Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics

26 – 49 of 49 Classroom Resources

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  Conservation of Mass, History, Observations, Measurements, SI Units | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Antoine Lavoisier Video

  This video tells the story of Antoine Lavoisier who many consider to be the father or modern chemistry. Lavoisier discovered oxygen and hydrogen and first proposed the Law of Conservation of Mass.

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  History, Physical Properties, Observations, Model of the Atom | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Ancient Chemistry Video

  This video traces the history of chemistry from the discovery of fire, through the various metal ages, and finally to the great philosophers.

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  Phase Changes, Physical Change, Melting Point, Introduction, Observations | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: Let's Get Physical About Water

  In this lesson, students will learn about the phase changes of matter. During the course of two days students will perform several short experiments in order to change the state of water and they will record their observations.

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  Density, Mixture, Physical Properties, Introduction, Observations | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: What is Density

  In this two-part lesson, students will learn about density through a teacher-led demonstration and a hands-on activity. The demonstration will give students the opportunity to observe the formation of a density tower made from common drinks. Students will then create their own density tower using simple ingredients, and then further investigate differences in density when solid objects are added to the tower.

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  Reaction Rate, Chemical Change, Observations, Chemical Change, Reaction Rate, Catalysts | Elementary School

  Lab: To What DEGREE Does it Matter

  In this lab the students will explore how factors such as temperature may influence chemical reactions. Students will use citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer) and a catalyst (water) to induce a reaction at varying degrees. Observations will be made of the rate at which the reactions take place under these varying conditions. The students will make predictions of how the temperature of the water will affect the chemical reaction. They will use a stop watch to time the reaction between the Alka-Seltzer and the varying temperatures of water and graph their observations for analysis, they will compare data to deduce whether temperature has any influence during a chemical reaction.

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  Density, Density, Chemical Change, Observations, Chemical Change, Combustion | Elementary School, Middle School

  Demonstration: Investigating Gas Density

  In this demonstration, students will observe a reaction between baking soda and vinegar in the presence of a burning candle. The initial environment has plenty of oxygen present in order to sustain the candle’s flame; however the reaction will produce carbon dioxide which will cause the lit candle to extinguish. Students will analyze the outcome and compare the presence of the gases in the container and make determinations about the densities of each.

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  Chemical Change, Phase Changes, Combustion, Observations | Elementary School, Middle School

  Demonstration: The Jumping Flame

  In this demonstration, students will observe that the vapor of an extinguished candle flame is ignitable.

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  Phase Changes, Physical Properties, Melting Point, Observations, Scientific Method | Elementary School

  Lab: Ice Cube Race

  In this lab, students will investigate what factors can influence the change in state of matter from a solid to a liquid. They will have the opportunity to make a hypothesis and participate in the design and completion of an experiment.

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  Physical Properties, Observations, Matter | Elementary School

  Activity: Sorting Buttons

  In this lab, students will investigate observable properties of matter. Students will use their knowledge of physical properties to create and separate mixtures of assorted buttons based on the characteristics of color, shape and number of holes.

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  Observations, Density, Physical Properties, Introduction | Elementary School

  Activity: Sink or Float

  In this activity, students investigate whether certain materials will sink or float in water. Students will also explore how the shape of an object can affect its volume and density.

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  Reaction Rate, Chemical Change, Reaction Rate, Observations | Middle School, Elementary School, High School

  Demonstration: Simple Kinetics

  In this demonstration, students will see that different food dyes react with bleach at different rates.

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  Polarity, Mixtures, Intermolecular Forces, Intermolecular Forces, Mixture, Physical Properties, Observations | Middle School, Elementary School, High School

  Lab: Salad Dressing Science: Emulsions

  In this lab, students mix polar and nonpolar substances and then add various emulsifiers to encourage the mixing of the two substances. They use ingredients in salad dressing to relate science to real life scenarios.

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  Chemical Change, Observations, Inferences, Chemical Change, Interdisciplinary | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: Strawberry DNA & CSI

  In this lesson, students will extract DNA from strawberries and analyze evidence to figure out who perpetrated a petty crime.

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  Density, Observations, Interdisciplinary, Scientific Method | Middle School, Elementary School

  Lab: Crush's Dilemma

  In this lab, students explore the concept of density. They will examine the density of a plastic sandwich bag compared to water. Students will create their own experiment and investigate factors that affect floating and sinking.

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  Phase Changes, Physical Change, Observations, Temperature | Elementary School, Middle School

  Lab: Condensation

  In this lab, students will explore the process of condensation. Students will investigate how water vapor condenses, and then they will conduct a comparison test to see if cooling water vapor has an effect on the rate of condensation.

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  Observations, Mixtures, Density, Physical Properties, Mixture | Elementary School

  Activity: Color-Works in a Jar

  Students will be using three ingredients to create a liquid color-works mixture in a jar. This is a fun chemistry project to do with young elementary students around the 4th of July or New Year’s Eve to get the children excited about fireworks.

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  Observations | Middle School, Elementary School, High School

  Activity: Compare and Contrast

  In this activity, students will use their observation skills to compare and contrast two similar chemistry classroom scenes in order to identify the differences between the two.

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  Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Observations, Interdisciplinary, Acid, Acid Rain | Elementary School

  Lab: Chemical Weathering of Rocks

  In this lab, students will explore simulated reactions that contribute to chemical weathering of certain rocks as it appears in nature.  They will compare the effects of two different chemicals as it contacts various rock and mineral samples.

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  Indicators, Chemical Properties, Observations, Acid Base Reactions | Elementary School

  Lab: Can a Cabbage Distinguish an Acid from a Base?

  In this lab, students will first determine what colors the cabbage indicator turns in acidic, neutral, and basic solutions.

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  Polymers, Physical Properties, Introduction, Observations | Elementary School

  Activity: Bouncy Ball

  In this activity, students explore the chemical reaction between borax and glue, creating a polymer ball. The properties of the polymer ball will be analyzed and compared to a store bought bouncy ball.

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  Mixtures, Mixture, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Observations, Density, Acid Base Reactions, Chemical Change | Elementary School

  Lab: Analyzing a Lava Lamp

  In this lab, students create a mixture of oil, water and food coloring, and then add an Alka-Seltzer tablet, to create a homemade lava lamp. Student will record their observations during each step of the process and answer follow-up questions about the chemical and physical changes that took place.

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  Physical Change, Chemical Change, Solute & Solvent, Observations, Inferences, Physical Change, Identifying an Unknown | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: Alien Invasion?

  In this lesson, students will explore both physical and chemical changes as they try to help the Department of Homeland Security analyze and identify materials found in a mysterious capsule. Students will examine and observe an unknown object (a frozen water balloon) as it changes (melts). They then mix combinations of everyday substances to observe chemical changes.

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  Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Observations, Acid, Chemical Change | Elementary School

  Lab: My Pennies

  In this lab, students will investigate how an acidic, vinegar based solution can help to get “dirty” pennies clean. Students will observe chemical change and investigate real-world connections to this lab.

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  Chemical Change, Observations, Mixture, Acids & Bases, Chemical Change | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Demonstration: Inflating a Balloon with Chemistry

  In this demonstration, the teacher will perform a reaction between acetic acid (vinegar) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in order to inflate a balloon and to introduce the concept of a chemical reaction to students. Students will observe the reaction, and identify indicators of chemical change as well as discuss the different types of matter that are involved.