Thermal Energy Conductors and Insulators

4th Grade Science
Topic 3 Energy/Energía

Lesson 4

September 30, 2024

2

Do Now

Explain how you think sound travels from a
ringing bell to your ear.
Explica cómo crees que viaja el sonido desde un sonando una campana en tu oído.

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3

Energy

LO: SWBAT identify conductors and insulators of
thermal energy.

DOL: Given scenarios, SW correctly identify conductors
and insulators of thermal energy in at least 4 of 5
questions.

SCI.4.8B identify conductors and insulators of thermal and electrical energy
SEPs 4.1C, 4.1D
RTCs 4.5B

4

Essential Understandings &

Guiding Questions

What are the properties of an object that make it conduct or

insulate thermal energy?

5

Lesson Vocabulary

conductor

insulator

thermal energy

Multiple Choice

When particles in matter move, they create __________.

• a thermometer

• frozen energy

• thermal energy

• water

Multiple Choice

is the transfer of heat that occurs when one thing touches another.

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

Multiple Choice

Method of heat transfer through direct contact is...

• Convection

• Conduction

• Radiation

• None of the above

6

Why did the bead move down the spoon that was made of metal,
but stayed on the tops of the spoons that were made of plastic and
wood?

9

Why did the bead move down the spoon that was made of metal,
but stayed on the tops of the spoons that were made of plastic and
wood?

What do you think now?

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How does thermal energy transfer?

Thermal energy is a form of energy, closely related to temperature, that
can be felt as warmth.

Thermal energy always transfers from a warmer substance to a cooler
substance.

Photo credit: Stanislav Salamanov/Shutterstock

Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. Savvas is not responsible for any modifications made by end users to the content posted in its original format.

Thermal Energy Transfer

What happens to the temperature of the hot soup when it is poured into the bowl?

Thermal energy
transfers from the
hot soup to the
cooler bowl.

The soup will get
cooler when it is
poured into the bowl.

Photo credit: Josep Suria/Shutterstock

Multiple Choice

What type of heat transfer is the following?

The outside of a bowl of soup gets hot.

• Convection

• Conduction

• Radiation

• None of the above

Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. Savvas is not responsible for any modifications made by end users to the content posted in its original format.

What are conductors and insulators?

A fabric oven mitt is an insulator because it is a material through
which electrical energy or thermal energy cannot move easily. A
metal pan is a conductor because it is a material through which
electrical energy or thermal energy can move easily.

Photo credit: ffolas/Shutterstock

Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. Savvas is not responsible for any modifications made by end users to the content posted in its original format.

Thermal Insulators and Conductors

Match the thermal insulator and the thermal conductor labels
to the correct images.

thermal conductor

thermal insulator

Photo credit: Pressmaster/Shutterstock, sommthink/Shutterstock

14

Thermal Insulators and Conductors

List the examples of the thermal conductors

and insulators shared in today’s lesson.

1minute

15

Conductor

A substance
through which
(electrical or
heat/thermal)
energy can easily
pass through

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Image by Łukasz Dudzic from Pixabay

Image by Michael Schwarzenberger from
Pixabay

16

Insulator

Materials that do
not allow electrical
and thermal energy
to flow through

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Image by Willfried Wende from Pixabay

17

Thermal Energy

A form of energy,
closely related to
temperature, that
can be felt as
warmth

Image by Jennifer Beebe from Pixabay

18

Water is heated in a glass bowl on a hot plate. What causes the bowl to
become hot?

A.

The water in the glass insulates heat to the bowl.

B.

The glass bowl conducts heat from the hot plate.

C.

The electricity from the hot plate insulates heat.

D.

The energy from the Sun conduct heat to the water.

19

When building a house, not only must the materials be strong and
supportive, but they must also prevent heat from escaping or coming in, as
well as reduce sound from traveling in and out. These materials are most
likely —

A.

fillers

B.

liquids

C.

conductors

D.

insulators

20

DOL: Given
scenarios, SW
correctly identify
conductors and
insulators of thermal
energy in at least 4
of 5 questions.

Demonstration of Learning

●Some images used in this lesson are taken from Adobe Stock. Adobe Stock
https://stock.adobe.com

●Some images used in this lesson are taken from Great Minds. Great Minds
https://digital.greatminds.org

●Some images used in this lesson are taken from SAVVAS realize. SAVVAS
realize https://www.savvasrealize.com

21

Copyright for Reference