Curated OER
The Absorption of Solar Energy
Two sequential parts to this instructional activity 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...
Virginia Department of Education
States of Matter
Scientists have been studying exothermic reactions before they were cool. The lesson begins with a discussion and a demonstration of heat curves. Scholars then determine the heat of fusion of ice and the heat needed to...
Virginia Department of Education
Vapor Pressure and Colligative Properties
Hate to vacuum, but enjoy using a vacuum pump? Explore a instructional activity that starts with a demonstration of boiling water at various temperatures by using a vacuum pump. Then scholars design their own experiments to measure vapor...
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...
Virginia Department of Education
Metamorphic Rocks
Rocks can bend? Pupils investigate how heat and pressure produce metamorphic rocks by modeling them using clay, and then categorize samples based on observable characteristics. The lesson ends with a metamorphic rock identification...
US Department of Energy
Solar Cooking
Who needs a barbecue grill to cook hot dogs when you have the amazing power of the sun at your disposal? Engage young scientists in learning about solar energy with this fun activity that turns a used Pringles can into a solar...
Bonneville
Compost Bioreactor Design
Organic waste is a hot topic. The second of three installments in the Bioreactor Water Heating unit challenges pupils to create bioreactors that collect energy released from compost. After watching videos on the properties of water and...
Colorado State University
Do Cities Affect the Weather? (Making a Cloud in a Bottle)
The dynamics of a city can have a drastic effect on the weather. A hands-on lesson asks learners to build a model to illustrate how city pollution provides a nucleus for condensation. The greater the pollution, the greater chance for...
Curated OER
Heat Transfer Problems
In this heat transfer activity, students calculate the final temperature of specific reactions. This activity has 6 problems to solve.
Curated OER
The Energy Debate - Energy of Peanut
Students articulate the difference between the terms heat and temperature. They calculate the amount of energy associated with a given temperature rise and design an experiment to measure the energy of a fuel.
Curated OER
What happens When Air is Heated or Cooled?
For this pressure worksheet, students write down their observations of a can placed into hot water. They explain what happens to the air molecules and the pressure inside the bottle which causes it to collapse.
Curated OER
Heat Transfer and Pollution
Students perform computer simulations on air dispersion. In this chemistry lesson, students calculate energy transfer based on specific heat and temperature change. They explain the causes of smog.
Kenan Fellows
How Much Energy Is That Anyway?
The fifth lesson in the six part series introduces units of energy including calories, Calories, and joules. Scholars determine the energy released when eating a snack and during activity.
Curated OER
Keeping Warm
Students experiment with thermal insulators. In this heat transfer lesson, students predict and then measure heat loss from a cup of water using different materials as insulators. Students complete a line graph to display their results.
Curated OER
Energy and Control
Seventh graders construct a lunch box that maintains functional temperature zones and does not allow heat transfer between the zones. They examine the transfer of heat, the capacity of certain materials to hold heat, and how the...
Curated OER
Solar Cooker Challenge
Students use the scientific method to design a slow cooker. In this experimental method lesson students measure temperatures and conversions of the solar cooker that they create.
Curated OER
Too Cool for School-The Greenhouse Experiment
Learners create a town model and analyze the type of greenhouse gases their town emits. In this earth science lesson, students build greenhouses to investigate how trapped heat causes temperature change. They relate this activity to...
University of Georgia
Energy Content of Foods
Why do athletes load up on carbohydrates the evening before a competition? The lesson helps answer this question as it relates the type of food to the amount of energy it contains. After a discussion, scholars perform an experiment...
Purdue University
Field Trip Snack Holder
Is light related to insulation? An informative hands-on STEM activity demonstrates how light affects temperature. First, the class investigates how light passes through different mediums and how that relates to temperature. Then,...
PhET
States of Matter
Water is the only molecule on Earth that can naturally exist in all three states of matter. The interactive simulation shows different molecules changing states of matter with the addition or removal of heat. Learners then see how...
Curated OER
Energy from the Sun
In this energy worksheet, students conduct an experiment and observe the various ways in which heat energy can be transferred. They explain what happened to the wooden block when it was placed in direct sunlight. Students also explain...
Curated OER
Global Warming - The Heat is On: Global Climate Change Revisited
After listening to your lecture on climate change, young scientists access NOAA's database listing Mauna Loa's carbon dioxide data. They graph the monthly means and then compare their graphs to NOAA's. This is a concise plan that could...
Curated OER
Calculating Joules
In this calculating joules activity, learners read about the relationship between mass, temperature change, specific heat and energy. They find the number of joules needed to heat water in five different problems using the given equation...
Curated OER
Thermochemistry
In this thermochemistry worksheet, students indicate whether the given processes are endothermic or exothermic reactions. Students complete the phase change diagram as well as define a given set of vocabulary words. Students calculate...