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...
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
Radiation and Color
Tenth graders explore the relationship between color and heat absorption by measuring the temperature change of water in differently colored test tubes as they are exposed to a heat lamp. They work in small groups to collect data and...
Curated OER
Urban Heat Islands: An Introduction to Energy Transfer and Transformation
Elementary school physical scientists explore kinetic mechanical energy by dropping a golf ball on different surfaces. They discuss how human made materials might react to light differently from nature made materials. This lesson plan...
Curated OER
Let the Sunshine In
Ninth graders conduct an experiment which demonstrates the absorption and reflection of sunlight by measuring the heat flow through various window coverings. They predict the relative amount of the sun's heat. Students draw conclusions...
Curated OER
Taking In The Heat
Students discover that different textured materials can absorb more heat than others. Students work with thermometers, clocks, and graphs.
Curated OER
Canned Heat
Students demonstrate that light and dark colored objects absorb the sun's radiation at different rates. They experiment with the temperature change of water in two locations and discuss the results.
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.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Light Reflection and Absorption
Students discover what types of objects reflect and absorb light. In this science inquiry activity, students use flashlights to determine whether different objects absorb or reflect light.
Discovery Education
It's Getting Hot in Here
Class members engage in a STEM experiment and investigate how materials affect heating in a house by creating models of houses and using different top surface materials. They record the temperature inside the models and consider what the...
Curated OER
It's All In The Surface: The Effects Of Color & Texture On The Ability Of A Surface To Absorb Solar Energy
Ninth graders examine how dark surfaces absorb more light than light surfaces. They perform an experiment that compares various surfaces abilities to absorb heat, then record and analyze the results.
Curated OER
Which Colors Absorb the Most Energy?
Young scholars measure the temperatures over time of different colored envelopes in order to explore the different rates at which each color absorbs energy from a heat lamp. They record their data and graph their results.
Curated OER
Light Week
First graders experiment with prisms to explore sequence of colors of light created.
Curated OER
The Miracle Fish: Learning to Design an Experiment
Young scholars develop procedures to explore the behavior of fish. In this scientific experiment lesson students from a hypothesis, write a question, identify different variables and controls in their experiment.
Curated OER
Exploring With Photograms
Students observe the interaction between energy absorbed, reflected or transmitted through an object in a photochemical process with a classroom demonstration.
Curated OER
Sea Ice Research
Students study sea ice and its importance in climate and climate change. They discuss sea ice as a presence of a food source for marine animals in the arctic and complete a lab activity. After completing the lab, they watch a video...