Extreme Heat

Heat things up in your physical science class with this interactive lesson series on thermodynamics. Through a series of class demonstrations and experiments, young scientists learn how heat is transferred through conduction, convention,...

Step-by-step instructions are given for two hands-on activities. Young scientists cut out a paper spiral and hold it over a hot plate to demonstrate convection, and they place a small piece of wax on the end of a metal rod opposite the...

With Earth Day quickly approaching, as well as many science fairs, why not challenge your class to investigate geothermal energy or other renewable energy resources? There are five driving questions explored in depth here, as well as...

It is impossible to cool down a glass of water by adding ice. Young scientists explore heat transfer through videos, experiments, and interactive games. They quickly catch on that the water melts the ice and things aren't always as they...

Let's heat things up! This simple experiment demonstrates for students the important role the sun plays in providing the earth with energy. Place one cup of water in direct sunlight and one in shade, then take measurements in order to...

How does fire keep itself going? Explore the ways that heat uses fuel and energy with a lesson about the fire triangle and combustion. Several activities demonstrate how heat moves from warmer objects to cooler objects, as well as the...

During a unit on density, pupils ponder whether or not temperature affects this property. By carefully inserting blue cold water and yellow hot water into a room-temperature sample, they will see the answer. Make sure to have done the...

Astronauts train underwater to simulate the change in gravity. An out-of-this-world unit includes three hands-on activities, one teacher demonstration, and a discussion related to some of the challenges astronauts face. Scholars apply...

One of the key objectives of Europe's Copernicus Earth program is to monitor the temperatures of the oceans and seas on Earth. Young scholars learn the effects of different heat capacities through two experiments. These experiments...

Convection, conduction, and radiation are the three methods of heat transfer. Introduce them to your physical science students by showing this video. The emcee shows where each of these play a role in his kitchen and explains a bit about...