Center Science Education
Feeling the Heat
What is an urban heat island? Middle school meteorologists find out by comparing temperatures at different locations on campus. They relate their findings to what might be happening in a concrete jungle and how it impacts local weather....
Curated OER
Feeling the Heat
Pupils record temperatures at different locations around campus. They examine the results and draw conclusions about how materials and colors affect the amount of heat produced. They also analyze Los Angeles' temperature records over a...
Curated OER
Feeling the Heat
Students investigate the urban heat island effect. In this urban heat island effect lesson, students learn how trees, grass, asphalt, and other things on the school grounds effect temperature. They use the information to generalize it to...
Colorado State University
How Do Long and Short EM Waves Interact with the Earth's Atmosphere?
Things are about to heat up in your classroom! A kinesthetic lesson asks learners to play the part of the gases in the earth's atmosphere and interact with the sun's radiation. The focus is to learn the impact of the increasing...
Curated OER
Producing Heat
Students listen to "Heat Wave" by Helen Ketterman and discuss the story by creating a word web with heat as the main topic. They break into groups and conduct an experiment using a thermometer to record the temperature of melting ice...
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.
Curated OER
Making Waves, Making Music, Making Noise
Students construct "talking cans" and instruments to explain how vibration of objects produces various sounds.
Curated OER
Light
Light is such a fascinating subject. This lesson does a great job of illuminating the mysteries of light for your young scientists. A series of demonstrations which are explained in the plan should help your charges to understand how...
Curated OER
Heat Flow
Students explore how a whale's countercurrent flow of blood is an example of a heat exchange system and conduction. Excellent worksheet provided.
Curated OER
Sound Energy
Sixth graders understand properties and behavior of heat, light, and sound. They describe the production of sound in terms of vibration of objects that create vibrations in other materials. Students describe how sound is made from...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Albedo, Reflectivity, and Absorption
What is reflectivity, and what does it have to do with the Earth's climate? As reflectivity is measured by albedo, scientists can gather information on Earth's energy balances that relate to global warming or climate change. Budding...
Curated OER
Heat Waves
Students explore weather patterns by conducting an experiment in class. In this heatwaves lesson, students identify how weather raises to an unhealthy degree and the effect it can have on people and their environment. Students utilize a...
Curated OER
Electric Blues
Students brainstorm a list of electrical devices used in their home. They read an article about electricity usage in a heat wave. In groups, they create public service announcements promoting energy conservation. They share their ideas...
Curated OER
What Does Motion Have to do with Sound?
Second graders investigate and explore sound energy. They investigate how the vibrational motion moves through matter in waves. Students describe sounds and vibrations. They observe that vibrational motion creates sounds. Students record...
Curated OER
Gallery Walk Questions on Earth's Radiation Balance
Questions that can be used in a lesson on Earth's radiation balance are suggested in this resource. It is not a lesson plan, per se, but it is a list of questions for stations within a "Gallery Walk" lesson. The link to how Gallery Walks...
Curated OER
Tsunamis
Students investigate the natural disasters known as tsunamis by researching the Internet. In this nature lesson, students define the word tsunami and discuss how they are created. Students complete an online activity based on water...
Colorado State University
What Makes a Gas, a Greenhouse Gas?—The Carbon Dioxide Dance
Investigate a heated topic in environmental science. Scholars team up to play the parts of gas molecules in the atmosphere. As the teacher moves about, acting as the electromagnetic wave, learners react as their molecules would to the...
Curated OER
Is Portland, Oregon Experiencing Global Warming?
Young scholars use data to determine if the climate in Portland has changed over the years. In this weather lesson students complete line graphs and study long wave radiation.
Curated OER
The Absorption of Solar Energy
Two sequential parts to this lesson introduce your class to the electromagnetic spectrum, the ability to absorb radiant energy, and the pigments in leaves that are responsible for collecting sunlight to be used in the photosynthetic...
Curated OER
Coral Bleaching
Students examine the relationship between corals and zooxanthellae, identify stresses to corals, and explain coral bleaching. In this sea life instructional activity students predict the effects of increased temperatures on coral reefs.
Curated OER
Black and White Bottle Experiment
Students investigate solar energy and color. In this solar energy lesson, students assess the benefits of solar energy. Students discover that solar energy is attracted to darker colors and conduct an experiment using colored bottles to...
Discovery Education
It's Too Loud!
STEM scholars investigate sound attenuation by conducting an experiment in which they compare the farthest distance that they can hear a sound with and without ear protection.
Curated OER
Wavelengths of Light
Explore physical science by participating in a visual spectrum experiments. Budding scientists identify the colors in the color spectrum and view the colors in class by utilizing cellophane, flash lights, and other arts and crafts...
Curated OER
The Great Ocean Conveyor
Students investigate water density. In this water density lesson, students conduct an experiment with food coloring, water and salt to see how the salt effects bodies of water.