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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 activity in the 10-part series looks at how light energy from the sun transfers into thermal energy. Scholars...
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Interactive
PHET

Energy Forms and Changes

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Is the ice cooling down the water or is the water melting the ice? Here is a simulation that explores thermal energy transfer with iron, brick, and water. It demonstrates the flow of energy and what happens when each material is either...
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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
Curated OER

Melting the Ice: Energy Transfer

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students study thermal energy and energy transfer to sea ice processes. In this energy transfer lesson, students make their own ice cream and discuss energy transfer and thermal energy. Students view a radiation overhead and its role in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Make Your Own Temperature Scale

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Differentiate between temperature and thermal energy. Your class will build a thermometer using simple materials and develop their own scale for measuring temperature. Discuss with your class and consider why engineers need to understand...
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Interactive
PHET

Energy Skate Park: Basics

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Keep calm and half pipe. An exciting simulation teaches pupils about energy transfer from potential to kinetic and thermal as a skater moves through a half pipe or other track. After a brief introduction, scholars can build their own...
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Interactive
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NOAA

Energy from the Oceans

For Students 6th - 12th
Can Earth's oceans produce a steady supply of clean energy? Scholars explore the uses of tidal and thermal energy in the 11th installment of a 13-part series about ocean-based alternative energy sources. Learners examine the current...
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Unit Plan
Government of South Australia

Don't Waste Your Energy

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Don't lift another finger, this physical and environmental science unit has everything you need to begin teaching your class about energy. Starting with a look at the greenhouse effect, these lessons and activities take young scientists...
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Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

M&M's in Different Temperatures

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Help your class come up with a procedure for comparing the dissolving rates of colored candy coating in different temperatures of water. If you are placing importance on controlled variables with your class, make sure that they use equal...
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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Forms of Energy

For Teachers 6th Standards
The amount of energy Americans use doubles every 20 years. The first activity in a 10-part series teaches scholars about different forms of energy. They rotate through five stations with hands-on activities or experiments at each in...
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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Heat and Thermal Energy Transfer

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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 evaporation while...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Exploring Energy: Kinetic and Potential

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
The potential of the energy in the class is moving. The third segment in a six-part unit on energy provides a deeper understanding of kinetic and potential energy. Learners understand the relationship between mass, speed, and energy and...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Energy Efficiency

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
Using the resource is probably the most efficient way to learn about efficiency. The 18th installment of a 25-part Energy Systems and Solutions unit has pupils investigate energy efficiency through discussions and associated activities....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Transfer of Thermal Energy

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students define temperature and heat, distinguish between temperature and heat flow, calculate amount of heat energy released or absorbed in chemical process, and design procedure, through experimentation, to gather and evaluate data to...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Let's Build Our Wind and Solar Energy Toy

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Who says toys can't be educational? The fourth of five parts in the Solar Updraft Towers unit has scholars create toys that run on solar and wind energy. The devices need to be solar updraft towers that can be placed on a warm surface...
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PPT
National Energy Education Development Project

Energy Works: Yes, Indeed it Does!

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Moving from its definition to how it moves and its different types, scholars see different examples and then move into its application and use in everyday lives, in an energy-based presentation.   
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Energy Forms and States Demonstrations

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Does a tennis ball have energy? What about a bowling ball? Demonstrate concepts of different forms of energy forms and states with a variety of objects. Using the equations for potential and kinetic energy, learners determine the amount...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Urban Heat Islands: An Introduction to Energy Transfer and Transformation

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Elementary school physical scientists explore kinetic mechanical energy by dropping a golf ball on different surfaces. They discuss how human made materials might react to light differently from nature made materials. This lesson plan...
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Activity
US Department of Energy

Solar Cooking

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Who needs a barbecue grill to cook hot dogs when you have the amazing power of the sun at your disposal? Engage young scientists in learning about solar energy with this fun activity that turns a used Pringles can into a solar powered...
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Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Energy Basics

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Power up your lessons with an energetic resource. Scholars learn about work, force, energy, and power. They consider the relationships between these quantities through hockey puck scenarios and make calculations using formulas.
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Earth’s Energy Budget - Seasonal Cycles

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Earth's energy budget should be in the red. Young researchers review satellite data in a presentation to study Earth's solar radiation. They make both qualitative and quantitative observations about variations in available seasonal...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Kit Lesson #7 - Positioning Solar Panels I: Explorations with Tracking

For Teachers 6th - 9th
In this first part of a two-part lesson, learners track and record the sun's azimuth using a solar panel. They graph and analyze the data to identify relationships among the time of day, the altitude and azimuth of the sun, and the...
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Lesson Plan
LABScI

Potential and Kinetic Energy: The Roller Coaster Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Ron Toomer, a famous roller coaster designer, suffered from motion sickness. Pupils design their own roller coasters, learning about potential and kinetic energy in the process. Labs focus on the importance of drop height, energy...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Project Energy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars explore multiple types of energy. In this energy lesson, students prepare a science fair project through completing a WebQuest. Young scholars investigate radiant, thermal, and biochemical energy.