View larger
Taking Earth's Temperature
New activity
Participants are introduced to a type of energy, infrared radiation, which we can’t see with our eyes but we can feel as heat. Then, they explore their outdoor environment using an infrared thermometer (also known as an IR thermometer) to measure the temperatures of concrete, asphalt, grass, and bare soil.
Open Activity
Implementation Guide
Provides extensive background information, facilitation outline, materials shopping list, extended supporting media suggestions, correlations to national standards, and more.
-
Rating
-
Participants Enjoyed the ActivityParticipants Learned from This ActivityActivity Instructions Were Clear and Easy to FollowWould Recommend
Related Programming Resources
Reviews
States of Matter - Temperature Changes with Our Surroundings
We conducted a States of Matter STEAM session at our library and added the IR Thermometer as a station to illustrate how changes in a substance's temperature may may not be affected by changes in the matter. We also used the IT Thermometer to measure heat signatures throughout the library (near windows, in dark corners of rooms, etc.. The exercise was used to illustrate to children how their environment and materials in it are affected by the sun. Our goal was to help children become more mindful of their environment and how they can personally affect changes.