This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 5th Grade Science.
A middle school teacher uses class projects to introduce students to the principles of insulation.
Students investigate the influence of our Sun as a heat source and develop an understanding that different materials store thermal energy with different levels of efficiency.
In this instructional unit, students investigate heat transfer principles.
Students measure, record, and compare three different temperatures of water to the surrounding air temperature. Students then record them on a chart and graph the results. Students observe the cooling and warming of water by observing and recording the change temperatures over time. Students then try to formulate explanations for their findings and apply them to real life situations. A student task card and a rubric is included with this resource.
In this lesson, students set up a simple experiment to answer questions about how different surfaces on earth retain heat. They will practice taking measurements with a thermometer and test the heat capacity of water versus soil.