Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics

26 – 50 of 86 Classroom Resources

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  History, Interdisciplinary | Middle School, High School

  Video: Spellbound Episode 8—The Winds of War: Helen Free, Ph.D.

  Produced for the 2011 International Year of Chemistry, the video series Spellbound, tells the story of scientists whose childhood curiosity about everyday things helped them launch careers in the lab, win Nobel Prizes and make other achievements. Their early childhood experiences may encourage young people into careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. This episode features Helen Free, Ph.D.

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  Periodic Table, Interdisciplinary | High School

  Project: Repurpose the Periodic Table

  In this project, students will take the principles governing the organization of the periodic table and apply them to a periodic table of their own creation. Students will choose a category of objects and organize them into a “periodic table,” establishing trends across a period and within a group and creating a poster to present their table to the class.

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  Electromagnetic Spectrum, Interdisciplinary | Middle School, High School, Elementary School

  Animation: The Electromagnetic Spectrum Animation

  This animation explores the electromagnetic spectrum, with a focus on the visible spectrum. It addresses the relationship between color, wavelength, frequency, and energy of light waves, as well as how an object absorbs and reflects certain wavelengths of light to contribute to the color we perceive. This animation was featured in the May 2020 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no spoken audio**

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  Intermolecular Forces, Polarity, Covalent Bonding, Lewis Structures, Molecular Geometry, Physical Properties | High School

  Simulation: Intermolecular Forces

  In this simulation, students will review the three major types of intermolecular forces and answer quiz questions using the relative strengths of these forces to compare different substances given their name, formula, and Lewis structure.

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  History | Middle School, High School

  Project: Famous Women Chemists: Snapchat Storyboard

  In this lesson, students will research female chemists and create a 6-panel ‘Snapchat’ storyboard to present the information learned.

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  Predicting Products, Activity Series, Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Observations | High School

  Project: Wastewater Recovery

  In this project, students will analyze test results in order to design a procedure for recovering certain metals from wastewater using their knowledge of the Activity Series of Metals and single replacement reactions. Based on their analysis, students will create a proposal for presentation in an effort to recommend the best plan for reclaiming the metals from the wastewater.

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  Matter, Elements, Mixtures | High School, Middle School

  Animation: Classifying Matter Animation

  This animation explores definitions and examples of several broad classifications of matter, including pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures (homogeneous and heterogeneous). Students will see real-life examples as well as particle diagrams. This animation was featured in the November 2019 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**

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  Introduction, Interdisciplinary, History, Heat, Renewable Energy, Polymers, Molecular Structure | Middle School, High School

  Video: Frontiers of Chemistry

  This video explores new scientific developments that were made possible by the application of fundamental chemistry concepts. Students will learn about exciting advances in science and technology focused on three main topics: Solar Cells, 3D Printing and Micro Machines.

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  Lab Safety | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Video 1: Safety Mindset

  The chemistry lab is an amazing place! Through experiments and demonstrations your high school students have been discovering that chemistry is more than just a collection of facts and formulas-- it’s a way of observing and understanding the very real properties of matter all around them. However, the lab can also be a dangerous place. Contrary to what your students might have seen in films and TV, safety is a core value of chemistry—it is essential to everything they do in the lab. It begins with their mindset, the attitudes and beliefs they bring to class with them every day. Use this video to introduce your students to elements of safe importance of safety mindset in the chemistry lab.

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  Renewable Energy, Culminating Project | High School

  Project: Sustainable Energy Evaluation

  In this project, students will develop a presentation to compare the pros and cons of a sustainable resource. The explanation will involve researching the cost and benefits of the resource and analyzing if the resource should continue to be used.

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  Molecular Structure, Intermolecular Forces, Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding, Metallic Bonding, Polarity, Intramolecular Forces, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, Interdisciplinary, Culminating Project | High School

  Project: Problem-Solving with Materials

  In this project, students will develop a presentation to explain how and why a specific material can solve a problem. The explanation will involve researching the properties of the material and how its properties are suited for solving a specific problem.

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  Review, Interdisciplinary, History | Middle School, High School

  Project: Create a Chemistry App

  In this project, students will use Google accounts to create chemistry-themed apps, with no programming required. They will create a Google Drive spreadsheet containing scientific information, and link it to a free account on Glideapps.com. They will personalize the app on the Glideapps website. The resulting app will be available to view on devices that have the correct link.

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  Lab Safety | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Video 2: Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

  Preparation and planning are key to working in the chemistry lab. To be prepared, your students must understand the hazards of any chemicals they will be working with. The place to find that information is the Safety Data Sheet or SDS. The SDS provides detailed information about the properties of a chemical, its hazards, and how to protect yourself from those hazards. Use this video, to guide your students through 16 sections of the SDS for isopropyl alcohol to demonstrate importance of SDS information.

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  Lab Safety | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Video 3: How to Dress for the Lab? And what about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

  Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) for short is one of the main ways for you and your students to stay protected from injury in the lab. PPE includes things like goggles, gloves, lab coats or aprons. These are designed to protect eyes, hands and skin, as well as clothing, from exposure to chemicals. PPE is the most obvious way of preventing contact with chemicals--but it is not the first line of defense. Use these video to teach your students that before they put on any PPE, why they should dress properly for lab.

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  Lab Safety | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Video 4: Preparing for Emergencies

  There is an old saying that you should always plan for the best, but prepare for the worst. This is good advice in the lab as well. Use this video to teach your students about two lab emergencies that carry a high risk of injury--spills and fires. The videos describes concrete steps to prevent these emergencies and goes over some of the safety equipment used to deal with them.

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  Lab Safety | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Video 5: RAMP (For Students)

  Use this video to teach your students a simple yet powerful tool for protecting you and your classmates in the lab. The tool is called RAMP. RAMP stands for: Recognize hazards; Assess risks; Minimize risks and Prepare for emergencies.

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  Lab Safety | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Video 6: RAMP (For Teachers)

  As a teacher, there are steps you can take to make sure your students are as safe as possible while exploring and experimenting in the lab. In this video, we discuss some ideas to help you to set up a safe lab experiment. We use RAMP, the acronym for lab safety. RAMP stands for Recognize hazards; Assess risks; Minimize risks and Prepare for emergencies. RAMP is a simple yet powerful tool to help you prepare for and safely carry out any lab activity with your students.

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  Lab Safety, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, History | Middle School, High School

  Project: Chemical Disasters: Good Chemicals gone Bad!

  In this project, students will research an industrial chemical accident. They will examine the chemicals involved including uses, hazards, chemical and physical properties. Students will investigate the cause of the accident and its repercussions. As the final product, they will film a 5-minute documentary which will be viewed in class.

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  Culminating Project, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, History, VSEPR Theory, Polymers, Covalent Bonding | High School

  Project: The Evolution of Materials Science in Everyday Products

  In this project, students will be able to understand the progression of development of an everyday product and display their knowledge through a creative video. They will investigate the history and chemical composition of the product through the present day. The students will then suggest an innovation about how the product can be altered in the future to improve society.

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  Electromagnetic Spectrum, Identifying an Unknown | Middle School, High School

  Video: Color Matching Paint Video

  This video explains how technology, specifically focusing on spectrophotometry, can be used for paint matching. Students will learn how the spectrophotometer interacts with the spectrum of visible light in order to match or reproduce specific paint colors.

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  Pros Cons of Nuclear Power, Radiation, Radioactive Isotopes, Atomic Theory, Atoms, History | Middle School, High School

  Video: Lise Meitner Video

  This video tells the story of Lise Meitner, a pioneering female scientist in the field of nuclear chemistry, who was denied a Nobel Prize but has an Element named in her honor.

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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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  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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  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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  Conservation of Mass, Chemical Change, Interdisciplinary, Culminating Project, Phase Changes, Chemical Change | Middle School, High School

  Project: Law of Conservation of Mass Comic Strip

  In this project, students will work in groups to create a comic strip that illustrates understanding of the law of conservation of mass.