Students learned about heat, insulators, convection, conduction, climate and temperature in this activity using many varied applications of probeware. Featured here is one of the lessons where students charted out their room and made an isothermal map of the floor and celing to discover how the room gained and lost heat. Along with this examination of their own microclimate students also conducted probeware experiments to explore:

• convection currents in water and air
• the difference between heat and temperature examining the loss of heat from different sized bolts in water
• the insulating properties of grease, blubber, peanut butter, and other items students could insulate their bodies with during a problem-solving scenario swimming across the English Channel
• the efficiency of air conditioning systems used in the school
• the relativity of our perception of hot and cold items

As a culminating assignment students created an iPhoto book to show other students their answer to the question, "How do United States taxpayers spend their precious educational funds on climate control?"   Students' iPhoto books also included an extension activity for sociocultural relevance. They were asked to plan an energy conservation model for heating and cooling their school.   Included in their proposals was an estimate of how much money would be saved and exactly where the money would be spent.

View the Lesson Plan in PDF
Download Lesson Plan in word format

Click here for more photos from this activity