Activity
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Web Weather for Kids: Thunderstorms & Tornadoes Make Convection Currents

For Students 9th - 10th
Demonstrate convection currents using a clear box, red food coloring, ice cubes, colored pencils and index cards. Get all the directions you need for this simple lab.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: The Three Bears Heat Investigation It's Just Right

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity uses the story of the three bears as a way to investigate conduction, convection, radiation, and insulation properties. It also could be used to describe the laws of thermodynamics and conservation of energy.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Heat on the Move

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This activity is meant to be one of many common experiences that help learners understand that convection is a major driving force on our planet.
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.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Convection

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia offers information on convection, the transfer of heat by the motion of or within a fluid. Includes table of contents, image, and formulas.
Activity
PBS

Pbs Kids: Colored Water Convection

For Students 3rd - 8th
This PBS site allows users to learn more about water convection as they discover how to demonstrate the way convection currents form. A fun science project!
Activity
PBS

Pbs, Secrets of the Ocean Realm: Mountain in the Sea

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This experiment allows your students to study the effect of temperature on water motion and also to create their own density driven current.
Activity
Colorado State University

Csu: Heat Transfer Mechanisms

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent page from the Colorado State University with a heavy mathematical emphasis. Each form of heat transfer--conduction, convection, and radiation--is defined, compared, and contrasted. Mathematical equations governing the rates...
Activity
Colorado State University

Colorado State University: Heat Transfer Mechanisms

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent page from the Colorado State University with a heavy mathematical emphasis. Each form of heat transfer--conduction, convection, and radiation--is defined, compared and contrasted. Mathematical equations governing the rates...
Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Energy, Light and Sound: Heat

For Students 3rd - 7th
A video and a short quiz on heat, covering its difference from temperature, thermal energy, and the means by which heat is transferred.
Website
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Introduction to the Atmosphere

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A detailed overview of the Earth's atmosphere, with explanations about atmospheric properties, the structure of the atmosphere, its four layers, atmospheric processes, energy heat transfer, conduction and convection, and radiation. All...
Activity
TOPS Learning Systems

Tops Learning Systems: Top Science: Conduction and Convection [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Experiment investigating conduction and convection of heat in water.
Activity
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Atmospheric Processes Radiation

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides background information, images, and an activity to help students understand the concept of radiation. Includes both the student pages and a teachers guide with lesson plan.
Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Convection Current

For Students 3rd - 8th
This lesson plan is a great way to show convection currents in water. Students will see what happens to water as it gets warmed.
Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Convection Currents

For Students 9th - 10th
Get a visual of convention currents with this activity. This activity allows students to observe the currents by bending light due to cold and warm water.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Modeling Global Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners will gain an understanding of global climate change by exploring the role that energy plays in it. They will explore NetLogo models of climate and learn about cumulative effects.
Lesson Plan
Education Development Center

Center for Children and Technology: No Way: Heat Transfer

For Teachers 4th - 8th
In this heat transfer activity, students become editors for a website that publishes amazing-but-true stories. Two stories being considered for publication include claims about heat energy. Students must evaluate the validity of the...
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Wegener and the Continental Drift Hypothesis

For Students 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift was refined.
Interactive
Wisc-Online

Wisc Online: Conduction, Convection, and Radiation

For Students 6th - 9th
Guess the letters with this thermal energy transfer spinner game.
Interactive
Wisc-Online

Wisc Online: Heat and Heat Transfer Part 1

For Students 9th - 10th
Review heat and heat transfer by solving these seven phrases! Then move on to "Heat and Heat Transfer Part 2"
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Hot Cans and Cold Cans

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students apply the concepts of conduction, convection, and radiation as they work in teams to solve two problems. One problem requires that they maintain the warm temperature of one soda can filled with water at approximately body...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: How Hot Is It?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn about the nature of thermal energy, temperature and how materials store thermal energy. They discuss the difference between conduction, convection and radiation of thermal energy, and complete activities in which they...
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Heat Transfer

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explore heat transfer and energy efficiency using the context of energy efficient houses. They gain a solid understanding of the three types of heat transfer: radiation, convection and conduction, which are explained in detail...