26 – 50 of 54 Classroom Resources

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  Periodic Table, History, Identifying an Unknown | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Arsenic Video Mark as Favorite (38 Favorites)

  In this video, Sam Kean tells stories about arsenic, a deadly element that was once referred to as the "Inheritance Powder".

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  Pharmaceuticals, Functional Groups, Identifying an Unknown, Chemical Properties, Observations | High School

  Lab: Over the Counter Drugs Mark as Favorite (42 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will do some research about common over the counter drugs and then carry out some chemical tests to learn more about their composition. They will then identify an unknown drug sample.

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

  Lesson Plan: Alien Invasion? Mark as Favorite (2 Favorites)

  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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  Percent Composition, Mole Concept, Identifying an Unknown, Emission Spectrum, Empirical Formula, Percent Composition | High School

  Lesson Plan: Chemical Analysis of Martian Rocks Mark as Favorite (109 Favorites)

  In this lesson, students are challenged to analyze the spectral graphs obtained by the Curiosity Mars Rover. Based on their examination students will determine the component elements of each sample, as well as the relative abundance of each element. With this information the student will complete calculations to find the empirical formula and identify the composition of the unknown rock. Finally students will complete research to see if these rocks are actually like those on Earth.

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  Periodic Table, Elements, Matter, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Observations, Identifying an Unknown | High School, Middle School

  Lab: Periodic Table Trends Mark as Favorite (31 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will investigate trends of the periodic table by examining samples of six elements. Students will use observations about the elements’ appearance, conductivity, and malleability to determine whether they are metals, nonmetals, or metalloids. They will also see how these elements, as well as two more in a teacher demo, react with water and use this information to make claims about reactivity patterns in the periodic table.

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  Chemical Change, Conservation of Matter, Identifying an Unknown, Culminating Project, Elements | Middle School

  Lab: Priestley Labs Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will identify an unknown gas based on experimental evidence.

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  Physical Change, Chemical Change, Identifying an Unknown, Acid Base Reactions | Middle School

  Lab: Is It a Hoax? Mark as Favorite (14 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will perform tests on the physical and chemical properties of different substances to determine the identity of the unknown.

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  Identifying an Unknown, Chemical Properties, Solute & Solvent, Mixtures | Middle School, High School

  Lab: Local Water Analysis Mark as Favorite (23 Favorites)

  In this lab, students use simple pool test strips to collect water samples from local water sources, such as area faucets, pools, lakes, rivers, puddles, etc. They will compile all of the collected data to allow students to collectively make observations and ask testable questions. After determining a question of interest, groups of students will organize the related data, research relevant background information, form reasonable conclusions, and present their arguments.

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  Elements, History, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, Identifying an Unknown, Ionic Bonding, Naming Compounds | High School

  Lesson Plan: Joseph Priestley, Discoverer of Oxygen Mark as Favorite (12 Favorites)

  In this lesson, students will read an article to learn about the discovery and identification of gases, specifically oxygen by Joseph Priestley. There are a series of activities to help promote literacy in the science classroom related to the reading. This lesson could be easily used as plans for a substitute teacher, as most of the activities are self-guided.

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

  Video: Color Matching Paint Video Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)

  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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  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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  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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  pH, Indicators, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, Identifying an Unknown | High School

  Lab: Pigment pH Puzzles Mark as Favorite (21 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will use their scientific detective skills to determine the identity of pigments used in various types of pH test strips based on how they each interact with several solutions of different pH values.

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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 (8 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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  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 (52 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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  Solubility, Intermolecular Forces, Intermolecular Forces, Mixtures, Intramolecular Forces, Polarity, Observations, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Identifying an Unknown, Mixtures | High School

  Lab: Solubility & Compound Type Mark as Favorite (41 Favorites)

  In this lesson, students determine whether unknown substances are polar, nonpolar, or ionic by testing their solubilities.

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  Chemical Change, Identifying an Unknown, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Chemical Change, Experimental Design, Scientific Method | High School, Middle School

  Lab: As Easy as Pie Mark as Favorite (62 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will use chemical and physical properties to identify an unknown powder.

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  Measurements, Error Analysis, Scientific Notation, Density, Identifying an Unknown | Middle School

  Lab: A Chemistry Calculation Challenge Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)

  Students will apply their knowledge to solve four challenging chemistry-based calculation problems involving mass, volume, density, and number of molecules.

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  Periodic Table, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Observations, Inferences, Chemical Change, Identifying an Unknown, Error Analysis | High School

  Lab: Metal, Non-Metal, or Metalloid Mark as Favorite (81 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will classify several samples of elements as metals, nonmetals, or metalloid based on their physical and chemical properties.

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  Periodic Table, History, Identifying an Unknown | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Video: Cadmium Video Mark as Favorite (6 Favorites)

  In this video, Sam Kean tells stories about cadmium.

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  Periodic Table, Identifying an Unknown | High School

  Activity: Mendeleev's Cards Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)

  In this activity, students learn about periodic trends by organizing cards and then determining the information on a missing card.

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  Balancing Equations, Classification of Reactions, Chemical Change, Identifying an Unknown, Molarity, Concentration | High School

  Lab: An Environmental Impact Study Mark as Favorite (82 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will test a water sample which comes from a local zoo, where, it is reported that many bird eggs are not hatching. Students will test the water for the presence of multiple ions. Once the type of ion in the water is determined, students will write balanced equations to illustrate their findings. Students will also conduct a serial dilution to determine the concentration, or molarity, of the ion in the water sample. This molarity will be compared to known values to determine if the materials in the water are at an unhealthy level.

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  Electromagnetic Spectrum, Atomic Spectra, Electrons, Identifying an Unknown | High School

  Lab: The Case of the Contaminated Well Mark as Favorite (110 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will observe the colors produced when different metal salt solutions are heated in a flame. Students will take on the role of a forensic investigator and use their results to help them determine if collected evidence was contaminated.

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  Density, Observations, Inferences, Measurements, Identifying an Unknown, Error Analysis, Scientific Method | High School

  Lab: Colors of the Rainbow Mark as Favorite (38 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will practice density calculations and put their calculations to test by creating their own density column.

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  Gas Laws, Molar Mass, Density, Temperature, Pressure, Volume, Ideal Gas, Physical Change, Observations, Density, Identifying an Unknown, Error Analysis | High School

  Lab: Molar Mass of Dry Ice Mark as Favorite (14 Favorites)

  In this lab, students will use gas laws to calculate the molar mass of dry ice and then use the information to identify the compound that makes up this substance.