Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics

76 – 100 of 297 Classroom Resources

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  Matter, Mixtures, Elements | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Elements, Compounds, & Mixtures - Oh My!

  In this activity, students will define terms related to various kinds of pure substances and mixtures, as well as analyze and draw particle diagrams.

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  Periodic Table, Elements | Elementary School, Middle School

  Lesson Plan: Identify Your Elements

  In this lesson, students observe the teacher using a set of Russian Nesting Dolls to create analogies between structure and shape of the periodic table. Students are taught to navigate the periodic table, identify specific elements by atomic number, analyze several element samples, and determine the identity of a mystery material.

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  Periodic Table, Density, Elements, Atomic Mass, Atomic Radius, Electronegativity | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Organizing the Periodic Table

  In this activity, students are challenged to organize elements into the shape of the periodic table based on trends in data. Students are given a set of cards, each card representing an element, and containing five data points for consideration. The data that students will analyze includes atomic mass, atomic radius, melting point, density and electronegativity.

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  Matter, Elements, Mixtures | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Animation Activity: Classifying Matter

  In this animation, students will become familiar with definitions and examples of several broad classifications of matter, including pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures (homogeneous and heterogeneous). Students will be given real-life examples as well as particle diagrams.

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  Physical Change, Chemical Change, Observations, Molecular Structure | Middle School, High School

  Lab: Determining a Chemical or Physical Change

  In this lab, students will follow a laboratory procedure that instructs them how to heat a small sample of copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate. Students will make observations in order to determine if a chemical or physical change occurs.

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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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  Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Elements, Alloys, Chemical Bond | Middle School

  Lesson Plan: Behind the Metal

  In this lesson, students will learn about the properties of metals. The students will work in small groups to create a video to anthropomorphize their selected metal as though it were a heavy metal musician and share the video with their peers.

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  Density, Observations | Middle School

  Lesson Plan: Understanding Density

  In this lesson, students will explain phenomena using their knowledge of how changes in mass and volume can affect the density of an object.

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  Radiation, Electromagnetic Spectrum, Heat, Temperature, Experimental Design, Graphing, Interdisciplinary | Middle School, High School

  Lesson Plan: The Ozone Layer

  In this lesson, students will develop an explanation for the consequences of ozone depletion on Earth by planning and carrying out an investigation. Students will use analysis and interpretation of data to develop a model to explain the cause and effect of Ozone depletion on the planet Earth.

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  Physical Properties, Molecular Structure, Intermolecular Forces | Middle School, High School

  Lesson Plan: Structure Matters

  In this lesson, students will explore the atomic level structure of various elements and compounds to determine how arrangement of atoms at the microscopic level affects macroscopic material properties.

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  Density, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Physical Change, Chemical Change, Graphing, Alloys | Middle School, High School

  Lesson Plan: The Captivating Chemistry of Coins

  In this lesson, students will develop a better understanding of physical and chemical properties of matter by comparing the composition of different pennies. This is done by determining the density of different pennies which will be compared to the density of different metals.

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

  Lesson Plan: Lab Safety and Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

  In this lesson, students will identify various safe lab practices with a focus on the importance of labeling and knowing the background safety information for all reagents used in a lab. Students will design a series of tests to determine the identity of an unknown substance using properties found on safety data sheets.

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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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  Physical Change, Chemical Change, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties | Elementary School, Middle School, High School

  Activity: A Physical vs. Chemical Challenge

  In this activity, students will first complete a card sort to best categorize examples of change as physical or chemical change. Then they will compete in teams to identify whether given situations represent a physical change or a chemical change, or a physical or a chemical property.

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  Lab Safety | Elementary School, Middle School

  Activity: Super Safety Scientists

  In this activity, students will brainstorm ideas for keeping people safe during lab activities and design personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable for a given situation.

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  Photosynthesis, Interdisciplinary | Elementary School, Middle School

  Lesson Plan: Investigating Photosynthesis

  In this lesson, students will build knowledge through reading an assigned passage, as well as analyze evidence produced from a teacher led demonstration to better understand the process of photosynthesis.

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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 | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Lab Safety, You're Fired!

  In this activity, students will read an account of a laboratory tour which details numerous safety infractions. They will be charged with identifying the safety violations and determining which scientist working in the lab should be fired. This activity is designed to be used after both lab safety and Claim, Evidence, Reasoning framework has been introduced.

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  Periodic Table, Elements | Middle School, High School

  Activity: Lucky Seven

  In this activity, students will use the periodic table and the clues provided to identify element names. Students will then attempt to find the element names that are hidden n the puzzle.

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  Scientific Method, Observations | Middle School

  Lab: Which Paint is the most Cost-Effective

  In this lab, students will practice implementing the scientific method in order compare the properties of different paint samples through a variety of testing. Students will research consumer reports, hypothesize, and conduct specific tests in order to determine which brand of paint is the most cost effective.

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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

  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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  Polymers, Interdisciplinary, Culminating Project | Middle School, High School

  Lesson Plan: Cleaning-up the Plastic Island

  In this lesson, students will develop an understanding of the chemistry of plastics and apply their knowledge in order to engineer a cost effective and environmentally friendly method to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

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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.