Teaching about Heat Budgets of Lakes

How can you describe heat of fusion in a way the class understands and relates the importance of this concept to present day issues? In this third instructional activity of the series, learners conduct an experiment, demonstrating the...

Use an exciting role play activity to teach young chemists about the importance of heat transfer in maintaining homeostasis. They assume the role of a dog sled owner who has been abandoned and must fend for themselves with only a few...

There has been a huge solar energy spill! Let's go outside to play in it. This lesson includes multiple experiments showcasing solar and wind energies. Scholars build a solar heater and an anemometer before testing the results. The...

Learners construct a model of the hydrologic cycle, and observe that water is an element of a cycle in the natural environment. They explain how the hydrologic cycle works and why it is important, and compare the hydrologic cycle to...

Chemistry whizzes test the change in water temperature produced by a burning candle and the change in acid temperature produced by magnesium metal. With these two laboratory activities they explore heat produced during chemical...

Sal continues this short series on specific heat and vaporization. The situation he poses uses 500 grams of liquid water at 60 degrees Celsius, with the goal of getting the water to 0 degrees Celsius. The ice he adds to the water comes...

Is the ice cooling down the water or is the water melting the ice? Here is a simulation that explores thermal energy transfer with iron, brick, and water. It demonstrates the flow of energy and what happens when each material is either...

From burning wood for heat to riding a bicycle, converting one form of energy into another is an everyday process! Using a video clip, learners discover the sources of the thermal, mechanical, and electrical energies that make our lives...

When asked to list everyday objects that require energy, most people list technology that use batteries or electricity. Through hands-on exploration, young scientists discover energy is much more than just circuitry. They play with...

Young engineers are instructed to design and build their own solar water heaters. Then, they calculate the efficiency and cost and compare them to commercially available models. This is a full unit for pupils to apply their knowledge.