Curated OER
Yesterday in Energy
Clever! Collaborative groups of environmental scientists create a museum exhibit and presentation for an energy-using activity such as heating a home or transportation. They must compare past to present use of energy for that particular...
Curated OER
Beat the Heat: Meander Through These Books
A hazy, daisy, lazy summer reading list for math (and interdisciplinary) learning.
Discovery Education
It's Getting Hot in Here
Class members engage in a STEM experiment and investigate how materials affect heating in a house by creating models of houses and using different top surface materials. They record the temperature inside the models and consider what the...
Teach Engineering
Beating the Motion Sensor
I bet I can cross the room without having the lights come on. Class members set up an experiment in which they try to determine what materials will mask motion detected by a sensor. Groups predict how materials will interact with light,...
Curated OER
Environmentally Friendly Home
Young scholars discuss ways to make homes more environmentally friendly. They comprehend ways to reduce home resource consumption, such as passive solar heating, insulation, and geothermal heating and cooling
Curated OER
Shrinking Air
In this science investigation worksheet, students follow the listed procedures to find out how temperature affects air pressure as they heat and cool balloons.
Curated OER
Things Are Heating Up
In this science instructional activity, students read about chemical changes. Students also answer 3 comprehension questions about the reading.
Curated OER
Sand or Rock? Finding Out From 1,000 km
Young scholars observe how measurements are made with different instruments. In this remote sensing activity students investigate the physical state of surfaces including the surfaces of the solar system.
Curated OER
What Happens When Air is Heater or Cooled?
In this air pressure worksheet, students use a can to demonstrate how air pressure collapses a can when placed in hot water.
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Wet All Over Clean-up!
Students investigate the water cycle using activities from The Magic School Bus series. They determine what happens when water is heated and cooled by observing two different experimental set-ups.
Curated OER
Maintaining Body Heat
Students observe and compare heat loss in different objects with surface-to-volume ratios. They transfer this comparison to the physical characteristics of animals in their environment. They focus on how whales maintain their body heat.
Curated OER
Keeping Cool
Young scholars investigate the air conditioner units around the school. They chart the temperature by placing a thermometer in different situations and decide how to keep cool and save energy in the summer.
American Chemical Society
Temperature Affects Density
Different substances can have different densities, but can the same substance have different densities? Lesson explores the effect of temperature on the density of water. Extension idea connects the concept of how melting ice in lakes...
Weebly
Definitions of Conduction, Convection, and Radiation
There's quite a bit in this physical science packet. First, how is heat transferred? Learners read a brief explanation of conduction, convection, and radiation before identifying common occurrences (with pictures) as one of the three....
Colorado State University
How Can Freezing Make Something Warmer?
Crazy fact—freezing liquid actually gives off heat! Young scholars investigate the transfer of energy when liquids freeze using a chemical heat pack. The heat pack gives off heat as its liquid core freezes.
Curated OER
A Day at the Beach
Help learners determine the rate of change for the temperature of sand. They will collect data on the temperature of wet and dry sand over time with a heat lamp overhead. Then make a scatter plot of the data and find a linear model to...
Nomad Press
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions: Make Your Own Plastic
When you hear Leonardo da Vinci mentioned, chances are that you think of the Mona Lisa, or flying machines—but what about plastic? Learners blend heavy cream and vinegar over heat to replicate da Vinci's early organic plastic recipe.
Colorado State University
How Can I Turn a Solar Oven into a Refrigerator?
Whether you want to heat things up in science class or cool things down a bit, an intriguing lab's got you covered! Science scholars explore the principles of thermodynamics using a solar oven, then change the conditions to turn their...
Teach Engineering
How Hot is Hot?
Elementary schoolers identify the three methods of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. The instructional activity is mostly lecture-based. When the teacher has finished the presentation, groups of pupils get into teams...
Curated OER
The Same, But Different Part II
Learners characterize a physical change as something that changes to a different size, but retains its basic substance. They measure volumes using milliliters, and perform an experiment that proves that gases expand when hot and contract...
Virginia Department of Education
States of Matter
Scientists have been studying exothermic reactions before they were cool. The lesson begins with a discussion and a demonstration of heat curves. Scholars then determine the heat of fusion of ice and the heat needed to boil water through...
Curated OER
Determining the Molar Mass of a Gas
Young scholars determine the molar mass of a gas. In this molar mass of a gas lesson plan, students use the vapor density of an organic solvent to determine its molar mass. They vaporize the solvent and collect the vapor. Once it is...
Colorado State University
Can Gravity Push Something Up?
How does a hot air balloon fly? An experimental lesson has scholars build a balloon from a garbage bag and monitor the movement of air. As the temperature of the air in the balloon increases, gravity moves the denser cool air down,...
Colorado State University
Can Boiling Make Something Freeze?
Use boiling as an avenue for freezing. Young scholars watch as liquid nitrogen removes heat from the ingredients for ice cream. As this happens, the nitrogen boils and the ice cream freezes—all in the same container. A little science magic!