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The Sun: Earth's External Heat Engine Part 1 of the Astronomy Model
Students become familiar with the variables that control Earth's solar energy supply. They explore the source and nature of solar energy, the genesis of radiation, and the structrue of the Sun, gas spectra are observed and sample...
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Energy/Light/Heat/Sound
Fourth graders study the properties of heat in this series of lessons. They discuss sources of heat and experiment to determine its properties. They identify insulators and conductors by measuring temperatures, and graphing their data....
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Heat and Temperature
Ninth graders explore the relationship between heat and temperature. After performing experiments, 9th graders record their observations and discuss the results. They investigate the properties of heat and explore how energy possessed...
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Light Energy and Colors
Students participate in experiments to observe the effects of light energy on colored objects. They conduct various experiments, create a graph and a word bank, record the results, and write an evaluation.
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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.
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Do Different Colors Absorb Heat Better?
Students work together to test how the color of a material affects how much heat it absorbs. They make predictions and take notes on their observations. They discover how engineers use this type of information.
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Energy in Motion
Fifth graders explore energy transfer. In this thermal energy instructional activity, 5th graders stretch rubber bands several times and estimate the band's temperature change. Students identify this action as an example of thermal...
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Measuring Calories
Young scholars burn peanuts and marshmallows to determine the calories each contains. In this calorimetry lesson, students set up an apparatus with a ring stand and water in an aluminum can. They record the temperature of the water...
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Ice Cream Lab
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Even high schoolers enjoy making ice cream. This laboratory exercise has them record the temperature changes throughout the process of liquid becoming solid, graph the results, and...
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Albedo and Irradiation of Surfaces
Here is a physical science activity where pupils place thermometers inside of a white and a black paper pocket and place them under a lamp. They record and compare the temperature increase over a ten-minute period. Have your class...
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Heat from Machines
Third graders continue their examination of the heat energy from machines. In groups, they make predictions on which machines might produce a measureable amount of heat. They take the temperatures of the various machines and record them...
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The Urban Heat Island Effect - Lesson 2 (Grade 5)
Fifth graders use the scientific process to examine how when various surfaces are exposed to similar environmental conditions, surface temperatures may vary. They conduct an experiment to show the relationship between surface and...
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Cooler in the Shadows
Learners explore how the amount of sunlight and heat change in areas that are shaded.
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...
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Weather and Oceans: Uneven Heating of the Earth
Students investigate what causes the heat on Earth. In this Earth heating instructional activity, students experiment with different heat sources and determine where the Earth gathers the most heat. Students explore vocabulary words...
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Characteristics of Energy
Students explore Earth science by completing energy worksheets in class. In this energy forms lesson, students identify and define a list of energy vocabulary terms and a K-W-L chart. Students view a matter video clip in class and...
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Star Power! Discovering the Power of Sunlight
Students estimate the energy output of the sun. They estimate how much power sunlight the sunlight provides to the earth. They build a simple device to measure the amount of solar radiation the earth receives from the sun.
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Using Energy Resources Wisely
Students discuss energy resources. In this energy lesson, students predict which item: the plastic cup, metal soup can, or foam cup, will keep water warm for the longest time by measuring the temperature in each item every minute for 15...
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Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders identify the sun as a source of heat and light. They identify features of houses that help keep use sheltered and comfortable throughout daily and seasonal cycles. Students are told that summer is the best season to...
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Warming by Freezing
Ninth graders discover the reasoning behind spraying water on fruit and seedlings in preparation for hard freezes. In this conceptual physics lesson, 9th graders conduct an experiment to measure the heat released when water goes from a...
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TE Activity: You're in Hot Water
Young scholars study different ways of using solar energy. They design a solar water heater and determine how much water it can heat in a set amount of time. They examine how the heaters work by solar radiation and convection.
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Lights Light Up My Life
Students conduct an investigation. In this energy conservation lesson plan, students observe and make predictions about fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. Working in groups, students conduct an investigation to compare the two...
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Sand or Rock? Finding Out From 1,000 km
Students observe how measurements are made with different instruments. In this remote sensing lesson students investigate the physical state of surfaces including the surfaces of the solar system.
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My Car Has Potential
Seventh graders investigate how changes in the mass or height of a ramp can affect the change in potential energy. They discuss the concepts of work and energy, then using the four question strategy, they design an experiment that...