TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Insulation Materials Investigation
Students test the insulation properties of different materials by timing how long it takes ice cubes to melt in the presence of various insulating materials. Students learn about the role that thermal insulation materials can play in...
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Insulation Fact Sheet
Several well-written pages using easy-to-understand language. Explains about every detail concerning insulation and its installation or replacement. Discusses R values, heat loss, insulation types, etc.
NASA
Nasa: Engineering Design Challenges: Thermal Protection Systems Educator Guide
This classroom activity teaches students to work in groups to design and build a thermal protection system simulating one on a space vehicle. Provides background information, lesson plans, and assessment questions.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Thermal Conductors and Insulators
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Thermal conductors and insulators and the ways they are used.
OpenSciEd
Open Sci Ed: 6.2 Thermal Energy Teacher Professional Development Overview
This four-day professional development session introduces teachers to the OpenSciEd materials generally in addition to the 6.2 Thermal Energy unit.
OpenSciEd
Open Sci Ed: 6.2 Thermal Energy
This Thermal Energy unit has students investigating two ways to transfer energy into a drink: (1) the absorption of light and (2) thermal energy from the warmer air around the drink. They are then challenged to design their own drink...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Thermal Conductors and Insulators
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Descriptions and examples of thermal conductors and insulators are discussed and shown.
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Dance With Heating, Cooling, and Insulation [Pdf]
For this lesson, 3rd graders use movement and dance composition to aid their comprehension of heating, cooling, and insulation.
The Wonder of Science
The Wonder of Science: Ms Ps3 3: Thermal Energy Transfer Solution
Lessons to show thermal energy transfer. Middle schoolers will "apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer".
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Radiant Barrier Fact Sheet
Several well-written pages using easy-to-understand language. Explains the concept of reflective insulation and radiant behaviors. Discusses benefits of radiant barrier installation.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Insulators
The nature of insulators is described at the atomic level. Band gap theory is used to explain what distinguishes insulators from conductors.
OpenSciEd
Open Sci Ed: Unit 6.2 Thermal Energy
This unit on thermal energy transfer begins with students testing whether a new plastic cup sold by a store keeps a drink colder for longer compared to the regular plastic cup that comes free with the drink.
Other
Warmair.com: Insulation
The role of insulation in preventing heat loss is discussed. The concept of thermal resistance is introduced and explained. Understandable language but no graphics.
Other
Fact index.com: Thermal Conductivity
Fact-Index.com offers an excellent site on thermal conductivity. Includes table of contents, hyperlinked terms, and formulas.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Thermal Conductivity
Lists thermal conductivity values for a variety of topics. The link "Heat conduction discussion" on this page displays an equation for calculating the rate of thermal conduction using these conductivity values.
Other
Mister teacher.com: Thermal Energy
An explanation, supported by pictures and animation, of how thermal energy transfers between objects.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Zero Energy Housing
Students investigate passive solar building design with a focus solely on heating. They learn how insulation, window placement, thermal mass, surface colors, and site orientation play important roles in passive solar heating. They use...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Cooking With the Sun Creating a Solar Oven
For this activity, students will be given a set of materials: cardboard, a set of insulating materials (i.e. foam, newspaper, etc.), aluminum foil, and Plexiglas. Students will then become engineers in building a solar oven from the...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What Is Heat?
Students learn about the definition of heat as a form of energy and how it exists in everyday life. They also learn about the three types of heat transfer as well as the connection between heat and insulation.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Trb 3:5 Investigation 4 Heat Misconceptions
Gloves do not give heat, but will insulate or hold in any heat that is in your hand.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Capturing the Sun's Warmth
In the exploration of ways to use solar energy, students investigate the thermal energy storage capacities of different test materials to determine which to use in passive solar building design.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Keeping Warm
[Free Registration/Login Required] Through this unit children build their ideas about temperature as a measure of how hot or cold objects are and learn about thermal insulators as materials that can help to keep things warm or cool.
BBC
Bbc Schools: Ks2 Bitesize: Science: Materials: Keeping Warm
Easy-to-understand overviews, with illustrations, a game, and quiz questions, about thermal conductors and insulators.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: How Hot Is It?
Students learn about the nature of thermal energy, temperature and how materials store thermal energy. They discuss the difference between conduction, convection and radiation of thermal energy, and complete activities in which they...