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Solar Convection
https://www.sciencefriday.com/educational-resources/solar-convection/

Lawrence Hall of Science, Science Friday

In this activity, students will use hot and cold water to see how fluids at different temperatures move around in convection currents.

This learning activity takes 30min

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»


Grade Level

Online Readiness

Topics

Energy Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

  • Educators may want to consider this as an introductory demonstration or modeling activity but will want to have additional activities planned that go more in-depth.
  • Additional activities can be found on the Lawrence Hall of Science website or on the DIYSunScience app available for iPhones or iPads.
  • The lesson could go much deeper with assessment questions, exploring energy concepts, and connecting to students' lives so teachers should consider supplementing with those concepts.
  • Educators may want to make connections to weather and ocean currents.

About the Content

  • Students explore the process of solar convection by modeling convection with hot and cold water of different colors.
  • Climate change connections are not made explicitly, but this activity could also be used to introduce concepts like ocean currents and their connection to climate change or many of the Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts for Energy Education.
  • Connections aren't made to defining thermal energy, the role of the Sun as Earth's energy source, or how convection plays out on Earth, nor connections to climate change and human impacts so teachers may want to supplement with some discussion on these topics.
  • Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.

About the Pedagogy

  • The activity is excellent for showing how the temperature of water affects its density.
  • Better as a whole class demonstration rather than in partners.
  • The hands-on nature of the activity is engaging for students and will generate many questions and observations.
  • Not all lesson elements are present, but the teacher could use this as a core activity to develop a lesson plan for their students' specific needs or even include the scientific process.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

  • The concepts and steps are laid out clearly and are easy to follow.
  • Educators would need some prep time to make ice cubes and gather materials.
Entered the Collection: March 2023 Last Reviewed: July 2022

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