Furnace Fixer Words - Teacher Script

Warm-Up: What Heats Your Home? (5 minutes)

Teacher: Good morning, everyone! I hope you are all feeling warm today. We're going to talk about how our homes stay warm, especially during colder weather. Can anyone tell me what machines or systems keep your homes warm?

(Listen to student responses. Guide them towards 'heater,' 'radiator,' or 'furnace'.)

Teacher: Excellent! Many of you mentioned heaters. Today, we're going to focus on a very common one called a furnace. Has anyone heard this word before? A furnace is the main machine that heats the air in many homes and then blows that warm air through your house. It's super important, and knowing a few words about it can really help us understand our homes better and even know what to say if something needs fixing! So, let's become furnace word experts!

Vocabulary Introduction with Visuals (10 minutes)

(Advance to Furnace Fixer Words Slide Deck - Slide 1: 'Furnace Fixer Words')

Teacher: Let's look at our first important word.

(Advance to Slide 2: 'What is a Furnace?')

Teacher: This is what a furnace looks like. As I said, it’s a big machine that heats air and pushes it around your house to keep you warm. Think of it as the heart of your home's heating system.

(Advance to Slide 3: 'Thermostat')

Teacher: Our first vocabulary word is thermostat. Can everyone say 'thermostat'?

(Wait for repetition)

Teacher: A thermostat is like the control panel for your furnace. It’s the device you use to tell your home how warm or cool you want it to be. You set the temperature here. For example, 'I set the thermostat to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.' If your house feels too cold, what is one of the first things you might check or change?

(Elicit 'thermostat')

(Advance to Slide 4: 'Air Filter')

Teacher: Next, we have air filter. Please repeat 'air filter.'

(Wait for repetition)

Teacher: Just like your car has a filter to keep the engine clean, a furnace has an air filter. This filter catches dust and dirt from the air before the air gets heated and sent into your rooms. It helps keep the air in your home clean and helps the furnace work well. A good rule is 'You should change your furnace's air filter every three months.' Why do you think it's important to change the filter?

(Elicit responses like 'to keep air clean,' 'for health,' 'for furnace to work better')

(Advance to Slide 5: 'Blower')

Teacher: Our next word is blower. Say 'blower.'

(Wait for repetition)

Teacher: The blower is a big fan inside the furnace. After the air gets heated, the blower pushes that warm air through tubes and out of the vents in your rooms. If you hear a strong whooshing sound from your vents, that's often the blower working! So, what does the blower do?

(Elicit 'pushes air,' 'moves air')

(Advance to Slide 6: 'Flame Sensor')

Teacher: Now for flame sensor. Repeat 'flame sensor.'

(Wait for repetition)

Teacher: This is a very important safety part. Inside the furnace, there's a flame that heats the air. The flame sensor is like a guard that watches this flame. If the flame goes out when it shouldn't, the flame sensor tells the furnace to stop sending gas, which is very important for safety. So, the flame sensor makes sure the furnace is working safely. What is the main job of the flame sensor?

(Elicit 'safety,' 'checks flame')

(Advance to Slide 7: 'Pilot Light')

Teacher: Our last word today is pilot light. Can you say 'pilot light'?

(Wait for repetition)

Teacher: Some older furnaces have a tiny, continuous flame called a pilot light. This small flame is always on, and its job is to light the bigger flame when your house needs to get warm. If the pilot light goes out, the furnace won't turn on. Many new furnaces don't have a pilot light, but it's a word you might hear, especially if you live in an older house. What happens if the pilot light goes out?

(Elicit 'furnace won't work,' 'no heat')

Guided Practice: Worksheet Activity (10 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 8: 'Let's Review!')

Teacher: Great job learning these new words! Now, let's practice using them. I'm going to hand out a worksheet. On this worksheet, you'll see some questions where you need to match the words to their definitions or fill in the blanks.

(Distribute the Furnace Vocabulary Worksheet.)

Teacher: Look at the first question. Let's do it together. (Read the first question aloud and guide students to the answer). See? You can use the slides on the screen to help you remember the definitions. Take your time, and I will walk around to help if you have any questions.

(Circulate and assist students. Encourage them to refer back to the slides.)

Wrap-Up & Quick Check (5 minutes)

Teacher: Alright, everyone, let's go over the answers to the worksheet together. I'll read the question, and someone can tell me what they put or what they think the answer is.

(Review answers using the Furnace Vocabulary Answer Key. Provide positive feedback and clarify any misunderstandings.)

Teacher: Fantastic work today! Can each of you tell me one new word about furnaces that you learned today?

(Call on a few students.)

Teacher: Wonderful! Knowing these words helps us understand how our homes are heated and what to do if there's a problem. You've all taken a big step towards becoming 'furnace word experts.' Good job, everyone!

Furnace Vocabulary Practice

Name: _________________________

Date: _________________________

Part 1: Match the Word to the Definition

Draw a line from each vocabulary word to its correct definition.

1. Thermostat A. A small, continuous flame that ignites the main burner in older furnaces.
2. Air Filter B. A large fan inside the furnace that pushes heated air through your home's vents.
3. Blower C. A device that controls the temperature in a building.
4. Flame Sensor D. A safety device that detects if there is a flame in the furnace. If no flame is detected, it turns off the gas.
5. Pilot Light E. A part of the furnace that cleans the air before it's heated and sent into your home.
   
   
   ## Part 2: Fill in the Blank

Use the words from the box to complete each sentence. Each word will be used only once.

Words: thermostat, filter, blower, flame sensor, pilot light

1. I need to change the dirty air _______________ in my furnace to help it run better.
   
   
   
   

2. The _______________ is set to 68 degrees, but the house feels colder.
   
   
   
   

3. When the furnace is on, you can hear the _______________ pushing the warm air out of the vents.
   
   
   
   

4. My old furnace won't turn on because the _______________ went out last night.
   
   
   
   

5. The _______________ is a safety feature that makes sure the furnace doesn't release gas if there's no flame.