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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: How Greenhouse Gases Absorb Heat

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this experiment students observe two model atmospheres: one with normal atmospheric composition and another with an elevated concentration of CO2. These two contained atmospheres will be exposed to light energy in a sunny window or...
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Activity
Science is Fun

Science Is Fun: Rubber Bands and Heat

For Students 4th - 8th
An experiment to investigate the thermal properties of rubber by studying its behavior in different scenarios. A discussion of how entropy explains what is observed is provided.
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Energy Efficiency

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners measure energy outputs and inputs to determine the efficiency of conversions and simple systems. One associated activitiy includes Lego motors and accomplishing work. The other investigates energy for heating water. Students...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Energy in Our Lives Carousel

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This activity is a way for students to discover that they already know a lot about energy through their own life experiences. As active consumers of various forms of energy, they are aware of energy purchases for electricity, home...
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Website
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Burning Biofuels: Comparing Nonrenewable and Renewable Fuels

For Students 9th - 10th
Will using agrofuel offer a substantial alternative to using fossil fuel? With this experiment you can compare the amount of heat energy released by agrofuel and fossil fuel. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently...
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Handout
Purdue University

Purdue University: Thermal Convection

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students build a model representing the properties of Earth's mantle, illustrating how thermal energy creates movement in a fluid.
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Activity
Other

Physics Labs: Heat of Fusion (Hf) of Ice

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete set of directions, notes and suggestions for a lab involving the determination of the heat of fusion of ice. Suitable for a student project or lab investigation.
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Activity
Other

Physics Labs/heat of Vaporization (Hv) of Water

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A complete set of directions, notes and suggestions for a demonstration involving the determination of the heat of vaporization of water. Suitable for a student project or lab investigation.
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Activity
Other

Physics Labs/specific Heat (C) of Metal

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A complete set of directions, notes, and suggestions for a lab involving the determination of the specific heat values for various metals. Suitable for a student project or lab investigation.
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Unit Plan
Carnegie Mellon University

Chem Collective: Meals Ready to Eat

For Students 9th - 10th
While camping on the Appalachian Trail, a storm dampens all the fire wood and you must design a chemical reaction to heat your meal. In this activity, students design an experiment in the virtual lab to determine the heat of reaction for...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Cooking With the Sun Creating a Solar Oven

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
For this activity, students will be given a set of materials: cardboard, a set of insulating materials (i.e. foam, newspaper, etc.), aluminum foil, and Plexiglas. Students will then become engineers in building a solar oven from the...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Huddle and Cuddle: How Puppies Keep Warm

For Students 9th - 10th
In this mammalian biology science fair project, students will determine how much huddling reduces heat loss in warm-blooded animals. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Project Ideas: How Horses Keep Warm in the Wind

For Students Pre-K - 1st
In this mammalian biology science fair project, students will learn about methods of heat transfer and determine the best direction in which horses should stand in a cold wind to maintain their core temperature. The Science Buddies...
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Handout
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

Magnet Academy: James Joule

For Students 9th - 10th
James Prescott Joule experimented with engines, electricity and heat throughout his life. Joule's findings resulted in his development of the mechanical theory of heat and Joule's law, which quantitatively describes the rate at which...
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Why Is the Earth Still Hot Inside?

For Teachers 11th - 12th
In this lesson, students conduct heat transfer experiments to investigate why the Earth is still hot at its core, even after billions of years since its formation. They will learn that the rate of heat transfer is dependent on an...
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Activity
Science is Fun

Science Is Fun: The Fireproof Balloon

For Students 4th - 8th
In this experiment, two balloons are each placed over a lighted match, but the one that has had water placed inside it does not burst. Includes an explanation of why that is so.
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Interactive
Museum of Science

The Atoms Family

For Students 3rd - 8th
Let this classic family of monsters guide you as you learn about energy. Interactive exercises, experiments, and demonstrations help to build knowledge and raise questions.
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Activity
Museum of Science

Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Get the Porridge Just Right

For Students 3rd - 8th
Step-by-step illustrated instructions for an experiment investigating the loss of heat in three bowls of porridge.
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Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Give and Take

For Students 9th - 10th
An activity for students to explore how dark-colored materials absorb and emit more energy vs. light-colored material.
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Activity
Bill Nye

Bill Nye: Burn Rubber

For Students 9th - 10th
This tutorial from Bill Nye explains how to perform a simple experiment with a rubber band. The experiment demonstrates how friction can dissipate energy as heat.
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Activity
Science Fun for Everyone

Science Fun: Polar Bear Blubber

For Students 3rd - 5th
How can polar bears live in such cold climates? In this experiment, you will make your own blubber to understand how polar bears stay warm.
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Newton's Law of Cooling

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers come to see the exponential trend demonstrated through the changing temperatures measured while heating and cooling a beaker of water. This task is accomplished by first appealing to students' real-life heating and...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: A Matter of Degrees: Tilt of Earth's Axis Affects the Seasons

For Students 3rd - 8th
In this science fair project, use a globe and a heat lamp to investigate how the angle of the Sun affects global warming. This project includes the objective, background questions, a list of all the materials you'll need, and the...
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Lesson Plan
Michigan Reach Out

Solar S'mores

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students can make s'mores without using a bonfire. This experiment is great to use with the links "Materials that Absorb Solar Energy" and "A Solar Heat Experiment."