Curated OER
Making a Thermometer
Students observe a demonstration of how a thermometer functions. They apply the scientific method while determining which of three cups hold the coldest water. They write a hypothesis before conducting the experiment and gather data.
American Chemical Society
The Ups and Downs of Thermometers
What has a thermometer earned that your pupils haven't? A degree! After reviewing the previous lessons about molecules and degrees, scholars observe how thermometers work before building their own. The module includes a activity sheet.
NEED Project
Calibrating Thermometers
Engage young scientists in the upper-elementary and middle school grades with this collection of simple experiments. Whether you're teaching about heat transfer, density, or potential energy this resource has a lab for you.
Curated OER
Make Your Own Temperature Scale
Differentiate between temperature and thermal energy. Your class will build a thermometer using simple materials and develop their own scale for measuring temperature. Discuss with your class and consider why engineers need to understand...
Curated OER
Using a Thermometer
First graders use their senses to formulate questions and make predictions to determine what is in the "Wonder Bag". They hold pieces of ice and examine while listing descriptors on a chart and then take their own temperature using an...
NOAA
History's Thermometers
How is sea coral like a thermometer? Part three of a six-part series from NOAA describes how oceanographers can use coral growth to estimate water temperature over time. Life science pupils manipulate data to determine the age of corals...
Curated OER
How to Read a Thermometer
Students' temperature is measured using an instrument called a thermometer.
Curated OER
Calibrating a Thermometer
Students calibrate an alcohol thermometer using the boiling and freezing point of water. In this physical science lesson plan, students explain what happens to boiling point of water as altitude increases. They calculate their...
Curated OER
Build a Thermometer
Students build a thermometer. In this weather lesson plan, students use red food coloring, rubber stoppers, and hard plastic tubing to build a thermometer. Students use their homemade thermometer to measure the temperature.
Curated OER
How Does a Thermometer Work?
Students explore how a thermometer works. In this temperature lesson, students use a glass bottle, a straw, and food coloring to construct a homemade thermometer. Students record observations.
Captain Planet Foundation
Solar Cooking Race
Study heat transfer with activities that focus on how heat energy works. Using a solar cooker, ice cubes, and heat transfer bracelets, kids experiment and record what they find by keeping ice cubes cold and vegetables hot.
Curated OER
Weather With a Latitude
Students read the temperature from a thermometer. For this weather lesson, students read a thermometer and record the temperature at twenty minute intervals. Students discuss results.
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
Global Warming in a Jar
This well-organized lab activity introduces earth science pupils to the greenhouse effect. They will set up two experiments to monitor temperatures in an open jar, a closed jar, and a closed jar containing water. Ideally, you would have...
Curated OER
I'm Just a Bag of Feelings
First graders identify and discuss different kinds of feelings and emotions. They take turns pulling a feeling out of a bag, and acting out their feeling while the other students guess the feeling. Students also complete a Feelings...
University of Georgia
The Power of Peanuts
Measure the amount of energy in a peanut by igniting a chemical reaction. Classes use a laboratory setup to burn a peanut and measure the amount of heat it releases through a temperature analysis. They calculate the number of Joules of...
Curated OER
Lesson Two
Second graders, after assessing why forecasting weather is important, study about temperature and how to read a thermometer. They experiment being able to observe the mercury rising up and down when given a thermometer and cups of cold...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Making a Liquid Crystal Thermometer
Introduce your classes to a fourth state of matter! Liquid crystals have a colorful sheen that changes based on different physical factors. Learners use this information to create a liquid crystal thermometer where the color of the...
Missouri Department of Elementary
My Feelings
Encourage self-awareness with a lesson that challenges scholars to identify feelings—happy, sad, mad, and scared. Using a feelings thermometer, similar to that of a bar graph, pupils discuss how they would feel in specific scenarios then...
EngageNY
Real-World Positive and Negative Numbers and Zero
Class members investigate how positive and negative numbers are useful in the real world. Individuals first read a short passage and identify terms indicating positive and negative numbers. They consider situations involving positive...
Curated OER
Life Cycle of a Salamander
Third graders examine the life cycle of a salamander. For this life cycles lesson, 3rd graders view a PowerPoint presentation about the life cycle of a salamander. Students take the temperature of a toy salamander with a thermometer and...
Curated OER
Discovering Math: Beginning Measurement
Young mathematicians are shown a ruler, yardstick, tape measure and scale. They practice measuring length, width, height, and weight. They are then shown a thermometer, and discuss what a thermometer is used for. Everyone is shown how to...
Curated OER
Using Negative Numbers
Fourth graders explore negative numbers with this resource. They discuss positive and negative numbers by counting who is present and absent, placing numbers on a number line, and graphing temperatures. Using a variety of activities,...
Virginia Department of Education 
Heat Loss from a Fur-Insulated Animal
How do animals adapt to weather changes? Provide your class with the ability to understand adaptations and body temperature as they participate in this hands on experiment, using fake fur and hot water. Pupils collect data and...
Perkins School for the Blind
A Visit to the Doctor
Going to the doctor's office may be a source of stress and uncertainty for some children. Help your learners with special needs discover what to expect at and how to cope with their next trip to the doctor. They explore real medical...