Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics
176 – 200 of 283 Classroom Resources
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Electron Configuration, Electrons, Valence Electrons, Periodic Table, Orbitals | High School
Activity: Electron Configuration and the Periodic Table
In this activity, students will learn how the periodic table can be used to predict the electron configuration of an atom and, thus, better predict the reactivity of an atom.
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Separating Mixtures, Physical Properties, Observations, Matter, Introduction, Mixtures | Elementary School
Activity: Sandbox!
In this activity the students will separate a mixture and classify objects by their physical properties.
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Physical Properties, Density, Separating Mixtures, Matter, Culminating Project, Interdisciplinary, Phase Changes | Elementary School, Middle School
Activity: The Castaway!
In this activity, students use their knowledge of the properties of matter to create and/or design items needed for survival on a deserted island.
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Physical Properties, Density, Chemical Properties, Matter, Interdisciplinary | Middle School, Elementary School
Activity: Astronaut on a Mission
In this activity students will take on the role as a NASA employee on a mission to discover what resources humans need in order to survive on a planet outside of our solar system. Students will come up with a plan including a list of materials and resources needed to sustain life on another planet. They will need to compare each planet and determine which is most ready to support life.
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Physical Properties, Molecular Structure, Polarity | High School, Elementary School, Middle School
Activity: 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.
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Matter, Physical Properties, Observations, Phase Changes | Elementary School
Activity: Matter Can Taste Good!
In this activity, students will be introduced to the general differences and organization of particles in each state of matter: solid, liquid and gas. They will have the opportunity to compare the samples and then will identify each state of matter during an edible activity.
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Molecular Structure , Molecular Structure, Molecular Formula, Naming Compounds, Chemical Bond, Interdisciplinary, Introduction | Middle School, High School
Activity: Modeling Carbohydrates
In this activity, students will identify that organic compounds contain carbon and other elements such as hydrogen and oxygen. They will investigate the structure of different organic and inorganic compounds and model several molecules, including a carbohydrate molecule. They will use their models to help understand how larger molecules are broken down into smaller molecules.
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Atomic Theory, Electrons, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Niels Bohr Video
This video tells the story of Niels Bohr, a great scientist who redefined how we think about atoms and the electron. Bohr’s model of the atom helped to advance understanding of subatomic particles, and holds an important place in the history and development of the atomic theory.
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Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, Atomic Mass, Valence Electrons, Atoms, Periodic Table, Elements | Middle School, High School
Activity: Mystery Elements
The students will work in cooperative groups to construct Bohr models of "mystery" elements and record missing information about each element. Students will also create a new "mystery" element card for a classmate to analyze and determine its identity.
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Physical Properties, Density, Observations, Mixtures | Elementary School
Activity: Discovery Tubes
This is a fun, visual activity for young students. It allows for understanding of fundamental chemistry topics, including mixtures, miscibility, density and viscosity while analyzing a handheld colorful toy.
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Periodic Table, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Aluminum Video
In this video, Sam Kean tells stories about aluminum.
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Interdisciplinary | High School
Activity: Forensic Chemistry Crossword
In this activity, students are challenged to solve forensic chemistry themed clues in order to complete a crossword puzzle.
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Periodic Table, Orbitals , Electrons, Electron Configuration, Atomic Radius, Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding | High School
Activity: Planet P-10
In this activity, students will create a periodic table using the unusual orbital rules elements follow on an imaginary planet called P-10 and identify periodic trends.
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Molecular Formula, History, Covalent Bonding, Molecular Structure, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties | High School
Activity: Molecule of the Week
In this activity, students research and present a molecule they find relevant to real life, either in the past or present. They must submit notes to the teacher the day before they present their findings in five to 10 minutes to their chemistry class.
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Temperature, History, Accuracy, Physical Properties | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: The Temperature Guys Video
This video tells the story of how temperature as we currently know it evolved. The first thermometers invented in the early 1600s are very different than ones we use today!
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Periodic Table, History, Physical Properties | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Silicon Video
In this video, Sam Kean tells stories about silicon.
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Gas Laws, Pressure, Volume, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Robert Boyle Video
This video tells the story of Robert Boyle, a great chemist and discoverer of Boyle's Law, which describes the relationship between pressure and volume of a gas.
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Atomic Radius, Ionic Radius, Electrons, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, Periodic Table | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Animation: Atomic & Ionic Radii Animation
This animation explores patterns in atomic and ionic radii. Students will look at the different sizes of atoms in the third period and the atoms in the sixth group to see trends across periods and down groups. They will also look at an atom and its corresponding cation as well as an atom and its corresponding anion. **This video has no audio**
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Molecular Structure, Molecular Geometry, History, Periodic Table, Molecular Structure | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Phosphorous Video
In this video, Sam Kean tells the story of how phosphorus was at the center of the race to discover the structure of DNA.
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Model of the Atom, Electrons, Electron Configuration, Quantum Numbers, Subatomic Particles, Periodic Table | High School
Animation: Orbitals Animation
This animation explores the shapes of the 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, and 3d orbitals and how they build up and overlap as each successive orbital is added. **This video has no audio**
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Periodic Table, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Mercury Video
In this video, Sam Kean tells stories about Mercury.
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Radioactive Isotopes, Radiation, Half Lives, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Marie Curie Video
This video tells the story about Marie Curie, including her Nobel Prizes, radiation experiments, and discovery of new elements. Irene Curie is also mentioned.
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Periodic Table, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Manganese Video
In this video, Sam Kean tells stories about manganese.
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Periodic Table, History, Physical Properties | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Gallium Video
In this video, Sam Kean tells stories about gallium.
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Radioactive Isotopes, History, Subatomic Particles, Model of the Atom, Atomic Theory | Middle School, High School
Video: Ernest Rutherford Video
Rutherford's initial research was studying alpha particles, which he hypothesized were helium nuclei. With the help of Hans Geiger, Rutherford conducted the gold foil experiment, which justifies that the nucleus of an atom is a dense collection of protons and contains the majority of an atom’s mass. It also inferred that most of the atom is empty space and electrons are not located in the nucleus. He won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1908 for his studies on radioactive substances.