Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Insulation
Youngsters compare the heat-holding abilities of three different cans by insulating two with different materials and measuring the temperature change of hot water over a 20-minute period.
Teach Engineering
Insulation Materials Investigation
Don't melt away! Pairs investigate different insulation materials to determine which one is better than the others. Using a low-temp heat plate, the teams insulate an ice cube from the heat source with a variety of substances. They...
Mascil Project
House Insulation
Make sure your house is warm in the winter. Pupils analyze graphs of heating costs for two similar houses and make hypotheses for why the costs differ. They then build models of houses with appropriate insulation to reduce heating costs.
Curated OER
Insulation: Keeping Heat In or Out
Learners compare different materials on their ability to insulate. They identify the best materials for keeping heat in and keeping heat out. They also examine the importance of insulating homes.
Curated OER
Conductors and Insulators
Fifth graders explore conductors and insulators. In this science lesson, 5th graders act as electrons moving through a wire. Students break into groups representing conductors and insulators and explore how they work with electrons.
DiscoverE
Bridges, Buildings and Beyond Activity Packet: Grades 9-12
Shore up engineering knowledge with some building activities. Scholars design a foam beam, create a structure from playing cards, and construct a paper tower that won't topple over in the wind. Along the way, they learn about engineering...
Curated OER
Let's Get Connected!
A great lesson introduces your youngsters to electricity. They use internet links, streaming video, and engage in hands-on activities to understand what electricity is and how it works. They build a circuit board, and construct a variety...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
The Power of Graphene
To prepare for the activity, STEM classes read about nanotechnology and the amazing properties of graphene. They collect a graphene sample from pencils, and then connect them into simple circuits to determine whether it makes a better...
Curated OER
Charge and Electricity
In this charge and electricity instructional activity, students read about electric charges and how they are created in atoms. They also read about the unit of charge, called the Coulomb, conductors, and insulators. Emerging electricians...
DiscoverE
Build a Roller Coaster
Let the good times roll as young thrill seekers build a roller coaster on school grounds. Future engineers design and build a roller coaster from flexible tubing. The roller coaster is for a marble, so there will be plenty of room to let...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Keep it Cool
This cool lesson plan is ideal for elementary engineers or physical scientists, especially when learning about heat transfer and insulation. After reading a page of background information, engineering teams collaborate to design and...
Curated OER
Get Charged!
Students explore the concept of electricity in this activity based unit. In this physical science lesson, students focus on electricity and electrical engineering. The teaching unit includes 5 activities to develop students conceptual...
Curated OER
Insulate Gate Field-Effect Transistors
In this electrical circuit worksheet, students draw a schematic design and build a circuit board to grasp the understanding of insulated gate field effect transistors before answering a series of 39 open-ended questions that include...
Curated OER
Building Green
Students read an article and learn about building green. For this environment lesson, students visit a website to learn about Mark Baker and Nonnie Chrystal. Students write down the three events that led them to explore building with...
K12 Reader
Charge It!
Electrify your pupils' interest in conductors and insulators with a brief reading passage! After reading the text, learners respond to five questions that relate to the content of the passage.
Curated OER
Conductors and Insulators Experiment
In this conductors and insulators experiment worksheet, students follow the procedures to set up an experiment that tests which common materials are conductors or insulators.
Curated OER
TE Activity: Build a Charge Detector
Learners examine how electrical force takes place between two objects by building an electroscope. They apply the electroscope to determine an objects' charge intensity and to see what factors influence electric force.
Curated OER
Your House Comes from a Mine
What do your learners know about mining? Invite them to read about all of the materials that come from mining that go into building a house. Additionally, they answer four questions at the bottom of the worksheet.
Physics Classroom
Polarization
Are your young physicists static-savvy? Test their skills using an engaging interactive from the Static Electricity series! Learners evaluate scenarios to determine how charges move between conductors and insulators, then identify...
American Physiological Society
Feeling the Heat
How do the changing seasons affect the homes where we live? This question is at the forefront of engineering and design projects. Challenge your physical science class to step into the role of an architect to build a model home capable...
Curated OER
Where's the Heat?
Review heat transfer with your seventh graders and guide them in making a practical application. Learners use a paper cutout spiral to locate convection currents in the classroom and throughout the school. They record the temperature at...
Discovery of Sound in the Sea
How to Build a Hydrophone
The materials and procedures for building a hydrophone, an underwater sound collecting device, are provided in this resource. Have high school oceanographers construct the underwater microphone to pick up sound waves. Then take them out...
Beyond Benign
Green House?
A solid foundation is important for all things—especially houses. Learners research different materials for foundations based on environmental impact and cost. They decide whether concrete, insulated concrete, or wood would be best for...
Intel
Plugging into the Sun
What's cooking? A sizzling STEM unit challenges scholars to build a solar cooker that can successfully cook an egg. The unit opens with a study of Earth's rotation, the sun's energy, and shadows. Pupils use a compass and thermometer to...