Next Generation Science Storylines
Why Do Some Things Get Colder (or Hotter) When They React?
Some reactions absorb heat while others release it. Young scholars investigate both types of reactions in a 12-lesson unit. Each lesson presents a lab investigation that monitors temperature and considers the types of reactions taking...
Curated OER
Elementary Concepts in Heat
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...
University of Georgia
The Power of Peanuts
Measure the amount of energy in a peanut by igniting a chemical reaction. Classes use a laboratory setup to burn a peanut and measure the amount of heat it releases through a temperature analysis. They calculate the number of Joules of...
Curated OER
Managing Heat
Third graders perform various experiments to show the flow of energy that causes heat. In this heat lesson, 3rd graders understand how heat is transferred or trapped. Students use the scientific method and critical thinking skills to...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Heat Loss and Cool Gains
Fifth graders predict what happens when cold and hot water are mixed together. In this physics lesson, 5th graders discuss how heat transfer takes place. They record temperature readings and compare it with their prediction.
Curated OER
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. ...
Curated OER
Heat Discrepancies
Students answer the question, "Why do Eskimos build houses out of ice to keep warm. Since heat goes from hot to cold, don¿¿¿t the ice walls take away the warmth inside the house?" They explain how snow or ice can actually be insulators.
Curated OER
How Much Energy is Stored in Wood?
In this energy instructional activity, students create calorimeters out of soda cans and use them to calculate the amount of energy stored in different types of wood.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Heat of an Unknown Metal
Eighth graders complete labs to find the specific heat of many different types of substances, and use characteristic property to identify an unknown metal. CBL be used to determine energy lost or gained, and students complete a...
Curated OER
Observing Chemical Reactions
Start this series of lessons with a bang! Five exothermic reactions are outlined in this resource, including a demonstration that produces both light and sound. In the lab, chemistry apprentices record temperature changes, make hand...
Curated OER
Heating Curve Lab
Tenth graders examine the heating curve of water when head is added constantly over time. They input values into a calculator as they record water temperature every thirty seconds as it is heated on a hot plate. They complete the...
Curated OER
Heat: Mini Unit
Students experiment with heat. In this physical science instructional activity, students engage in hands-on activities to develop concepts related to heat. Students offer explanations for their observations using given vocabulary.
Curated OER
My Angle on Cooling
Students explore how the angle and distance of an object can change it's temperature. After reviewing how the position of the Earth affects the temperature of the planet, student groups design and perform an experiment to test how...
Curated OER
My Angle on Cooling: Effects of Distance and Inclination
Learners discuss what heat is and how it travels. They discover that one way to cool an object in the presence of a heat source is to increase the distance from it or change the angle at which it is faced.
University of California
Seasons Lab Book
Unlock the mystery behind seasonal change with a collection of worksheets and activities. Whether they are drawing pictures of Earth's orbit around the sun or graphing the temperature and daylight hours of different locations from around...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect
Why does it get so hot inside of our cars in the summertime? The greenhouse effect! Lab groups experiment to see what happens to an ice cube enclosed in a jar and placed in sunlight as compared to an ice cube outside of the jar. They...
Curated OER
If You Can’t Stand the Heat
Students design and build their own solar cooker. In this math lesson, students determine the relationship between the angles of the sun, reflection and cooking time of the solar cooker. They test their project, collect data and analyze...
Curated OER
A New Phase In Town
Middle schoolers explore heat energy and how it is used to change the phase of matter, and discover that temperature does not increase or decrease until the phase change is complete. This extremely well-written plan is packed with great...
Curated OER
Three Methods of Heat Transfer
Pupils participate in a variety of experiments designed to illustrate types of heat transfer including conduction, convection and radiation. They complete worksheets as an assessment of the experiments.
Colorado State University
How Can Clouds Keep the Air Warmer?
Condensing water warms the air around it. Young scholars consider this concept as they experiment with air temperature around evaporating and condensing water vapor. They simulate the formation of clouds to experience the associated...
Colorado State University
Why Can Warm Air "Hold" More Moisture than Cold Air?—Vapor Pressure Exercise
Does it feel a little humid in here? Learners assume the role of water vapor in the atmosphere as they explore the differences between warm and cold air. They roll dice to determine their level of energy, which determines if they stay...
Curated OER
The Heat of Fusion of Ice
Students measure the heat of fusion of ice. In this heat of fusion lesson plan, students use a calorimeter or Styrofoam cup and thermometer to measure the change in temperature of the water in their calorimeter. This allows students to...