Curated OER
Energy Conservation Games
Students become acquainted with the first law of thermodynamics, which concerns the conservation of energy as it is transformed from one form to another. They identify forms of energy, and devices or processes that transform energy from...
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Why Is It Hotter At the Equator?
Students investigate the different heating effects of sunlight. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the way sunlight strikes the equator, the poles and other parts of the globe.
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Solar Hot Box
Students investigate how different colors and materials create various temperatures and apply this it the concept of solar energy.
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Third Grade Science Multiple Choice Practice
In this 3rd grade science worksheet, 3rd graders complete a total of 25 multiple choice questions related to grade 3 concepts. An answer key is given.
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Grass as Biomass
Students explore energy properties by listening to a sustainability lecture in class. For this biomass lesson, students identify what biomass is, how it can be transformed into a usable energy and how it complements the energy cycle....
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Cloudy vs. Clear
Learners analyze line plots. In this weather lesson using real NASA data, students discuss how weather affects the way the Earth is heated by comparing different line plots.
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Measuring the Number Of Calories In Sunlight
Young scholars., in groups, define calorie and compare the absorption of solar energy by three different collectors. They define solar constant and offer several explanations for discrepancies between the data collected and the solar...
US Department of Energy
Draft-O-Meter
Help your class improve the energy efficiency of their homes with the draft-o-meter. Simply tape a sheet of plastic wrap to a pencil and use it to observe any air leaking through windows, doorways, and other locations around the house....
Curated OER
Thermal Energy and Heat Unit
Learners explain that heat energy in a material consists of the disordered motions of its atoms or molecules. They know and explain that transformations of energy usually transform some energy into the form of heat, which dissipates by...
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Sunlight and Warm Air
Pupils discuss radiant energy from the sun, performing a simple experiment with sun glasses and bright light to demonstrate the concept. Students further participate in simple in-class experiments to demonstrate: air density as it...
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Capturing Renewable Energy
Students watch a video segment on the engineering design process, then design a storage system for renewable energy. Students brainstorm and research ways in which renewable energies such as solar and wind power can be stored.
Curated OER
Capturing Renewable Energy
Students watch a video segment on the engineering design process, then design a storage system for renewable energy. Students brainstorm and research ways in which renewable energies such as solar and wind power can be stored.
Green Learning
Build Your Own Solar Oven
This is not exactly a lesson plan, but rather a six-page document detailing how to build a solar oven. A bit of background information, materials list, diagrams and photos, and clearly-written procedures are all included. There are no...
Virginia Department of Education
Greenhouse Gas Modeling Activity
Why are greenhouse gases called greenhouse gases? Young Earth scientists learn about greenhouse gases though experimentation in the second installment of a 3-part series. They use lamps to model radiant energy as well...
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...
Curated OER
Comparing Light Bulbs
An average home produces twice as many emissions as an average car. Teach your class how to reduce energy consumption by replacing standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Perform an experiment to compare...
CK-12 Foundation
Loop-the-Loop
What prevents a roller coaster from falling when it goes upside down? Scholars experiment with a roller coaster simulation controlling the mass of the coaster, the height of the hill, and the radius of the loop. They learn which factors...
Curated OER
Energy, Light, Heat, and Sound
Fifth graders investigate various forms of energy. They compare potential and kinetic energy at different points during the period of a pendulum, design an apparatus that displays potential and kinetic energy, and analyze the advantages...
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Managing Heat
Third graders perform various experiments to show the flow of energy that causes heat. For this heat lesson, 3rd graders understand how heat is transferred or trapped. Students use the scientific method and critical thinking skills to...
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Stop Heat from Escaping
Students explore the uses of insulation and describe how insulation helps to conserve energy. They work in groups and use plastic, wool, paper and aluminum to experiment with the heat-retaining properties of various materials.
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Heating/Cooling Curve
In this heating and cooling curve learning exercise, students use a given graph of a substance being heated from a solid to a liquid and then a gas over time. They use the graph to answer eleven questions about the phases of the...
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Heat Discrepancies
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
The Magic of Solar Thermal: How the Sun Can Be Used to Heat Water
Young scholars are introduced to how the sun is used to heat water. In this solar lesson students identify the different types of solar water heating and demonstrate how it works.
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Sources of Energy
Students research various methods for preparing food and analyze energy sources. They explain that radiation, light, and heat are forms of energy used to cook food, treat diseases, and provide energy.