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Unit Plan
Virginia Middle School Engineering Education Initiative

Save the Penguins: An Introduction to Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Heat things up in your physical science class with this interactive lesson series on thermodynamics. Through a series of class demonstrations and experiments, young scientists learn how heat is transferred through conduction, convention,...
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Lesson Plan
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Science 4 Inquiry

Investigating How Heat Flows

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
It is impossible to cool down a glass of water by adding ice. Young scientists explore heat transfer through videos, experiments, and interactive games. They quickly catch on that the water melts the ice and things aren't always as they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Temperature and Thermal Energy

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Examine how heat can be transferred between systems by reconstructing a diagram on energy flow and solving problems on heat flow and work done.
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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Molar Heat of Fusion for Water

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How can you describe heat of fusion in a way the class understands and relates the importance of this concept to present day issues? In this third lesson of the series, learners conduct an experiment, demonstrating the flow of heat...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Typical Conceptual Questions for Physics I - Heat

For Students 9th - 12th
This worksheet would make a nifty quiz on the laws of thermodynamics. Nine multiple choice questions assess high schoolers' understanding of energy transfer, specific heat capacity, phase change, fusion, and vaporization. It is short but...
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Interactive
Concord Consortium

Specific Heat and Latent Heat in Condensation

For Students 9th - 12th
There's more to melting than meets the eye! Junior physical chemists investigate the differences between specific and latent heats as a substance undergoes a phase change. Users remove heat from the system and observe changes in kinetic...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heat and Thermodynamics

For Teachers 9th - 12th
This is actually a 10-day mini unit on thermal energy for your high school chemists. Every avenue is taken to get learners absorbed in heat: a pretest, a PowerPoint presentation, Internet exploration, demonstrations, lab activities, and...
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Lesson Plan
University of Georgia

Heating and Cooling of Land Forms

For Students 9th - 12th
Compare heating and cooling rates of different land forms. A lab activity has groups collect data on the rate of heating and cooling of soil, grass, saltwater, fresh water, and sand. An analysis of the rates shows how the different land...
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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Thermal Energy Flow in Materials

For Teachers 6th Standards
The sun sends the earth 35,000 times the amount of energy required by all of us on the entire planet, every day. The fourth lesson in the 10-part series looks at how light energy from the sun transfers into thermal energy. Scholars build...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Solar-Heated Water

For Students 6th - 12th
Heat up some interest in solar energy. Young engineers create a water heater that runs on solar power (simulated by a lamp). Using thermometers, they determine the change in temperature before and after the water goes through the heater.
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Activity
It's About Time

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Emerging biochemists more fully understand the flow of energy in ecosystems as they explore the laws of thermodynamics and relate them to energy transfer in food chains. They also investigate heat loss from the human body and how...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Elementary Concepts in Heat

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders read a thermometer with accuracy, record observations and data, and infer conceptual meaning. They integrate mathematical charting and graphing skills to organize their data. They explore what happens when they touch or use...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Managing Heat

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders perform various experiments to show the flow of energy that causes heat. For this heat lesson, 3rd graders understand how heat is transferred or trapped. Students use the scientific method and critical thinking skills to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceanic Heat Budget Activities

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners map and research imaginary islands located in different parts of the world. They describe the weather and climate of their island and show how local currents, water temperatures and waves may influence the weather patterns.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is the Coast Really Toast?: A Lesson About Volcanoes, Phase Changes, and the Art of Estimation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Clever! Use a clip from the 1997 film, Volcano, to get your chemistry class knee-deep in heat concepts related to lava. In the movie scene, lava flow is stopped in the nick of time. Your class must use calculations to determine if this...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Student Reading - The Unique Properties of Water

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Without water there would be no life on this planet. Biology learners find out why by reading this handout. Create a worksheet of questions to answer after the reading. Follow it up with quick demonstrations or laboratory activities that...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Skin Temperature

For Students 9th - 12th
In this skin temperature worksheet, high schoolers read about the temperature of the core and the skin of the human body. They answer four critical thinking questions about regulating body temperature.
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PPT
Science Geek

Thermochemical Calculations

For Students 10th - Higher Ed
Viewers learn where the heat goes when phase changes take place with a presentation that explains the latent heat of phase changes, or, more specifically, the molar heat of fusion, solidification, vaporization, and condensation. The show...
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PPT
Urbana School District

Thermodynamics

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed Standards
Entropy, it isn't what it used to be. Presentation includes kinetic-molecular theory, heat and internal energy, thermal equilibrium, temperature scales, laws of thermodynamics, entropy, latent heat of fusion, specific heat, calorimetry,...
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Lesson Plan
University of Minnesota

Homeostasis of Thermoregulation

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Whether you're battling the flu or trying to warm up on a chilly day, your body's ability to react to temperature change is fascinating! Anatomy scholars discover the fantastic feedback loops that control body temperature in a rigorous...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Demonstration of Factors Affecting Soil Temperature

For Teachers 1st - 7th
Learners examine the influences of water and mulch on soil temperature.  For this investigative activity students complete a soil experiment. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping a Temperature Field

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students measure and graph temperatures. In this temperature field lesson students use a map to measure and plot field values and construct isolines and interpret the results.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sun and Temperatures

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students consider the relationship of temperature to environmental conditions and then apply their knowledge to a practical event. The task assesses students' knowledge and application of that knowledge to an additional situation.
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Earth's Global Energy Budget

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Introduce your earth science enthusiasts to the earth's energy budget. Teach them using an informative set of slides that include illuminating lecturer's notes, relevant vocabulary, embedded animations, colorful satellite maps, and a...