“Don’t touch the stove.”

“Keep away from the electrical outlets.”

“Candles are not toys.”

We warn kids to stay away from conductors of heat and electricity because, if you don’t understand how they work, they can be dangerous.

But as students start learning about matter and energy—how it can be changed and what the results are of that change—discovering the effects of thermal energy and electricity becomes the spark that ignites a love of science!

How to Use Our Introduction to Thermal Conductivity Lesson with Your Students

This resource was designed to be presented in a classroom setting to explain thermal conduction to your students.

This lesson introduces and discusses the properties of:

• Matter
• Solids
• Liquids
• Gases
• Conduction
• Conductors
• Insulators

Specifically, students will walk away from this lesson with the ability to:

• Define conduction
• Explain how thermal energy is transferred through conduction
• Identify examples of conduction

More Ways to Use This Thermal Conductivity Lesson with Your Students 

Take this presentation even further with more activities to solidify learning about matter, conduction, and insulation.

Students can use this presentation as a reference or guide when working on any activity or classwork that has to do with conduction. For example:

• Is It a Conductor or an Insulator? Worksheet
• Observing Conduction Science Experiment
• Forms of Energy Sorting Activity

Pre-Lesson Activity

Students can be assigned this presentation as independent reading, either at home or prior to starting the lesson together as a group. Ask students to write their own notes about what they learned before starting your properties of matter lesson.

Turn & Talk

Ask students to write questions on a sticky note as the resource is presented, then put students into groups of 3 or 4 to help each other answer the questions on their sticky notes.

Be the Teacher

As a post-lesson activity, ask students what they would put on a quiz if they were the teacher. Ask students to write their own 5-question quiz using the information in the presentation. Then have them trade papers with another student to take the quiz.

Preparing This Resource for Your Students

Project this presentation on your smartboard or other projection devices.

Before You Download

Use the drop-down icon on the Download button to choose between the PowerPoint or Google Slides version of this resource.

This resource was created by Gabriela Perez, a teacher in Texas and a Teach Starter Collaborator.

Looking for a set of Guided Notes for this presentation to use with your students? We have got you covered! Click on the link below.

teaching resource

Conduction Guided Notes

A set of guided notes to use when teaching about conduction.