Physical World – Heat

Below are links to Science Learning Hub resources for primary teachers related to heat in the Physical World strand of the New Zealand Curriculum.

Primary teachers often consider heat for a topic or concept when teaching science from the Physical World strand. Here are some resources that may help you teach this interesting phenomenon.

Log fire

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Fires are different depending on the variables involved. This log fire is a controlled fire, designed to radiate heat.

Rights: 123RF Limited

Referencing Hub media

Heat basics: temperature

Temperature is a measure of the average energy of the particles that make up a substance. It relates to the idea of hotness and coldness. If an object feels hotter, generally it has the higher temperature.

• Temperature –the highs and lows – article

• Heat and latent heat – video

• Investigating temperature – activity

• Water temperature – activity

Heat basics: energy

Every time something gets warm, cools down, moves, grows, makes a sound or changes in any way, it uses energy.

• What is energy? – article

• Heat energy – article

• Using heat energy – activity

Topic: Fire

Combustion is when fuel reacts with oxygen to release heat energy. Fire is the visible effect of combustion. 

• Fire behaviour – article

The fire triangle

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Oxygen, fuel and heat are needed for fire to occur. This is known as the fire triangle.

Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

Referencing Hub media

• Drama in the microworld – activity

• Light a candle – activity

• Putting out the fire – activity

• The flying tea bag – activity

• The great candle experiment – activity

• Alternative conceptions about fire – article

• Conduction – image

• Convection – image

• How things ignite – image

• Radiation – image

• Flashover and backdraught – video

Topic: Renewable energy

Renewable energy is fuel that comes from a source that can be replenished in a short amount of time. This includes solar, wind, water, geothermal power and bioenergy. 

• Renewable energy sources – article

• Geothermal power – article

• New Zealand’s biomass resources – article

• Solar power – article

• Greenhouse simulation – activity

• Energy sources through time – timeline

• Fuels and greenhouse gases – video

• Woody residue uses – video

Topic: staying warm with insulation

Keeping warm involves stopping the transfer of heat from one object to another. This can be done by insulating the object. Trapping air in layers is a very effective way of insulating an object.

• Greenhouse effect – article

• Greenhouse gases – video

• Insulation – article

• Kelvin – The ThermoKennel – article

• Wool fibre properties – article

Insulation with feathers

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An emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) chick at guard stage, keeping warm. Keeping warm involves stopping the transfer of heat from one object to another. This can be done by insulating the object. Trapping air in layers is a very effective way of insulating an object. Penguins trap air in their feathers.

Rights: Dr Katja Riedel

Referencing Hub media

• Getting dressed for the Antarctic – video

• Staying warm in Antarctica – video

We will continue to use the Hub as it is teacher friendly and easy to navigate. The topics are relevant and the work has been done for us. The students find the site interesting and easy to use too.

Topic: solar energy

Scientists have learned to harness the Sun, transforming its energy to meet our energy needs.

• Harnessing the Sun – unit plan

• Harnessing the Sun – an introductory article with links to media, articles and student activities

• Solar energy – article

• Using solar energy – article

• Making a solar oven – activity

A solar oven

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After making solar ovens, students could explain how a solar cooker worked using the concepts of insulation, reflection and absorption.

Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

Referencing Hub media

Alternative conceptions about energy – article

The performance helped me remember the whole meaning of solar cooking

Topic: Water (using heat to change states)

Changes of state involve the addition or removal of heat energy.

• Melting and freezing – article

• Water molecules in drama – activity

Classroom examples

Find out how teachers around New Zealand have used heat-related resources in their classrooms.

• Cross-curricular use of Fire context – article

• Adapting learning outcomes and activities for young students – article

• Making and using an artefact – article

• Performing science – article

• Students reflect on learning science – article

• Making predictions – video

• Revisiting predictions – video