University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Web Weather for Kids: Thunderstorms & Tornadoes Make Convection Currents
Demonstrate convection currents using a clear box, red food coloring, ice cubes, colored pencils and index cards. Get all the directions you need for this simple lab.
PBS
Pbs Kids: Colored Water Convection
This PBS site allows users to learn more about water convection as they discover how to demonstrate the way convection currents form. A fun science project!
![Tops Learning Systems: Top Science: Conduction and Convection [Pdf] Activity](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Tops Learning Systems: Top Science: Conduction and Convection [Pdf] Activity")
TOPS Learning Systems
Tops Learning Systems: Top Science: Conduction and Convection [Pdf]
Experiment investigating conduction and convection of heat in water.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Investigating Convection
Students will plan and conduct an experiment that investigates convection currents.
Purdue University
Purdue University: Thermal Convection
Students build a model representing the properties of Earth's mantle, illustrating how thermal energy creates movement in a fluid.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Convection Currents
Get a visual of convention currents with this activity. This activity allows students to observe the currents by bending light due to cold and warm water.
Other
Steve Spangler Science: Denver's Brown Cloud
Learn how fluids move through our atmosphere and water. This experiment explains atmospheric convection currents (thunderstorms), the Gulf Stream, and temperature inversion. A video is included.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Weathering the Windchill: How Does Wind Speed Affect Objects?
With this science fair project measure the effect of wind speed on how quickly an object cools. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a section on...
Museum of Science
Museum of Science and Industry: Activities: Fly a Hot Air Balloon
Step-by-step instructions, with photos, of how to construct a hot-air balloon from tissue paper, to demonstrate that heated air expands, creating a convection current. This activity requires the use of a hot air gun and is labor-intensive.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: What's the Fastest Way to Cool a Soda?
When you are craving an ice cold drink of soda, the last thing you want is to be stuck with a bunch of soda cans at room temperature. This fun science experiment sends you on a discovery to find the fastest way to cool soda with...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Huddle and Cuddle: How Puppies Keep Warm
In this mammalian biology science fair project, students will determine how much huddling reduces heat loss in warm-blooded animals. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and...
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: To Heat or Not to Heat?
Students are introduced to various types of energy with a focus on thermal energy and types of heat transfer as they are challenged to design a better travel thermos that is cost efficient, aesthetically pleasing and meets the design...
Other
L in C Online: Three Little Pigs
An energy transfer project for junior high school students is presented and described. Takes the form of a teacher lesson plan. Students may be able to extract some ideas for a project or experiment.
Museum of Science
The Atoms Family
Let this classic family of monsters guide you as you learn about energy. Interactive exercises, experiments, and demonstrations help to build knowledge and raise questions.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Avalanche
In this activity, pour a salt-sand mixture into a CD case to notice how the particles separate themselves. Observe the effect known as granular convection as the smaller sand particles fall beneath the larger particles leaving a layered...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Heat on the Move
This activity is meant to be one of many common experiences that help learners understand that convection is a major driving force on our planet.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Go With the Flow
This lesson plan is a great way to observe the flow of water. Kids can do this experiment at home by following this easy procedure, complete with pictures.
PBS
Pbs, Secrets of the Ocean Realm: Mountain in the Sea
This experiment allows your students to study the effect of temperature on water motion and also to create their own density driven current.