Primary
ENERGY
GOOD INSULATION
= COMFORT!
Equipment and Resources
Key points
Insulation, keeping
warm, keeping cool,
supply of heat and light.
Learning Objectives
Understand the different roles of insulation
Discover the different insulations that exist
Handle real materials
Know two types of insulation (exterior and interior)
Identify the advantages of a well orientated glazing
Two model Energy Houses.
Ideally use two houses otherwise
carry out the experiments one
after the other. If you don’t have
the two Energy Houses, you can
use two identical model houses
(dolls house) and purchase a
sheet of perspex that can cover
the entire surface of the opening
wall of the dolls house.
Exterior and/or interior
insulation using real insulation
material. For example: Wood
fibre board or sheep wool or
mineral wool or polystyrene or
foam board. Please avoid direct
contact with mineral wool and
wood fibre board.
ACTIVITIES
1
2 x Multi purpose digital
thermometers with probe
2 x bowls, a kettle, water
Ice cubes or an ice block
2 x alarm clocks
Blank paper and pencils
Insulation material samples.
Find a selection of eco (recycled
fabric, wool, wood fibre etc.) and
non eco materials (mineral wool,
polystyrene balls, etc..)..Please
avoid direct contact with mineral
wool and wood fibre.
A lamp with a heat bulb
(optional)
ACTIVITY
SHEET
NO4
INTRODUCTION
15m Class Discussion
Ask the pupils “What is insulation? What is it for?
Where does it go?”
2
ACTIVITY
How many different types of insulation do they
know? Discuss as a class.
3
15m Insulation Materials Identification
EXPERIMENT
90m The Model Energy House or any model houses
Ask the pupils to identify for each sample of
insulation available, its name and the raw material
from which it is made.
Then ask the pupils to separate ‘green/eco’ insulation
on one side and ‘non green/eco’ insulation on the other.
Ask the pupils to explain their choice.
Discuss as a class and explain what a green/eco
insulator is (little energy is used in its production,
made from a renewable raw material, easy to recycle,
not hazardous to health, local materials, etc.).
aCTIVITY sHEET 1/2
Before all of these experiments, think about raising the
ambient temperature of the classroom. Note that these
experiments often work better when they take place
outside because the temperature difference is greater.
Organisation:
Split the class into 2 groups. One model house
per group.
Each group will have a different experiment
to complete with the model Energy House or
dolls house.
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Primary
ENERGY:
GOOD INSULATION
= COMFORT!
ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)
3
ACTIVITY
SHEET
NO4
Experiments
Experiment 1:
Insulating to Preserve the Heat
Take both model houses. Insulate one from the
inside and leave the other with no insulation.
Put boiling water into two bowls. Place a bowl on
the first floor of each house and quickly shut the
houses. Wait 15 minutes noting the temperature
inside each house every 5 minutes.
Compare the results.
Experiment 2:
Insulating to Preserve Cool TEMPERATURES
Take both model houses. Insulate one from the
inside and leave the other with no insulation.
Put ice cubes in two bowls. Place a bowl on the
first floor of each house and quickly shut the
houses. Wait 15 minutes noting the temperature
inside each house every 5 minutes.
Compare the results.
Experiment 3:
A Glass Wall for Warmth and Light
Take both model houses. On the first use the
Perspex wall and on the second the plywood
wall. If using a dolls house, fix the Perspex with
cello tape onto the opening wall. On the other
house close the openings of the dolls house.
Place the house under direct sunlight or a heat
lamp with the perspex side facing the sun or the
lamp. Place the other house with the plywood
wall facing the sun or heat lamp.
Wait 15 minutes noting the temperature inside
each house every 5 minutes.
Compare the results.
Conclusion
Hold a class discussion of the results of all 3
experiments: the way they were carried out, the
results and the conclusions.
Decide as a class the main properties of insulation.
Pupils should record all the findings in a workbook.
Variation
aCTIVITY sHEET 2/2
All these experiments can be carried out using
insulation on the inside or outside of the houses.
An experiment could be done to compare the two.
Pupils can invent other experiments.
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