An Introduction to the forms of heat transfer

This lesson offers demonstrations, hands-on, science journaling, and inquiry. The activities are for use at the beginning of a unit of study. They offer visual, hands-on learning to create a foundation for more advanced understanding. There are activities for convection, conduction, and radiation. The materials needed for these activities are inexpensive or may even be available in labs. The lesson incorporates notebooks, or journals, and data recording. For teachers that are new to using science notebooks, this is an added benefit to have it addressed in the lesson. The lesson is easily understood and offers step by step procedures to follow.

Weblink address (URL): 
An Introduction to the forms of heat transfer

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying
Extension suggestions: 
  • Invite a health care professional to discuss how your body maintains temperature and why you might have a fever when you are sick.
  • Show either or both of the DVDs The Convection of Heat or Bill Nye’s Heat to reinforce the concepts of energy, conduction, convection, and radiation.
  • Show the seven-minute video from NASA entitled Infrared: More Than Your Eyes Can See to learn more about infrared radiation.
  • Invite a firefighter to discuss fire prevention, how knowledge of heat transfer is important to get out alive, why a fire must be vented, and the difference in temperature between the top of a room and the floor.
  • Learn about the importance of heat when blowing glass. If possible, attend a glass blowing demonstration. The Bill Nye video contains a small section about glass blowing.
Interdisciplinary opportunities: 
  • Cook a meal using a Dutch or solar oven. Discuss how conduction, convection, and radiation help in the cooking process.
  • Carefully place a paper cup full of water in a fire and watch it boil. Make sure the cup is surrounded by glowing embers. Discuss how conduction, convection, and radiation prevent the cup from burning.
     

Helpful Hints

Materials:

  • Ball and ring set
  • Hot plate
  • Science journals

References

Contributors: 
Jennifer Hassell
Originator: 
Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation