Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics
76 – 100 of 245 Classroom Resources
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Periodic Table, Elements, History, Subatomic Particles, Atomic Mass, Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding | Middle School, High School
Project: Exploring Elements
In this project, students will select an element and then use Ptable.com to explore aspects of the element including its periodicity, electron configuration, history, and uses in industry.
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Periodic Table, Electronegativity, VSEPR Theory, Polarity, Molecular Structure | High School
Activity: Making Connections between Electronegativity, Molecular Shape, and Polarity
In this activity, students will find the electronegativity values of a variety of elements, draw the Lewis structures of select molecules that are made with those elements, and identify the molecular shape of each molecule. Students will then be asked to determine if the molecules are polar or nonpolar based on the electronegativity values of the atoms and the molecular shape. Students will use Ptable.com to find information about atoms and molecules and connect what they find to observable properties.
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Classification of Reactions, Chemical Change, Catalysts, Observations | Middle School, High School
Demonstration: Catalyst in Motion
This demonstration allows students to visualize how a catalyst can impact a chemical reaction. Students will also identify the products of a decomposition reaction, as well as determine if the reaction was endothermic or exothermic based on their observations.
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Physical Change | High School
Activity: Magic Bubble (High School)
In this lesson, students will create and interpret particle diagrams that represent elements and compounds at the molecular level. They will also describe the process of dissolving and create particle diagrams that represent mixtures at the molecular level.
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Indicators, Interdisciplinary | Middle School, High School
Lab: Exhaling Acid
In this lab students will observe how increased carbon dioxide levels lead to a build-up of acidic conditions.
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Periodic Table, Elements | Middle School, High School
Activity: Periodic Table of Mistakes
In this activity, students will examine a periodic table that contains 25 mistakes. Students will be tasked with comparing the Periodic Table of Mistakes to a real periodic table in order to determine what mistakes are present. This activity provides an opportunity for students to become more familiar with the periodic table, including element names, symbols and placement, as well as trends in atomic mass.
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Review, Culminating Project | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Project: Icosahedron!
In this project, students will create an icosahedron, a twenty sided ball, to present information about a topic. The icosahedron can be used for any topic that would require the allocation and presentation of material.
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Scientific Method, Observations, Inferences, Intermolecular Forces, Mixtures | High School
Lab: Magic Milk
In this lab, students will investigate the addition of detergent to a mixture of whole milk and food coloring. Students will attempt to explain the cause of their observations. Also, students will have the opportunity to manipulate the experiment and determine how other variables may impact the results.
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Physical Properties, Observations | Middle School, High School
Lab: Abe Goes Swimming
In this lab, students will investigate surface tension by comparing the number of liquid drops of water and of alcohol that can be held on the surface of a penny. An optional opportunity to investigate surfactants is also provided.
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Density, Measurements | High School
Lab: Can it Float?
In this lab, students will investigate the relationships between mass, volume, density and buoyancy in common objects. Students will be tasked with determining the volume of a variety of objects as well as interpreting the meaning of their buoyancy in water.
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Atomic Theory, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, History | High School
Project: The Scientists Behind the Atom
In this project, students will create a digital (or paper) book about the scientists who contributed to our understanding of the atom.
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Electron Configuration, Electrons, Valence Electrons, Periodic Table | High School
Lesson Plan: Electron Configuration and the Periodic Table
In this lesson, students will learn how the periodic table can be used to predict the electron configuration of an atom and, thus, better predict the reactivity of an atom.
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Chemical Change, Conservation of Mass, Chemical Change, Physical Change | Middle School, High School
Lab: Chemistry in a Bag
In this lab, students will observe and identify chemical and physical changes contained inside a plastic bag. Students will also use this lab to understand the Law of Conservation of Mass.
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Indicators, Identifying an Unknown | Middle School, High School
Lab: Indicators of Acids and Bases
In this lab, students will use various indicators to identify unknown (clear) solutions as acidic, basic, or neutral.
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Scientific Method, Observations | High School
Lesson Plan: Is it Real Science or Pseudoscience?
In this lesson, students will deepen their knowledge of the scientific method by learning how to determine if researched information is valid and if it should be used for gaining or furthering our scientific knowledge. Students will view the documentary “Mermaids: The Body Found”, a pseudo-documentary that was later reported to be a hoax by the Discovery Channel. They will then use a “Baloney Detection Kit” to analyze the authenticity of information presented through different media as scientific fact.
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Concentration, Mixtures, Interdisciplinary, Scientific Method, Measurements | Middle School, High School
Lab: Effect of Salt Concentration on Plants
In this lab, students will observe how salt concentration can affect the structure of a potato tuber.
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Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding, Physical Properties | High School
Lab: You Light Up My Life!
In this lab, students will participate in a guided inquiry in which they will test different physical properties, such as conductivity and solubility of given samples. This lab can be used to introduce ionic, covalent and metallic bonds as well as their properties. This lab should help students make connections between the types of bonds, differentiate between them, as well as help to better understand the nomenclature of ionic and covalent compounds.
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Physical Properties, Molecular Structure, Polarity | High School
Activity: What Makes Water So Special?
In this activity, students will become familiar with the special properties of water by completing several activities that investigate the following physical properties: cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, and capillary action.
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Measurements, Dimensional Analysis, SI Units, Percent Composition, Scientific Notation, Significant Figures, Accuracy, Density | High School
Lesson Plan: Chemical Measurement Unit Plan
The AACT High School Classroom Resource library has everything you need to put together a unit plan for your classroom: lessons, activities, labs, projects, videos, simulations, and animations. We constructed a unit plan for introducing concepts student need to collect and use chemical measurements: Percent Composition, Metric Units, Accuracy and Precision, Percent Error, Density, Scientific Notation, Significant Figures, and Unit Conversion. This unit is designed to be used at beginning of the school year and modified based on student math abilities.
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Molecular Structure , Molecular Structure, Molecular Formula, Naming Compounds, Chemical Bond, Interdisciplinary, Introduction | Middle School, High School
Activity: Modeling Carbohydrates
In this activity, students will identify that organic compounds contain carbon and other elements such as hydrogen and oxygen. They will investigate the structure of different organic and inorganic compounds and model several molecules, including a carbohydrate molecule. They will use their models to help understand how larger molecules are broken down into smaller molecules.
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Chemical Change, Physical Change, Chemical Change | Middle School, High School
Lab: Chemical and Physical Changes
In this lab, students will observe and analyze a number of examples in order to determine if a chemical or physical change occurred.
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Conservation of Mass | High School
Lab: Investigating Mass Change
In this lab, students perform seven different investigations in order to develop an understanding of conservation of mass.
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Significant Figures, Measurements, Accuracy, Density | Middle School, High School
Lab: Significant Figures and Lab Data
In this lesson, students will use laboratory equipment of different precision to collect data for several different metals, and then use the data to calculate the density of each. They will then compare their calculated densities to accepted values and determine the combination of equipment that leads to the most accurate calculation of density.
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Atomic Spectra, Emission Spectrum, Emission Spectrum, Electromagnetic Spectrum, Interdisciplinary, Identifying an Unknown | Middle School, High School
Lab: Spectral Detective
In this lab, students will use a spectroscope to view the atomic spectra of various unknown elements. Using their collected data in combination with known atomic spectra, they will identify the chemical elements.
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Atomic Theory, Electrons, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Niels Bohr Video
This video tells the story of Niels Bohr, a great scientist who redefined how we think about atoms and the electron. Bohr’s model of the atom helped to advance understanding of subatomic particles, and holds an important place in the history and development of the atomic theory.