STEMonstrations: Thermal Energy
Lesson Plans
Grades6, 7, 8Biology, Physics, Earth and Space Sciences
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Provided by NASA
What it is
- In this resource, students will learn about thermal energy transfer, the role it plays in ensuring human and wildlife survival in the environment, and the three modes by which it is transferred.
- This resource contains activities and experiments that students can perform to better understand how thermal energy transfer works.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This resource gives a glimpse into the lives of astronauts aboard the International Space Station and how principles of thermal heat transfer enable them to perform their jobs safely.
- The included video is easy to understand and clearly explains the basic principles of thermal energy transfer.
- This resource connects scientific theories to real-life applications, helping students understand the relevance of thermal energy transfer.
Prerequisites
- This resource contains activities and experiments which will need different materials not provided.
- Students may need some physics background in basic heat and heat transfer definitions and should understand how temperature impacts a substance's density.
Differentiation
- Teachers can link this resource to the effects of greenhouse gases, how they may affect the livelihood of humans and wildlife, and ways through which these effects can be managed.
- Students can identify and discuss examples of thermal energy transfer in daily life.
- Students can identify systems at home and school that enable a balance in thermal energy transfer within our environment.
- Biology students can link this to animal adaptation to temperature changes while Geography students can identify the impacts of ocean currents on climate.
From the scientist review
This resource introduces students to thermal energy transfer through a short NASA video and a student worksheet. The student worksheet features clear, accurate text with three investigations to help students visualize conduction, convection, and radiation. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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