Third Grade Energy: Conservation and Transfer Centers
3.P.3.1 Recognize that energy can be transferred from one object to another by rubbing them against each other.
3.P.3.2 Recognize that energy can be transferred from a warmer object to a cooler one by contact or at a distance and the cooler object gets warmer.
Center One
Materials: small container (baby food jars work well), uncooked rice, thermometer, timing device, science journals.
Students will fill container half full of rice. Place the thermometer in the middle of the rice and record temperature. Predict what will happen to the temperature when you shake up the rice. Place lid tightly on container and shake for one minute. Open container and place thermometer in the middle of rice and record. Recap rice in container and vigorously shake rice for two minutes. Once again record the temperature. The third time shake the rice for three minutes. Record and then graft your results in your science journal. Answer the following questions.
What did you predict would happen and what did happen?
What questions do you have about the results?
What did you learn?
What caused the change?
Why did change happen?
How do you know?
Center Two
Materials: balloon, baking soda, vinegar, water, empty water bottle, funnel, safety goggles, science journals
Students will pour about an inch of liquid--half vinegar, half water--into the bottle. Use the funnel to put baking soda into the balloon.
Stretch the open end of the balloon over the neck of the bottle. Make sure it's on tight! Let the heavy end of the balloon dangle, so no baking soda goes in the bottle. Feel the bottle and record your thoughts. Predict what will happen when you lift the balloon.Hold onto the balloon at the bottle neck, and pick up the heavy part of the balloon so that all the baking soda falls into the vinegar at the bottom of the bottle.
What happens to the balloon? Feel the bottle again. Record the any change you feel.
What did you predict would happen and what did happen?
What questions do you have about the results?
What did you learn?
What caused the change?
Why did change happen?
How do you know?
Center Three
Materials: Large and sandwich sized baggies, lard, bucket of ice water, science journal
Fill the large plastic bag half full of Crisco or lard. Place your hand inside of the sandwich bag (like a glove) and place your hand inside of the bucket of ice water. Hold it in the water for 10-20 seconds or until you become uncomfortable. Write in your journal your findings and a prediction of what will happen when you surround your hand with lard. Now place your hand inside of the large plastic bag. Make sure the lard surrounds your hand on all sides then place your hand inside of the ice water again. What do you feel? How do animals use their “fat”?
What did you predict would happen and what did happen?
What questions do you have about the results?
What did you learn?
What caused the change?
Why did change happen?
How do you know?
Center 4
Materials: small ice cube, paper towel, science journal, timing device
First step: Students will choose an ice cube and place it on their paper towel. Using prior knowledge and what they learn from each other they are asked who can melt the ice cube the fastest. Students will write in their journals the ways they used to melt the ice cube. When the first step is finished, students will then use the same paper towel and this time see how fast they can dry the paper towel recording in their journals the different ways they thought of to accomplish this task.
Was it easier to melt the ice cube or dry the paper towel?
Which process took the longest and why?
What questions do you have about the results?
What did you learn?
What caused the change?
Why did change happen?
How do you know?
Solar Oven Activity
Materials: cardboard box, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, tape, gram crackers, marshmallows, chocolate squares, sunny day
Line box with foil, make your own treat (S’more), and place on a small piece of foil with your initials. Place your treat in box then cover the top of box with plastic wrap. Place box in sunny location. Wait and watch, eat when you are ready!
This fun activity can be easily changed to an engineering Design Challenge.
The directions for this awesome lesson is located at