This project demonstrates that different materials conduct heat differently and is generally appropriate for students in grades one through three. Silver conducts heat more quickly than other metals and you can use this fact to test a spoon and find out if it is made of real silver, or is only silver-plated. You will need a spoon made from an unknown material and a spoon you know is made of solid silver. Place a small amount of butter on the end of each spoon and stick a dried bean to the butter. Place the other end of both spoons into a mug of water and pour about a quarter cup of boiling water into the mug. If the bean falls off the silver spoon first, the other spoon is most likely not made of silver.
Materials that are good insulators do not conduct heat well, so some materials make better insulators than others. This project, for students in elementary school, tests different materials to see which makes the best insulator. Fill three plastic bottles with warm water and measure the temperature in each bottle, then put the lids on. Place the three bottles in separate cardboard boxes. Surround one bottle with cloth, one bottle with torn up newspaper paper and leave the third bottle on its own. Place the lids on the boxes. Measure the temperature in each bottle every 15 minutes over the next hour. Discuss which bottle stayed warmest and whether cloth or paper makes a better insulator. You can repeat this using other materials, such as sand or hay.
Clothing also has insulating properties. This science project for elementary students tests the insulating properties of various items of clothing, and the value of wearing layers in cold weather. Take a selection of clothing, such as cotton socks, wool socks, T-shirts and sweaters. Fill a plastic bottle with hot water. Wrap an item of clothing around the bottle and measure the temperature in the bottle every two or three minutes for at least 15 or 20 minutes. Repeat this with other items of clothing. You can test the effect of layering by wrapping several T-shirts around the bottle. Compare the measurements and discuss which items of clothing were the best insulators.
This science project can be used with older elementary students. Collect samples of different types of insulation used in house building, such as fiberglass, rock wool, polystyrene or vermiculite. Cut all the pieces of insulation to the same size. Sandwich each piece of insulation between two pieces of plywood using clamps. Heat one side of the board with a hair dryer, panning the dryer over the board. Measure the temperature on the other side of the board before applying heat, and then every minute while you apply the heat. Discuss which types of insulation was the best at preventing heat transfer from one side of the sandwich to the other.