Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Energy Forms, States and Conversions

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Even magicians can't make energy disappear. In a discussion-based instructional activity, young scientists learn about energy forms and conversions. They see how energy is neither created nor destroyed; it just changes forms. This is the...
Lesson Plan
US Department of Energy

Geothermal Energy

For Teachers 5th - 8th
With Earth Day quickly approaching, as well as many science fairs, why not challenge your class to investigate geothermal energy or other renewable energy resources? There are five driving questions explored in depth here, as well as...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Potential and Kinetic Energy

For Teachers 6th Standards
Everything has potential energy; learning to use it is the key to understanding all types of energy. Scholars learn the difference between kinetic and potential energy. They then apply the concept to drawing examples of both types...
Lesson Plan
Oceanic Research Group

Heat Transfer and Cooling

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Astronauts train underwater to simulate the change in gravity. An out-of-this-world unit includes three hands-on activities, one teacher demonstration, and a discussion related to some of the challenges astronauts face. Scholars apply...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Qualitative Examples of Conservation of Mechanical Energy

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Instructions for series of six activites, a reading of scientific literature, and a choice of six assessments await you in this physics resource. Well-written plans guide you in guiding your pupils to experiment with levers, pulleys,...
Activity
It's About Time

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Emerging biochemists more fully understand the flow of energy in ecosystems as they explore the laws of thermodynamics and relate them to energy transfer in food chains. They also investigate heat loss from the human body and how...
PPT
Curated OER

Energy and Change: The Five Basic Laws

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Five basic law of physics and energy are listed here, with a simple explanation of what each actually means in the real world! Your young physicists will appreciate the concepts being made more relevant and the language being made more...
Interactive3:46
Scholastic

Study Jams! Heat

For Students 4th - 9th
Raise the temperature in your class with this hot film! Cartoon teens discuss thermal energy, the conservation and transfer of energy, three methods of heat transfer, conductors, and insulators. The publisher effectively packed every...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Impulse, Momentum, and the Conservation of Momentum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What happens when two worlds collide? In the first of several activities, future physicists experiment with colliding ball bearings or Newton's cradle. Another activity requires the use of an air track with cars to examine collision....
PPT
Curated OER

Energy Basics

For Teachers 5th - 8th
As the title says, some basics of energy are given here. The first section of the slide show focuses on heat energy, differentiating between it and temperature. Chemical and sound energy are introduced, and then the three are combined to...
Lesson Plan
NEED Project

Calibrating Thermometers

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Engage young scientists in the upper-elementary and middle school grades with this collection of simple experiments. Whether you're teaching about heat transfer, density, or potential energy this resource has a lab for you.
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Peanut Energy

For Teachers 6th Standards
How do humans get energy since they aren't mechanical and can't photosynthesize? Learners explore this question by relating potential energy in food to human energy levels. Scholars measure the change in mass and a change in...
PPT
Curated OER

Energy

For Teachers 5th - 8th
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy, while all text and no graphics make Energy a dull presentation. It is informative, teaching viewers about work, conservation of energy, and sources that can be used to generate electricity. It...
Activity
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Teach Engineering

Energy Storage Derby and Proposal

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Small groups use the engineering design process to build and test a vehicle capable of carrying 250 grams a distance of five meters. The design must allow for the storage of potential energy and turn it into motion,...
PPT
University of Texas

Heat Transfer and Energy Balance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learn about conduction, convection, and radiation with an illustrative presentation. It includes slides about atmospheric movement and how it affects the climate, solar radiation, and how latent heat can form storms. 
Unit Plan
Virginia Middle School Engineering Education Initiative

Save the Penguins: An Introduction to Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Heat things up in your physical science class with this interactive lesson series on thermodynamics. Through a series of class demonstrations and experiments, young scientists learn how heat is transferred through conduction,...
PPT
Curated OER

Thermal Energy: Temperature and Heat

For Teachers 8th
Matter and the energy held by molecules is explained here. The information provided about the transfer of energy between substances and the resulting temperature change will be useful to your students.  They will be able to work...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harnessing Solar Energy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars discover the properties of light (radiant) energy from the sun by experimenting with solar collectors, cookers, and calculators. After a lecture/demo, students create their own solar collectors and test their efficiency.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy for Earth: The Sun

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Super science learners examine the sun's production of energy by the process of nuclear fusion. Hands-on activities make this lesson engaging for middle schoolers. The lesson is made up of four parts. Part I is an introduction to the sun...
Lesson Plan
NASA

The Cycle of Matter

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
An educational lesson focuses on the idea of conservation of matter through a demonstration of the water cycle, a discussion of digesting food, and the path of carbon and oxygen atoms as they change form. 
Instructional Video1:08
PBS

Convection: Heat Transfer | UNC-TV Science

For Students 6th - 12th
Learn why what goes up must come down in both air and liquids. Investigators discover how convection transfers thermal energy and the movement of particles in liquids and gases due to density differences by viewing an animated video....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Electricity ~ The Colour Sensitivity of a Photovoltaic Cell

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Teacher's notes, a materials list, detailed procedure, tips, and extension ideas are all included to make teaching this lesson on photovoltaic cells a sunny spot in your day! After some brief background reading, physical science...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy Audit

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students collect data about energy usage and use mathematical calculations to analyze their data. In this energy conservation and statistics math instructional activity, students survey their homes to complete an energy usage worksheet....
Lesson Plan
Rochester Institute of Technology

Solar Energy

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Warm up to the idea of solar energy. A lesson plan includes three activities that challenge scholars to apply knowledge in new ways. First, they learn to run an alarm clock without a battery by using solar energy. Next, they complete an...

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