Curated OER
Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers
Learners examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative lesson, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will design a...
Curated OER
Doubling and Halving
In this mathematics learning exercise, learners identify how to solve by doubling and halving. They use strategies like doubling and thirding to calculate answers to each of the equations on the sheet.
Curated OER
Learning Bird Traits
Students draw and label a bird. In this bird traits lesson, students learn what traits make a bird different from other animals. Students are taught how to draw a bird and are expected to label the various body parts they drew.
Curated OER
Energy
Young scholars distinguish between kinetic an potential energy. They recognize that energy is conserved when changing from one form to another. Students compare the scientific meaning of work with its everyday meaning.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Insulation Materials Investigation
Students test the insulation properties of different materials by timing how long it takes ice cubes to melt in the presence of various insulating materials. Students learn about the role that thermal insulation materials can play in...
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Insulation Fact Sheet
Several well-written pages using easy-to-understand language. Explains about every detail concerning insulation and its installation or replacement. Discusses R values, heat loss, insulation types, etc.
NASA
Nasa: Engineering Design Challenges: Thermal Protection Systems Educator Guide
This classroom activity teaches students to work in groups to design and build a thermal protection system simulating one on a space vehicle. Provides background information, lesson plans, and assessment questions.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Thermal Conductors and Insulators
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Thermal conductors and insulators and the ways they are used.
OpenSciEd
Open Sci Ed: 6.2 Thermal Energy Teacher Professional Development Overview
This four-day professional development session introduces teachers to the OpenSciEd materials generally in addition to the 6.2 Thermal Energy unit.
OpenSciEd
Open Sci Ed: 6.2 Thermal Energy
This Thermal Energy unit has students investigating two ways to transfer energy into a drink: (1) the absorption of light and (2) thermal energy from the warmer air around the drink. They are then challenged to design their own drink...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Thermal Conductors and Insulators
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Descriptions and examples of thermal conductors and insulators are discussed and shown.
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Dance With Heating, Cooling, and Insulation [Pdf]
In this lesson, 3rd graders use movement and dance composition to aid their comprehension of heating, cooling, and insulation.
The Wonder of Science
The Wonder of Science: Ms Ps3 3: Thermal Energy Transfer Solution
Lessons to show thermal energy transfer. Learners will "apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer".
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Radiant Barrier Fact Sheet
Several well-written pages using easy-to-understand language. Explains the concept of reflective insulation and radiant behaviors. Discusses benefits of radiant barrier installation.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Insulators
The nature of insulators is described at the atomic level. Band gap theory is used to explain what distinguishes insulators from conductors.
OpenSciEd
Open Sci Ed: Unit 6.2 Thermal Energy
This unit on thermal energy transfer begins with students testing whether a new plastic cup sold by a store keeps a drink colder for longer compared to the regular plastic cup that comes free with the drink.
Other
Warmair.com: Insulation
The role of insulation in preventing heat loss is discussed. The concept of thermal resistance is introduced and explained. Understandable language but no graphics.
Other
Fact index.com: Thermal Conductivity
Fact-Index.com offers an excellent site on thermal conductivity. Includes table of contents, hyperlinked terms, and formulas.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Thermal Conductivity
Lists thermal conductivity values for a variety of topics. The link "Heat conduction discussion" on this page displays an equation for calculating the rate of thermal conduction using these conductivity values.
Other
Mister teacher.com: Thermal Energy
An explanation, supported by pictures and animation, of how thermal energy transfers between objects.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Zero Energy Housing
Students investigate passive solar building design with a focus solely on heating. They learn how insulation, window placement, thermal mass, surface colors, and site orientation play important roles in passive solar heating. They use...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Cooking With the Sun Creating a Solar Oven
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...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What Is Heat?
Students learn about the definition of heat as a form of energy and how it exists in everyday life. They also learn about the three types of heat transfer as well as the connection between heat and insulation.