Kitchen Chemistry - Middle School
26 Classroom Resources
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Lab | Electrons, Ions, Model of the Atom, Periodic Table, Subatomic Particles, Valence Electrons | High School, Middle School
Sweet Model of the Atom
In this lesson, students will use different candies to represent electrons, protons, and neutrons to gain a better understanding of atoms, ions, and isotopes.
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Lab | Density, Measurements | High School
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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Lesson Plan | Chemical Properties, Mixtures, Observations, Physical Properties, Separating Mixtures | Elementary School, Middle School
Clean-Up Pond Pollution
In this lesson, students will compare polluted and filtered water to observe how filtering can remove some kinds of pollutants. Students will also be asked to consider how people affect ecosystems and use the scientific method to conduct an experiment on polluted water.
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Lab | Density, Matter, Observations, Physical Properties | Elementary School, Middle School
Comparing Density of Liquids & Solids
In this lab, students will measure mass and volume, calculate density, and compare the density of given liquids and solids, inferring what causes objects to sink or float in a given liquid. 3-48
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Demonstration | Chemical Change, Exothermic & Endothermic | Elementary School, Middle School
Giant Toothpaste
In this demonstration, students will identify factors that indicate a chemical change has occurred while observing the production of giant toothpaste. This reaction uses simpler materials than those that are often used in the typical high school version of the Elephant’s toothpaste demonstration.
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Demonstration | Density, Identifying an Unknown, Measurements | Elementary School, Middle School
Household Densities
In this demonstration, students will make predictions about various household materials and whether or not each will sink or float when placed in water. Data will be collected and then used to calculate the density value of each item. Finally students will analyze the relationship between the density value and the observed outcome, and use their knowledge to identify unknown materials.
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Lesson Plan | Mixtures, Mixtures, Observations, Physical Properties, Solute & Solvent | Middle School
How Fast Does it Flow?
In this lesson students explore the viscosity of different mixtures. They measure viscosity of different mixtures and then have the opportunity to design a mixture to attain a particular viscosity. Students will relate their lab experience to the application of viscosity in the real-world as they consider the differences in viscosity between different types of paints.
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Lab | Phase Changes, Physical Change | Middle School
I Can’t Believe It’s Butter!
In this lab students will learn about the phases of matter and phase changes while making a small sample of butter.
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Lab | Density, Mixtures, Solubility | Middle School
Investigating Density within Lava Lamps
In this lab students will make a simple yet spectacular lava lamp while focusing on the density of the components.
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Demonstration | Density, Measurements | Elementary School
Sinking Soda
In this teacher led demonstration, students will compare their observations when unopened cans of diet and regular soda are placed in a large container of water. They will use their observations to help differentiate between several fundamental chemistry concepts: mass, volume, and density.
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Demonstration | Chemical Change, Experimental Design, Inferences, Observations, Scientific Method | High School, Middle School
What Causes Yeast to Ferment?
In this lesson, students will observe and verify molasses sugar content as a result of its ability to ferment yeast. They will compare how molasses allows yeast to ferment with other sugar solutions as well as a sugar-free solution.
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Demonstration | Inferences, Molecular Motion, Observations, Temperature | High School, Middle School
What is Temperature?
In this demonstration, students will observe food dye mixing with water at different temperatures.
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Demonstration | Density, Observations, Physical Properties | Elementary School
Will it Float?
In this demonstration, students will observe the relationship between the density of a solution and its impact on an object’s ability to float or sink. Uncooked eggs will be placed in a tap water sample and in a salt water solution so that students can make observations and compare the results in order to make a determination regarding the density value for each item.
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Demonstration | Pressure, Temperature | Elementary School, Middle School
EGGsperiment
In this demonstration, students will learn how temperature change affects air pressure, while observing an egg getting sucked into a bottle without being touched!
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Lab | Heat, Kinetic Molecular Theory, Temperature, Temperature | High School, Middle School
Mega Marshmallows
In this lab, students will investigate the Kinetic Molecular Theory and particle motion while experimenting with a marshmallow. Students will observe how an increase in kinetic energy will cause particles to increase in motion. This concept will be extended into a discussion about additional real world thermal expansion examples.
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Demonstration | Chemical Change, Reaction Rate, Reaction Rate | High School, Middle School
Comparing Rates of Reaction
In this demonstration, students observe the effect of temperature, concentration, and particle size on the rate of a chemical reaction.
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Activity | Dimensional Analysis, Matter, Measurements, Mixtures, Physical Change | High School, Middle School
Cooking with Conversions
In this activity, students will be given a common homemade recipe for German chocolate cake with measurements in English units. They will be asked to convert the English ingredients list to metric units through scientific calculations. Students will also be asked to identify the ingredients as solid, liquid or gas. While reviewing the cooking procedures, students will classify certain steps as containing compounds or mixtures as well as identify whether chemical or physical changes are taking place. The culinary chemistry involved in this lesson should be introduced throughout the activity.
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Demonstration | Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Observations, Oxidation | Elementary School
Apple's Oxidation
In this lab students will learn about the chemical reaction, oxidation, using apple wedges. They will apply different substances to a number of apple wedges to determine if these applications have any impact on the oxidation process. Students will also use a control sample so that they compare their results with an apple wedge that has not had any substance added to it. Students will measure and record the time it takes to see the changes to the apple which indicate oxidation. 3-46
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Demonstration | Chemical Change, Concentration, Solute & Solvent | Elementary School, Middle School
Soft Eggs
In this demonstration, students will first observe a reaction between vinegar (acetic acid) and an egg shell (calcium carbonate) to produce a naked egg. Using these eggs, student will analyze how certain substances can move through a membrane and also determine if the membrane is affected.
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Lab | Chemical Change, Chemical Change | Elementary School
Teeth Eggsperiment!
In this lab students will observe and analyze how different drinks can stain an egg’s shell. They will then associate the results with how these drinks can stain their teeth.
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Lab | Freezing Point, Mixtures, Phase Changes | Elementary School
Coffee Creamer Ice Cream
In this lab, students will investigate how dissolving salt (sodium chloride) in water changes the freezing point of the solution. While investigating this, they will make ice cream from small coffee creamer cups.
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Lab | Concentration, Interdisciplinary, Measurements, Mixtures, Scientific Method | High School, Middle School
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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Lab | Freezing Point, Freezing Point Depression, Phase Changes | High School, Middle School
Freezing Ice Cream
In this lab, students will investigate changing states of matter, chemical reactions, and the properties of ice and salt while creating their own ice cream.
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Lab | Freezing Point, Phase Changes, Physical Change, Temperature | Middle School
Lemon Ice
This activity explores the interaction between salt and water (ice) as a way to further investigate their impact on the state of matter of a substance. Students will use salt and ice to create a slushy lemonade drink without the use of a freezer. They will learn through this hands-on experiment how salt and ice can rapidly cool a liquid.
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Lab | Precipitate, Saturated/Unsaturated/Supersaturated, Solubility, Solute & Solvent | Elementary School, High School, Middle School
Winter Crystals
In this lab, students will create a supersaturated solution by dissolving borax in boiling water. They will create a snowflake using pipe cleaner to suspend in the solution, which will serve as a nucleation site for crystallization as the solution cools and remains undistributed overnight. This lab gives students an opportunity to experience the exciting crystallization process and become more familiar with an engaging chemistry spectacle!
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Activity | Molecular Structure, Physical Properties, Polarity | Elementary School, High School, Middle School
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/phenomena: cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, and capillary action.