DiscoverE
Solar-Heated Water
Heat up some interest in solar energy. Young engineers create a water heater that runs on solar power (simulated by a lamp). Using thermometers, they determine the change in temperature before and after the water goes through the heater.
Curated OER
Measuring Thermal Energy Transfer
Students conduct an experiment to calculate and quantify heat transfer. They conduct the experiment, and complete a data and lab conclusion sheet.
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Energy/Light/Heat/Sound
Fourth graders study the properties of heat in this series of lessons. They discuss sources of heat and experiment to determine its properties. They identify insulators and conductors by measuring temperatures, and graphing their data....
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Burning Snacks in Chem Lab
Students determine the energy content of various snack foods. They measure the temperature changes in various snack foods as the foods are burned in order to determine the foods' energy content. Students create graphs and data tables of...
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Yeast Fermentation
Students measure the temperature change involved in the production of carbon dioxide by yeast. They also identify products and reactants in a chemical and balance the equation.
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Lesson 5: Boyle's Law
Students participate in a lab to verify Boyle's Law using applied force (weight) to do work on a closed isolated system of air. "Elasticity of Gases Apparatus, BASIX" from Sargent-Welch is the syringe apparatus used to measure volume...
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Global Warming: Life in a Greenhouse
Students examine the evidence that scientists have used to support the existence of global warming and the greenhouse effect. How the concepts have been developed and evaluated form the focus of this lesson.
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Dissolved Oxygen and Photosynthesis: 1
Pupils are taught that plants produce oxygen underwater, and they design an experiment that test this question. They discuss whether plants give off oxygen, and how to measure this. Students measure the increase in dissolved oxygen over...
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Weather
Middle schoolers design and create a structure that acts as a greenhouse and measure and record temperatures within the structure over a 24 -hour period, research global warming and answer the given discussion questions.
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Permafrost
Students use a thermometer to analyze soil temperature data to determine which soil sample is normal, and which one is permafrost. In this permafrost lesson plan, students participate in a hands on activity where they identify the active...
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School Yard Park/ Ecosystem
Fifth graders examine ecosystems in their schoolyard. In this nature and ecosystem lesson, 5th graders map their schoolyard into workable plots. They classify plants and animals found in the plot. They revisit their site every two weeks...
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Weather Tools
Students explore Earth science by participating in a weather identification activity. In this scientific instrument lesson, students identify several weather related tools such as the weather vane, thermometer and rain gauge. Students...
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Reasons for the Seasons
Sixth graders conduct and analyze a survey that explores public perceptions about the reasons for seasonal change. They measure the changing length of days, observe shadows and discuss how the Earth's axis of rotation affects the seasons.
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Plants Help Keep a House Cool!
Students experiment with tree shading and house colors to see how to reduce the temperature of a home.
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Ice Cream Science
Students review properties of matter and discuss how materials change when things are done to them. They observe how materials change as a reaction to temperature by following the procedure to make ice cream and recording the temperature...
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Matter
Students complete a unit of activities to learn about states of matter and how to measure matter. In this matter lesson, students complete 8 lessons to learn about matter, its states, and how to measure matter.
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Is Portland, Oregon Experiencing Global Warming?
Students use data to determine if the climate in Portland has changed over the years. In this weather instructional activity students complete line graphs and study long wave radiation.
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Blowin' in the Wind
Students discover how wind is created on earth: changes in temperatures and air pressure. They list good and bad effects of the wind and make a weather vane and practice using it for 2 weeks.
Messenger Education
Cooling with Sunshades
Messenger's sun shade measures 8 ft x 6 ft and will have temperatures reaching 700 degree Fahrenheit on the outside while maintaining a cool 70 degrees underneath. In the third activity of four, groups discuss the basic properties of...
Colorado State University
Why Do Clouds Form in the Afternoon?
The stability of the atmosphere changes on a daily basis. A kinesthetic lesson models how the stability of the air changes as it's warmed by the sun. Learners connect their models to the changing air currents and movement of warm and...
Curated OER
The Same, But Different
Third graders examine the phase change between solids and liquids and determine it to be a physical change. Ice is the perfect item to use to demonstrate this phase change. Pupils experiment with measuring and weighing solid ice and the...
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Vapor Pressure
This extensive collection of slides begins with diagrams of molecules undergoing evaporation, progresses through methods of measuring pressure, demonstrates how to perform pressure calculations, and then explores the temperature-pressure...
Michigan State University
Gases Matter
Young scientists learn that seeing isn't necessarily believing when it comes to the states of matter. After performing a fun class demonstration that models the difference between solids, liquids, and gases, children complete a series of...
Curated OER
Too Heavy For Me
Students explore the different arrangement of air molecules in high and low air pressure masses. They compare the temperature of high and low pressure masses and discover how a barometer works.