Description
Heat Transfer Unit: Students will learn about conductors, insulators, convection currents, conduction, and radiation in this heat transfer complete unit. Students will love making a solar oven among other hands-on experiments and heat transfer labs. This resource is a complete unit for teaching the concepts of heat transfer. It includes 4 labs and 2 additional engineering activities, a two-page informational text article explaining heat transfer, response pages, interactive notebook flaps, and more. Students will learn about conductors, insulators, convection currents, radiation, and conduction in heat transfer for middle school. Students will love the heat transfer lab and heat transfer foldable. Students will be using STEM engineering skills to create a tool related to heat transfer.
This unit is geared for middle school science.
The following NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas are addressed: Matter and Its Interactions and Energy.
This unit is aligned with NGSS standards for MS Physical science and is also aligned with Utah SEEd standards strand 6.2
NGSS Standards Addressed:
MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
MS-PS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer
MS-PS3-4. Plan an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter,
Utah SEEd standards addressed in this unit:
6.2.1 Develop models to show that molecules are made of different kinds, proportions and quantities of atoms. Emphasize understanding that there are differences between atoms and molecules and that certain combinations of atoms form special molecules. Examples of simple molecules could include water (H2O), atmospheric oxygen (O2), and carbon dioxide (CO2).
6.2.2 Develop a model to predict the effect of heat energy on states of matter and density. Emphasize the arrangement of particles in states of matter (solid, liquid, or gas) and during phase changes (melting, freezing, condensing, and evaporating).
6.2.3 Plan and carry out an investigation to determine the relationship between temperature, the amount of heat transferred, and the change of average particle motion in various types or amounts of matter. Emphasize recording and evaluating data, and communicating the results of the investigation.
6.2.4 Design an object, tool, or process that minimizes or maximizes heat energy transfer. Identify criteria and constraints, develop a prototype for iterative testing, analyze data from testing, and propose modifications for optimizing the design solution. Emphasize demonstrating how the structure of different materials allows them to function as either conductors or insulators.