Grade 3 Thermal Energy worksheet
from Gradelings · Name: ______________________
How to explain it
- Heat comes from the sun, fire, friction and food.
- Heat always moves from warmer things to cooler things.
- Conductors, like metal, let heat move through easily. Insulators, like wool or foam, slow it down.
Example: Which keeps hot cocoa warm longer: a metal cup or a foam cup? Metal is a conductor, so heat escapes fast. Foam is an insulator, so heat stays in. Answer: a foam cup
Question 1
Heat always moves from…
🌡️- cooler things to warmer things
- warmer things to cooler things
- nowhere, it stays still
warmer things to cooler things
Hint: Hold an ice cube: heat moves from your warm hand into the cold ice, and the ice melts.
Question 2
Why do builders put insulation inside the walls of a home?
🏠- to make the walls shiny
- to keep heat inside in winter
- to let cold air in
to keep heat inside in winter
Hint: Insulation slows heat from escaping, so homes stay warm and use less energy.
Question 3
Rub your hands together fast. What happens?
👐- nothing changes
- they get warm
- they get cold
they get warm
Hint: Rubbing makes friction, and friction produces thermal energy (heat).
Question 4
Three cups started with the same hot water. Which cup is the best insulator?
Hot water after 30 minutes (°C) - foam cup
- paper cup
- metal cup
foam cup
Hint: An insulator slows heat from escaping, so the water in it stayed the warmest.
Question 5
Which one is a source of thermal energy?
- 🔥a campfire
- 🧊an ice cube
- ⛄a snowman
🔥 a campfire
Hint: A source of thermal energy gives off heat. Burning wood gives off lots of heat.
Question 6
Which material is a good conductor of heat?
- 🔩metal
- 🥤foam
- 🧶wool
🔩 metal
Hint: Metals let heat move through them quickly. That's why pots and pans are made of metal.
Question 7
A metal pot heats up quickly on the stove because metal is a good…
🍳- insulator
- conductor
- decomposer
conductor
Hint: Conductors let heat move through them easily.
Question 8
Conductor or insulator? Tap an item, then tap its basket.
Sort into: 🥄 conductor (heat moves easily) · 🧤 insulator (slows heat)
- 🍳frying pan
- 🥤foam cup
- 🥄metal spoon
- 🪙coin
- 🧤oven mitt
- 🧣wool scarf
🥄 conductor (heat moves easily): frying pan, metal spoon, coin · 🧤 insulator (slows heat): foam cup, oven mitt, wool scarf
Hint: Conductors, like metals, let heat move through them easily. Insulators, like wool, wood and foam, slow heat down.
Question 9
A metal spoon sits in hot soup. Soon the handle feels hot. Why?
🥄- the spoon makes its own heat
- heat moved through the metal
- air blew on the handle
heat moved through the metal
Hint: Metal is a good conductor. Heat travels from the hot soup up through the spoon.
Question 10
Where do our bodies get the energy to stay warm?
- 🍎from the food we eat
- 👟from our shoes
- 🌙from the moon
🍎 from the food we eat
Hint: Food gives our bodies energy. Some of that energy becomes heat that keeps us warm.
Answer key
- 1. warmer things to cooler things
- 2. to keep heat inside in winter
- 3. they get warm
- 4. foam cup
- 5. 🔥 a campfire
- 6. 🔩 metal
- 7. conductor
- 8. 🥄 conductor (heat moves easily): frying pan, metal spoon, coin · 🧤 insulator (slows heat): foam cup, oven mitt, wool scarf
- 9. heat moved through the metal
- 10. 🍎 from the food we eat
Want more than 10 questions?
In Gradelings the questions change every time and adjust to your child, with hints and kind feedback.