Weather is always changing. Humans have been dividing up the year based on these changes in weather for thousands of years. A division of a year based on weather is called a season. Different regions of the Earth have different names for seasons and different types of seasons. The most common seasonal names used are Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Introduction:
On a hot, sunny day, would you rather wear dark or light-colored clothes? Have you ever walked across dark pavement barefoot on a hot day? How did that feel? Would you rather walk on the dark pavement or a lighter colored sidewalk along green grass? In this experiment you will investigate how the color of objects can affect it’s temperature.
Introduction:
Objective: The objective of today’s lab is to determine if water or sand heats up more quickly and “keeps” its heat longer. You will then use your collected data to answer the following question: How does a hot, sunny day at the beach affect a fish in the water differently from a crab on the sand? Explain.
Introduction:
The law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of an isolated system remains the same. Over time, all energy is conserved. Energy is neither created nor destroyed – instead it transfers from one form to another. Objects in motion have kinetic energy. Thermal energy is energy in a system due to its temperature.
Have you ever wondered what your dog does all day long while you are at work? Is resting the major “activity” or is there some occasional wandering? Is there silence or periodic barking, such as when the mailman comes or a squirrel is seen through a window? The author of this lesson has a couple of schnauzers, known for their predisposition for barking. “Welcome to the Bark Side” is a frequent phrase voiced to passersby while I am taking the schnauzers for a walk. But how much do they bark when cooped up in the house and I am out someplace? And do they move around a lot or mostly nap
There are over a dozen activities that you can do with your PocketLab Maker Kit! Below you will find instructions and links each activity, and you can find more ideas by browsing hundreds of PocketLab lesson plans.
First, here is a video on how to assemble the Maker Kit cart.
Make a Magnetic Minesweeper game!
Exploration
When it is cold outside, it is often thought that fans aren’t needed. However, it may be that a fan can bring warm air near the ceiling down to floor level, increasing comfort without raising the thermostat. Energy could therefore be saved.
Objective
In this experiment, students will:
1) Determine how a ceiling fan affects the temperature in a room, both near the floor and near the ceiling.
Download PDF for complete lab activity
Exploration
Does closing blinds or curtains save energy? Often the blinds or curtains in a room are left open when it is cold outside, even when no one is using the room. Would closing them save energy?
Objective
In this experiment, students will:
1. Determine how to use curtains to save energy when it is cold outside.
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Exploration
What does it mean to change temperature? What is temperature? We know what it means to be hot or cold, but what does it mean when you measure the temperature of an item?
Objective
In this experiment, students will:
1. Understand how the temperature of the water is related to the movement (kinetic energy) of the water molecules.
2. Use observations to describe the principle of thermal expansion.
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Exploration
As a hiker changes elevation during a hike, the atmospheric pressure will change. The air pressure at sea level, is vastly different than the air pressure at the top of a mountain. In some regions, it can be even be difficult for people who are not from that region to breathe, because they are not used to the changes in altitude. Using PocketLab, determine the relationship between elevation and air pressure.
Objective
