Hot and Cold Kit

Hot and cold temperatures are so much more than how your skin feels when you step outside. The Science Unlocked Hot and Cold curriculum kit is an exciting hands-on STEM activity experience for young scientists to explore basic weather science experiments!

Using the full-color student workbook and robust teacher guide, students will walk through several science activities including the process of making their own thermometer and performing experiments to learn about temperature, heat energy, expansion and contraction, reversible and irreversible changes, and experimental design. The student curriculum workbook and teacher guide provide detailed, step-by-step instructions for conducting the experiments. They also provide rich background information, a guide for designing your own temperature experiment, formative assessment, and more! 

The student experience is inquiry-based, meaning learners will practice their skills of observation, experimentation, problem-solving, analysis, evaluation, and reflection - skills that real-life scientists and engineers use! This kit will take just minutes to set up but provides six hours (or more!) of learning, temperature science experiments, and fun. Both the teacher and student can jump right in and follow the student curriculum workbook and teacher guide, or create a custom schedule with our guidance to fit their specific needs! 

In this kit, the student will engage in these fun activities:

1. Make a thermometer from a bottle, a straw, clay, and isopropyl alcohol 
2. Calibrate the DIY thermometer the same way the inventor of the Celsius scale did
3. Make gelatin two different ways to observe reversible and irreversible temperature changes
4. Use the DIY thermometer and the included standard thermometer to explore questions about temperature using an experiment they design
5. Check their understanding with a vocabulary-based crossword and a performance assessment that has them interpret experimental results 
6. Go further with several suggestions for extending the learning, including suggestions for additional experiments and avenues for extended research

Use the Science Unlocked Hot and Cold lab curriculum kit to answer questions such as:

• What is temperature? How does a thermometer work?
• What are examples of reversible and irreversible temperature changes?
• What is a scientific experiment? And more! 

With this kit, your young meteorologist will learn how temperature affects air pressure, model different temperatures in hot water versus cold water with their own thermometer, see convection currents in action, and more! Students will learn the basics of performing an experiment and may even discover their next science fair project!

Interested in learning more? Check out our Student Workbook Sample and Teacher Guide Sample! 

More Information

• Safety Information (SDS)

This kit contains:

• 1 Isopropyl Alcohol
• 1 Dropping Bottle
• 1 Straw
• 1 Modeling Clay
• 1 Food Coloring
• 1 Pipet
• 1 Gelatin Packet
• 4 Foam Cups
• 1 Black Construction Paper
• 1 White Construction Paper
• 1 Aluminum Foil Sheet
• 1 Thermometer

You will also need:

• Bowl (or large cup)
• Fork (or spoon)
• Ice
• Marker
• Pot (or microwave-safe cup)
• Water

Working with more than one student? Purchase additional student workbooks here.

• Learning outcome: Design and carry out an investigation making a thermometer and using it to measure the effects of various conditions on temperature.
• NGSS science standards alignment

• K-PS3-1: Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on the Earth’s surface.
• 2-PS1-4: Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.