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WorksheetYear 4Level 2 · Standard

Free Year 4 Heat: Hot and Cold, Conductors and Insulators Worksheet

Students learn where heat comes from, that heat moves from hotter things to colder things, and which materials let heat through easily (conductors) or slow it down (insulators) — then run a fair test to keep an ice cube from melting.

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Year
Year 4
Subject
Science
Topic
Energy, Light, Sound & Electricity
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
30 minutes
Curriculum
New Zealand Curriculum
Questions
17
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practise

  • identifying sources of heat
  • explaining that heat moves from hotter to colder objects
  • classifying materials as heat conductors or insulators
  • explaining how clothing keeps us warm
  • carrying out a fair test and recording results

Curriculum: New Zealand Curriculum. We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Heat: Hot and Cold, Conductors and Insulators

  1. 1Measuring Temperature with a Thermometer
  2. 2How Heat Is Produced: Friction, Burning and Electricity

How to use this worksheet

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this worksheet for?

Year 4 students (typically ages 8–9) working on energy, light, sound & electricity. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 30 minutes for 17 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Try Measuring Temperature with a Thermometer.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheetsYear 4 · Science · Energy, Light, Sound & Electricity

Heat: Hot and Cold, Conductors and Insulators

Name

Date

Score /

Use the words heat, hotter, colder, conductor and insulator in your answers.

Part A: How heat moves

Read the passage. Then circle the best answer.

Heat is a kind of energy. The Sun is our biggest source of heat. Fire, electric heaters and ovens give off heat too. Rubbing your hands together quickly also makes them warm.

Heat always moves from something hotter to something colder. A hot drink left on a table cools down because its heat moves into the cooler air around it. An ice cube in your hand melts because heat moves from your warm hand into the ice.

Conductors are materials that let heat move through them easily. Most metals are good conductors. Insulators slow heat down. Wood, plastic, wool, cork and air are good insulators.

We measure how hot or cold something is (its temperature) with a thermometer.

1.Which of these is a source of heat?
  1. Aan ice cube
  2. Bthe Sun
  3. Ca glass of cold water
  4. Da metal spoon
2.A cold spoon is put into a cup of hot soup. Which way does heat move?
  1. Afrom the spoon to the soup
  2. Bfrom the soup to the spoon
  3. Cit does not move
  4. Dfrom the spoon into the air only
3.Which material is a good conductor of heat?
  1. Awood
  2. Bplastic
  3. Cmetal
  4. Dwool
4.Why do many saucepans have plastic or wooden handles?
  1. AThey look nicer.
  2. BThey make the food cook faster.
  3. CThey are heavier.
  4. DPlastic and wood are insulators, so the handle stays cooler.
5.What do we use to measure how hot or cold something is?
  1. Aa thermometer
  2. Ba ruler
  3. Ca scale
  4. Da clock

Part B: Conductors and insulators

6.Sort each material: conductor or insulator of heat?
  • a metal pot
  • a wool hat
  • a wooden spoon
  • insulator
  • conductor
  • insulator
7.Heat moves from hotter things to (answer space) things.
8.A material that slows down the movement of heat is called an (answer space).
9.Why does an ice cube melt when you hold it in your hand? (answer space)

Part C: True or false?

Write True or False.

10.A warm coat makes its own heat. ☐ True   ☐ False
11.Metal is a good conductor of heat. ☐ True   ☐ False
12.Heat moves from colder things to hotter things. ☐ True   ☐ False
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

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About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring Science Team
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.