Specific Heat Demo - Raising the Temperature of SandPlace approximately 1/2 cup of clean play sand in a sturdy small plastic cup. A cup with a tight lid is best. Have a student take the temperature of the sand in the cup and record it on the board. Place the lid on the cup. Have the students take turns shaking the cup vigorously for 12-15 minutes non-stop. Discuss what is happening to the sand in terms of kinetic energy and friction and how it affects temperature during the shaking process. Once the shaking stops, open the lid and immediately re-take and record the temperature of the sand. There should be a very slight increase - hopefully 1 degree to begin your lesson on specific heat.