26 – 50 of 73 Classroom Resources

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  Measurements, Dimensional Analysis, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Matter, Observations, Mixtures | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Cupcake Conversions, Bench to Bakery Mark as Favorite (53 Favorites)

  This activity will help to reinforce the importance of scientific measurement and apply it to the introduction of chemical reactions. Using an example of baking a single batch of cupcakes, students will plan for a larger production scale in a commercial bakery. This will help to introduce the idea of producing a reaction at the lab bench and converting it to mass production. In addition this activity investigates how chemistry is used in everyday life and challenges students to consider potentials errors that may occur when completing chemical reactions in the kitchen.

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  History, Interdisciplinary, Chemical Change | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Spellbound Episode 1 Ahmed Zewail Video Questions Mark as Favorite (2 Favorites)

  In this activity, students will answer questions while watching a video from the Spellbound series produced by ACS. Each episode focuses on a different notable scientist, recounting how their interest in science was sparked in their childhood and how they went on to make great contributions to the scientific community. This first episode focuses on the childhood of Ahmed Zewail, who went on to become the 1999 Chemistry Nobel Laureate.

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  Balancing Equations, Conservation of Mass, Conservation of Matter, Conservation of Matter, Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Conservation of Mass, Polyatomic Ions, Precipitate | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Simulation Activity: Balancing Chemical Equations Mark as Favorite (100 Favorites)

  In this activity, students will learn how to count atoms and how to balance chemical equations using a simulation and games from PhET Interactive Simulations.

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  History, Chemical Change | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Spellbound Episode 3 Bassam Shakhashiri Video Questions Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)

  In this activity, students will answer questions while watching a video from the Spellbound series produced by ACS. Each episode focuses on a different notable scientist, recounting how their interest in science was sparked in their childhood and how they went on to make great contributions to the scientific community. This third episode focuses on the childhood of Bassam Shakhashiri, whose early interest in colors led him to study chemistry and become a passionate chemistry educator and ambassador.

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  Activity Series, Electrons, Electron Transfer, Balancing Equations, Predicting Products, Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Observations | High School

  Activity: Simulation Activity: Metals in Aqueous Solutions Mark as Favorite (17 Favorites)

  In this activity, students will run simulated tests of various metals in aqueous solutions to determine the relative reactivity of these metals. A total of eight metals will be observed in various combinations with the corresponding metal nitrate solutions and hydrochloric acid. Students will interpret the data collected to construct an activity series of the elements used in this simulation.

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  Temperature, History, Interdisciplinary, Chemical Change, Temperature, Heat | Middle School, High School

  Lab: Greenhouse Gas Simulation Mark as Favorite (34 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will create two simulations of the Earth’s atmosphere. They will compare a control model with a one that has an increased presence of carbon dioxide gas in order to analyze how this effects temperature. They will also complete research in order to learn more about the makeup of the Earth’s atmosphere.

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  Physical Change, Chemical Change, Observations, Chemical Change, Radioactive Isotopes | High School

  Activity: Physical, Chemical and Nuclear Changes Mark as Favorite (68 Favorites)

  In this activity, students will analyze the representation of physical, chemical, and nuclear changes in four ways: submicroscopic (particle diagrams), symbolic (equations), macroscopic (observations), and linguistic (vocabulary words). This self-guided activity is designed to ensure that students internalize fundamental chemistry concepts that will serve as a meaningful basis for future learning about matter and its changes.

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  Chemical Change, Physical Change, Observations, Molecular Structure, Lewis Structures, Polarity, Chemical Change | High School

  Lab: DIY Triiodide Mark as Favorite (23 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will investigate how iodine interacts with various substances. They will use color changes to justify whether a chemical or physical change is taking place. This activity is referenced in the October 2019 ChemMatters article called “Cash, Chemistry, and Counterfeiting.”

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  Combustion, Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Density, Kinetic Molecular Theory, Density | High School

  Demonstration: Liquid and Gas Burning Comparison Mark as Favorite (7 Favorites)

  In this demo, students will witness the burning of a substance in its gas and in its liquid states. They will carry out the demonstrations themselves, and compare the results of the two reactions.

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  Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Observations | High School, Middle School

  Lab: Corrosion in Motion Mark as Favorite (6 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will expose metal samples to various solutions and observe the amount of corrosion of a period of time.

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  History, Chemical Change, Interdisciplinary | High School, Middle School

  Activity: Tie Dye Mark as Favorite (25 Favorites)

  In this activity, students make tie-dye shirts and complete a worksheet about a reading from ChemMatters about how dyes work. It gives students the opportunity to apply chemistry to everyday life.

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  Density, Observations, Chemical Change, Combustion | High School

  Demonstration: Fish Tank Carbon Dioxide Mark as Favorite (6 Favorites)

  In this demonstration, students watch as a reaction between baking soda and vinegar produces carbon dioxide, which then causes lit candles to extinguish.

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  Precipitate, Reactions & Stoichiometry, Solubility Rules, Balancing Equations, Chemical Change, Chemical Change | High School, Middle School

  Lab: Predicting Precipitates Mark as Favorite (30 Favorites)

  In this lab, students use solubility rules to predict which chemical reactions will produce precipitates.

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  Activity Series, Chemical Change, Electrons, Electron Transfer, Balancing Equations, Chemical Change, Predicting Products, Observations, Acid Base Reactions | High School

  Simulation: Metals In Aqueous Solutions Mark as Favorite (121 Favorites)

  In this activity, students will run simulated tests of various metals in aqueous solutions to determine the relative reactivity of these metals. A total of eight metals will be observed in various combinations with the corresponding metal nitrate solutions and hydrochloric acid. Students will interpret the data collected to construct an activity series of the elements used in this simulation.

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  Stoichiometry, Balancing Equations, Predicting Products, Chemical Change, Mole Concept, Dimensional Analysis, Measurements, Chemical Change, Culminating Project | High School

  Project: Chemical Reaction Soda Bottle Boat Race Mark as Favorite (98 Favorites)

  In this project, students will design and build a soda bottle boat with the goal of having the fastest boat to get to the other end of the rain gutter racetrack. Students will have to complete stoichiometric calculations to determine an appropriate amount of “fuel” (baking soda + vinegar) to power their boat.

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  Identifying an Unknown, Observations, Physical Change, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Chemical Properties, Solubility, Precipitate, Indicators | High School

  Lab: Using Qualitative Analysis to Identify Household Compounds Mark as Favorite (64 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will be introduced to common laboratory techniques, safety procedures, lab reagents, and terminology, all while identifying unknown household substances. Students will learn how to use qualitative analysis techniques as a systematic way to identify unknown materials. As part of this process, they will practice careful observation and documentation, as well as identifying relevant physical and chemical properties and changes, including solubility, color change, gas formation, and precipitation of solids.

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  Combustion, Chemical Change, Catalysts, Acid Base Reactions, Chemical Change, Balancing Equations, Classification of Reactions, Observations, Chemical Change | High School, Middle School

  Demonstration: Stop & Go Gases Mark as Favorite (7 Favorites)

  In this demonstration, students will witness the ability of carbon dioxide to extinguish a flame and oxygen to feed a flame. They will also be introduced to the concept of catalysts. This demonstration could also be used as an opportunity to practice writing and balancing equations and classifying chemical reactions.

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  Identifying an Unknown, Experimental Design, Scientific Method, Chemical Change, Net Ionic Equation, Precipitate, Solubility, Solubility Rules, Balancing Equations, Predicting Products, Chemical Change | High School

  Lab: Mislabeled Mess! Mark as Favorite (34 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will identify 3 unknown acids by using the solubility rules. They will be given a list of materials and will design their own procedures for identifying the unknowns. For each combination of reactants, they will predict whether a product forms and, if it does, write complete and net ionic equations for those reactions.

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  Identifying an Unknown, Experimental Design, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, Observations, Polyatomic Ions, Chemical Change, Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding, Solubility | High School

  Lab: Determining the Composition of Bridge Straw Stalactites Mark as Favorite (9 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will investigate “straws” that hang from a local bridge, and then determine various tests that can help to determine their chemical composition. Evaluating both the test results, as well as given information students will then make a claim about the composition, while providing evidence and supporting it with reasoning.

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  Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Physical Change, Chemical Change, Observations | High School

  Lab: Determining Physical and Chemical Properties Mark as Favorite (48 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will determine the physical and chemical properties of several different substances through testing and observation. Additionally, they will further their understanding of chemical and physical changes, and their ability to recognize each type of change.

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  Redox Reaction, History, Oxidation, Reduction, Chemical Change, Observations | High School

  Demonstration: Nitric Acid Acts Upon Copper Mark as Favorite (15 Favorites)

  In this demonstration, students will hear a story about Ira Remsen and watch a demonstration that recreates her first experiment reacting nitric acid with a copper penny.

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  Chemical Change, Density, Chemical Change, Density | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Demonstration: Fire Extinguisher Mark as Favorite (17 Favorites)

  In this demonstration, students will observe a chemical reaction, and see how the product can be used to extinguish a fire.

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  Heat of Vaporization , Boiling Point, Intermolecular Forces, Phase Changes, Heating Curve, Heat of Combustion, Temperature, Specific Heat, Observations, Chemical Change, Physical Change | Middle School, High School

  Demonstration: Cooking an Egg in Chemistry Class Mark as Favorite (7 Favorites)

  In this demonstration, students will observe the very high latent heat of vaporization for water by boiling water over a Bunsen burner in a paper cup to cook a boiled egg. The discussion can be extended to incorporate intermolecular forces to explain the unusually high boiling point of water, as well as heat of vaporization and specific heat capacity.

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  Solubility, Solute & Solvent, Precipitate, Mixtures, Error Analysis, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Observations, Identifying an Unknown, Graphing | Middle School, High School

  Lab: Chemicals, Chromatography, and Crime! Mark as Favorite (53 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will test “evidence” that has been collected from a crime scene. In order to determine if the victim was poisoned, students will perform a solubility and crystallization test on an unknown powder. Then, students will attempt to identify the culprit by using paper chromatography to analyze the lipstick from the potential criminals.

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  Density, Density, Chemical Change, Observations, Inferences | High School, Middle School

  Demonstration: Comparing Gas Density Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)

  In this demonstration, students will observe a reaction between baking soda and vinegar in the presence of a variety of different heights of lit candles. 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 candles to extinguish in order of height. Students will analyze and compare the presence of the gases in the container and make determinations about the densities of each.