KS3 ~ Year 8 ~ Energy Transfer: Conduction & Convection

This lesson is designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the P2 1.2 unit on ‘Energy’.

More Biology, Chemistry and Physics resources can be found in my TES Shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience

This lesson starts with an introduction to conductors and the process of conduction. Students will be given a definition for each of these terms, they will then be asked to consider what some examples of good conductors and insulators are. The answer to these questions are then revealed, students can take notes in their books.

Next, students are shown a diagram which demonstrates what happens to the particles within a solid when conduction occurs. Students are then asked to discuss ‘Why does conduction occur best in solid materials?’ - after a short discussion students will be shown the answer to this question so they can self-assess their work.

Students will now complete an investigation to test different types of materials - copper, wood, iron, plastic & zinc - to see how well they conduct heat. Students should follow the method provided on the practical worksheet, they can record their results in a table in their books.

The next part of the lesson focuses on convection, students will watch a video, during which they will need to answer a set of questions. This task can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.

Lastly, students are asked to draw a cross-section of a room in a house with a radiator on and show how a convection current might occur with the air particles in this room. This task can be assessed against the diagram provided in the PowerPoint presentation, once complete.

The plenary task requires students to write down three facts, three key words and 1 question to test their peers knowledge of what they have learned this lesson.

All resources are included at the end of the presentation, thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)