Which Warms Most?

Compare data for different colors and materials in the sun.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 61

Does color matter? Put black, red, white, and shiny foil cards in the sun for an hour, each with a thermometer.
The black card warmed the most! Dark colors take in more sunlight. White and shiny foil reflect, or bounce back, more sunlight, so they stay cooler.
Materials matter too: in the sun, sand warms up faster than water. That's why the sand at the beach can burn your feet while the water feels cool.
Try it with a grown-up: set a black paper and a white paper in the sun, with an ice cube on each. Which ice cube melts first?

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science:

S3P1.b — Plan and carry out an investigation to gather data using thermometers to produce tables and charts that illustrate the effect of sunlight on various objects. (Clarification statement: The use of both Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales is expected.)