Carnegie Mellon University
Renewables Workshop
Youngsters examine resource maps to find out which states are using solar and wind power and discuss as a class various other renewable energy sources. They use a provided data table to record pros and cons to each technology, build and...
Curated OER
Thermal Energy
In this thermal energy learning exercise, students answer 6 questions about substances that have greater thermal energy, substances that take more thermal energy to raise their temperatures and the heat lost and gained by substances.
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Measuring Solar Energy
Students study solar energy and how to measure it. In this energy sources lesson students complete a lab, obtain data and use that to convert surface temperature to energy.
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The Magic of Solar Thermal: How the Sun Can Be Used to Heat Water
Students are introduced to how the sun is used to heat water. In this solar lesson students identify the different types of solar water heating and demonstrate how it works.
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The Great Heat Escape
Learners observe a demonstration on the role of thermal conductivity in heat transfer. In this thermal conductivity lesson, students design and conduct an experiment to compare the thermal conductivity of four substances....
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Specific Heat of Metal
Students experiment with different types of metal by dipping them in boiling water and cool water and recording temperature changes in the water. By doing this, they find the specific heat of the metals.
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How Electric Current Produces Energy
Fifth graders are introduced to the concept of electric currents. In groups, they develop their own game board to test different circuits to determine if they are complete. They record their observations of the energy transfer between...
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Latent Heat of Fusion
Students conduct a series of investigation on latent heat of fusion. In this chemistry lesson, students explain how thermal storage systems work. They draw and interpret graphs.
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Potential and Kinetic Energy
In this energy worksheet, high schoolers read about potential energy and kinetic energy. Then students complete 16 matching, 8 fill in the blank, and 9 word problems.
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Potential and Kinetic Energy
In this kinetic and potential energy worksheet, students read about energy of position and energy of motion and are given the equations to find each. Students match 11 terms with their definitions about both types of energy and the...
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Characteristics of Energy
Fourth graders view a video and create a KWL to identify energy sources. In this energy sources lesson, 4th graders explore the meaning of energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, thermal energy, radiant energy, and electrical energy....
Teach Engineering
Solar Power
Elementary schoolers discover how engineers use solar energy to heat buildings. They take a close look at some of the materials used: sand, salt, water, and shredded paper and evaluate the efficiency of each material. An incredible...
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Gas Pressure, Volume, and Temperature
Physical science learners conduct a simple experiment using the heat of their hands to affect the fluid pressure. They place a balloon atop a freezing cold bottle and observe what occurs as it warms up. Both activities demonstrate how...
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Energy Transformation
Young scholars identify different kinds of energy such as heat energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, and magnetic energy. They investigate the concept of conservation of energy.
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Using Heat
The 6 slides give a few examples of ways that we use heat and heating systems. There is a diagram of circulation in a stove and forced air system as well as other examples of heat movers. Great for an introduction.
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Power Systems & Efficiency
Are you looking for a reading resource about the efficiency of power systems? Here is one that introduces the output/input ratio, measurement of energy by joules or calories, and efficiency ratings. For STEM classes that are learning...
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Make a Solar Oven
Middle schoolers build a solar oven. In this Science lesson plan, students construct a functional solar oven. Middle schoolers design the oven and explain the energy concepts involved.
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Light Stick Chemistry
In this descriptive investigation worksheet, 6th graders conduct an investigation to determine if heat energy affects the brightness of a light stick. The students will form a prediction, collect data and answer 3 conclusion questions.
Urbana School District
Thermodynamics
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,...
Virginia Department of Education
Heat and Thermal Energy Transfer
How does radiation affect our daily lives? Answer that question and others with a lesson that discusses radiation and its use in thermal energy transfer through electromagnetic waves. Pupils investigate vaporization and...
CK-12 Foundation
Hot Oven
Why does the air in a hot oven not burn skin, but metal in the oven does? The simulation focuses on the difference between temperature and thermal energy and the way these are transferred. Scholars adjust the temperature of an oven and...
Curated OER
Conservation of Energy
In this energy worksheet, students read about the Law of Conservation of Energy and compare the 6 forms of energy. Then students complete 20 matching, 2 short answer, and 6 word problems.
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Heat Pollution and Communities
Students examine thermal pollution by collecting temperature data on the school's photovoltaic panel. Students collect data for four consecutive days and retrieve information from other classes that meet at different times of the day. ...
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Thermal Decomposition of Calcium Carbonate
For this thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate worksheet, students perform three experiments on calcium carbonate, make observations and write the equations for each reaction. Students explain in detail what happened at each step...