Lesson 5: Conduction, Convection, Radiation

Investigating Heat Transfers

Overview

Heat moves from warmer matter to cooler matter in different ways. Students consider heat transfers that occur in every day situations and investigate three specific ways that heat moves: conduction, convection, and radiation. 

Key Ideas

Lesson Goals

Students will: 

Lesson Resources

Lesson PlanDownload Lesson Plan (14 pages 832 KB)


Lesson PlanStudent Handouts 5.1 & 5.2: How Heat Travels & How Heat Travels Content Organizer (1.5 MB)

Lesson PlanStudent Handout 5.3: Observing Convection (1,016 KB)
 
Lesson PlanTeacher Resources 5.1 & 5.2: Heat Transfer Scenes & Description of Heat Transfer Screens (2.2 MB)

Teacher Resource 5.3: Paper Spiral Pattern (592 KB)

 
Resources for Convection, Conduction, and Radiation

Energy Transfer by Conduction and Convection from the BBC- Education School Bitesize. Animated diagrams and text explain the way heat is transferred.

Try this interactive tutorial from Teachers' Domain on Heat Transfers explaining convection, conduction, and radiation.

Heat from Glossopedia
Describes how heat moves, hot it is used, measured, reacts, and more.

Three Methods of Heat Transfer: Conduction, Convection, and Radiation


Convection, Conduction, and Radiation


NOAA’s National Weather Service – Jet Stream – Transfer of Energy
   [advanced level of content]


Explore the role of conduction, convection, and radiation as related to fire safety in this Newton's Apple episode on Firefighting.

Online Extensions

Make popcorn using each of the three methods of heat transfer.

Investigate how lava lamps work.

Learn about heat transfer and ocean currents.

Connections to Maine Agencies

A Maine Energy Education Program (MEEP) representative will come to interested schools, free of charge, to guide and support the concepts of this lesson.

For schools in Aroostook County, a Maine Public Service (MPS) representative will come to interested schools, free of charge, to guide and support concepts developed in this lesson.

 

 

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