Converting Celsius To Fahrenheit

Amaechi Onyeali                Carter Elementary
                               5740 So. Michigan
                               Chicago IL 60637
                               (312) 535-0860

Objectives:

1. As a result of the lesson students will be able to solve multiple step 
   equations involving addition, multiplication, and division.
2. As a result of the lesson students will be able to convert a known 
   temperature in celsius to an equal temperature in fahrenheit.
3. As a result of the lesson students will be able to accurately read a 
   thermometer in degrees celsius.

Materials Needed:

1. 6 thermometers in degrees celsius
2. 1 cup of hot water
3. 1 cup of regular water
4. 1 thermometer in degrees fahrenheit
5. calculators for each student

Strategy:

I opened my lesson with a short story.  The story talks about me driving to my 
doctors office on a hot summer day trying to figure out if the temperature had 
reached 100 degrees fahrenheit.  As I drove around all I could see were 
temperature readings on banks in degrees celsius.  Eventually I arrived at my 
doctor's office.  As we talked about the weather we both began to wonder what 
the temperature was outside.  I told him that the bank signs all showed 39 
degrees celsius.  However, a temperature in celsius does not really tell us if 
it is 100 degrees fahrenheit.  Thus we have created a problem that we need to 
solve.  Is 39 degrees celsius about 100 degrees fahrenheit? 
 
Now you can present the formula developed by Anders Celsius in 1742.  The 
formula says that if you know a temperature in degrees celsius you can convert 
it into degrees fahrenheit by: F=9/5(C)+32.  To check and see if this formula 
works, we will convert the known temperatures at which water freezes, 0 degrees 
celsius, and at which water boils, 100 degrees celsius.  They should convert to 
32 and 212 degrees fahrenheit respectively.  Students will then convert 10 
celsius temperatures to fahrenheit in their cooperative learning groups. 
Remember to follow your order of operations when solving these problems.  Have 
students go to the board and explain their answers. 

Introduce students to the 6 different stations.  Each station has a thermometer 
in degrees celsius.  Station 1 is outside, station 2 is in the back of the room, 
station 3 in the front of the room, station 4 in the hallway, station 5 in a cup 
of hot water, and station 6 is in a cup of regular water.  Ask students to 
predict which station is the hottest.  Then list them from hottest to coldest. 

Now allow students to travel to each station and record the temperatures at the
stations in degrees celsius.  While waiting to go to the next station, students
will convert temperatures to degrees fahrenheit.  After all groups have been to 
each station confirm whether or not everyone has the same answer.  Then see how 
many people made the right prediction.  After checking predictions and answers
use your fahrenheit thermometer to check the temperature of the hot and regular 
water.  You should come out with fairly accurate numbers.

To close this lesson you can take a briefcase with a three digit combination and 
place it in front of the class.  Tell them that you forgot the combination, but 
you remember that you set it on a day when it was ___ degrees celsius.  If they 
can convert this temperature to degrees fahrenheit, they will have the 
combination.  Let students work in their groups and come up with their answer. 
Give each group a try.  

Performance Assessment:

1. Students will read the temperature of 6 different thermometers in degrees 
   celsius.
2. Students will convert 6 temperatures in degrees celsius to degrees fahrenheit 
   by using a formula.
3. Students will solve multiple step equations involving addition, 
   multiplication, and division.