processes that can be done to a sample of gas.
Lesson Title:
The second law: Entropy

Grade/Age Level:
11th-12th grade

Subject Area:
Honors physics (could be adapted for college-prep physics)

Time allotted for the lesson (express in number of class meetings and/or
number of hours):
One class period

Short description of lesson (write a brief, yet concise description of what

occurs in this lesson):
In this lesson, the learners are introduced to the second law of thermodynamics and
learn its three different but equivalent forms.

Local curriculum standards & objectives met in this lesson:

Students will…
13. Define entropy
14. State and explain the 2nd law of thermodynamics
a. In word form
b. Know that the 2nd law of thermodynamics dictates which direction energy
transfer happens
c. Describe (hypothetical) situations that would satisfy the 1st law but violate the
2nd law of thermodynamics

Instructional Procedures
a. Lesson Set: The lesson will open with a demonstration of simple heat engine,
which shows how energy from a hot source can be used to do work. This will tie
in to the first version of the second law, which limits the available energy that
can be harnessed into work from a hot source.

b. Techniques and activities: Students will read sections 15-4 to 15-7 in Giancoli
before the lesson to prepare for learning about the second law. In class,
students will read the page dedicated to the second law on the Thermodynamics
site. At the end of this page there is a video about entropy and some discussion
questions, which they will answer in their notebook. After completing the
second law, students will navigate to the “Applications” page, which discusses
 two real-life applications of second law principles: a refrigerator and a four-
stroke (internal combustion) engine. On this page students will read a
description of the two cycles and be presented with some comprehension
questions.

c. Lesson Closure: This lesson will come to a close with students reflecting on the
thermodynamic processes that are used in various applications and how they are
related to the first and second laws of thermodynamics.

Adaptations for special learners

For students with attention deficit or processing disorders, the self-pacing of the online
activity will allow them to take it in at their own speed. The teacher will be available to
check in with all students to see how they are progressing and can check to make sure that
special learners are on track and understanding the instructions.

Supplemental Activities
Extension: For students who would benefit from an additional challenge, they can be
challenged to research and explain or even build one of various heat engine types, including
various arrangements of Stirling engine.

Assessment/Evaluation:
The unit end assessment will be done first informally through observation discussion
regarding the second law and entropy. Discussion questions will be discussed as a class and
the teacher can look for misconceptions and other things to address. There will also be a
written unit test to check for mastery of objective statements.

Learner Products
By the end of this unit, students will have created multiple sections of answers to
conceptual questions. There is an opportunity to research and present information about
various heat engines, though not all students will complete that activity.

* Note for learners: This lesson plan template is adapted from the model that is recommended
in the book Preparing to Use Technology: A Practical Guide for Technology Integration.