Introduce your class to the Everest expedition to reenact a 1924 climb by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. Discuss and show pictures of the types of clothing worn at that time and compare it to today's state-of-the-art climbing gear....

Practical application of concepts taught in science make them stick with learners for years to come. Here, high schoolers read about energy efficient building methods and then experiment with insulation and passive solar heating....

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. 

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...

The insulation of sound is investigated by physics fanatics during this inquiry. Audacity® free sound editing software is required for collecting data. A link to the website for downloading it and a few screenshots are included to help...

Display the arrangement of molecules in solids, liquids, and gases. Demonstrate how the addition of heat energy results in greater molecular motion and therefore a change of phase. Give examples of heat conductors and insulators, and...

This learning exercise would make a nifty quiz on the laws of thermodynamics. Nine multiple choice questions assess high schoolers' understanding of energy transfer, specific heat capacity, phase change, fusion, and vaporization. It is...

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...

The Diary of a Wimpy Antenna? In the last installment of a six-part series, your class constructs a model of a radio antenna and tests its torque. Pupils use the results to design a better model that resists bending and twisting forces.

Pass around an ice cube and before long, there's nothing left! Youngsters work in groups to design an insulating food container that will keep cold things cold. Though the publisher designated this as a middle school activity, it is...

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...

Students 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.

The carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and its effect on how heat is contained is summarized here. The flow of heat is explained with details about insulation and conduction. There are diagrams of heat circulation on a global level and...

Students evaluate physical science by participating in a heat conducting experiment. In this insulation lesson, students utilize glass jars with lids, thermometers, insulating materials and paper to conduct a heat energy experiment....

Students test insulation materials. In this energy conservation lesson, students use different insulation materials to see which one holds heat the best. Students pour hot water into bottles, take the temperature, wait 15 minutes, then...

Students explore the active layer above permafrost and investigate various factors on the insulation value of the active layer.  In this energy transfer lesson, students conduct and experiment to determine the effects of snow cover,...

Young scholars experiment to learn about how insulation helps conserve energy. In this energy conservation lesson, students follow directions to conduct an experiment that show how insulation increases energy conservation. They use...

Students weigh various battings and feathers. They make sure to have the same weight of each type of insulations. Students wrap one bottle of warm water in each of the two insulations. They measure the temperature of each bottle,...

Students discover that a layer of fat just under the skin is highly adaptive for living in cold water. They coat one hand with vegetable shortening and dip the hand in the ice water. They explain that the layer of vegetable fat...

Learners prepare for a trip to an aquarium by identifying otters, their body parts and behaviors as they read "Pup's Supper", do an otter pantomime and make a puppet. After their field trip, they complete a Venn Diagram of Otter behaviors.

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.

Students investigate the properties of insulators by attempting to keep a cup of water from freezing, and once it is frozen, to keep it from melting. They conduct the experiment, record and analyze the results, and answer discussion...

Students investigate the properties of insulation as it relates to whales and sea ice. They research whales and examine the atmospheric changes that occur when there are changes in sea ice.

Sixth graders investigate what types of insulating materials are best for keeping items hot and cold. They make predictions, conduct various experiments, and record and analyze the data.