Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics
1 – 25 of 72 Classroom Resources
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Radioactive Isotopes, Radiation, Half Lives, History | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Marie Curie Video Mark as Favorite (31 Favorites)
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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Heat, Physical Properties, Physical Change, Molecular Structure, Monomer, Polymers | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 7: The World has a Receipt Problem Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
The receipts you take home from the store – or stuff in your bag, or lose in your car -- employ a printing method that’s been around since the 1970s. Thermal printing involves heat-sensitive inks called leuco dyes that show up when they react with an acid developer embedded in the paper. Not only do these inks fade easily, but receipts that use them aren’t recyclable, and could even be dangerous to your health. Taking a cue from a failed experiment, scientists are developing a new kind of receipt paper that will use the same thermal printers without leuco dyes. Instead of acid developers, this paper is coated in reflective microspheres that collapse under heat, allowing regular ink underneath to show through.
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Renewable Energy, Culminating Project | High School
Project: Sustainable Energy Evaluation Mark as Favorite (30 Favorites)
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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Mole Concept, Measurements, History, Ideal Gas, Gas Laws | High School
Video: Amedeo Avogadro Video Mark as Favorite (53 Favorites)
This video tells the story of Amedeo Avogadro, the scientist given credit for the mole concept, but who discovered other things in chemistry too.
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Introduction, Interdisciplinary | High School
Video: Chemistry Lab Technicians Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
Meet Josh, a chemical technician at PPG. Most chemical technician jobs do not require a bachelor’s degree, and they involve more of the hands-on work of “doing science” than many scientist roles. This video shows us the lab where he makes new paint formulations and explains how he arrived at his current occupation. ACS celebrates the crucial role of skilled technicians in research and the chemical industries.
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Heat, Temperature, Specific Heat, Law of Conservation of Energy, Enthalpy, Calorimetry, Exothermic & Endothermic, Balancing Equations, Chemical Change, Measurements, Mole Concept, Dimensional Analysis, Culminating Project, Interdisciplinary, Review, Graphing, Observations, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties | High School
Project: Handwarmer Design Challenge Mark as Favorite (59 Favorites)
In this project, students will use their knowledge of thermodynamics to design a handwarmer for a manufacturing company that can maintain a temperature of 30-40°C for at least 5 minutes and is designed for the average human hand. Students will create a final product after rounds of testing and an advertising poster that summarizes the results of their testing and promotes their design.
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Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Chemical Change, Culminating Project, Mixtures, Molecular Structure | High School
Project: Analyze a Family Recipe Mark as Favorite (66 Favorites)
In this project, students will select a family recipe, or a favorite recipe to investigate. They will analyze several of the ingredients in order learn more about the chemistry of each one, as well as their purpose in the recipe. Additionally, students will examine several ingredient interactions to learn more about the chemistry of cooking.
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Culminating Project, Interdisciplinary, History, Renewable Energy | High School
Project: Understanding Renewable Energy Mark as Favorite (5 Favorites)
In this project, students will conduct research in order to become an “expert” on a specific type of renewable energy source. Students will produce a media presentation and a poster board as well as participate in a symposium focused on renewable energy sources.
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Periodic Table, Subatomic Particles, History, Introduction, Elements, Atoms, Valence Electrons, Electrons | Middle School
Project: Elemental Art: A Visual Periodic Table Mark as Favorite (20 Favorites)
In this activity students will research an assigned element of the Periodic Table and then create a poster that visually explains and expresses the element. The final posters can be arranged into a classroom Periodic Table.
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Elements, Periodic Table, Interdisciplinary, History, Atoms, Model of the Atom | Middle School, High School
Project: Element Baby Book Mark as Favorite (45 Favorites)
In this activity, students will “adopt” an element and create a baby book about their “new baby” while they research and learn about the element.
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Periodic Table, Elements, History, Subatomic Particles, Atomic Mass, Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding | Middle School, High School
Project: Exploring Elements Mark as Favorite (46 Favorites)
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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Periodic Table, History, Identifying an Unknown | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Arsenic Video Mark as Favorite (41 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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Interdisciplinary, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 8: Is the Answer to Overfishing… Algae? Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
Omega-3s are an essential nutrient that humans have to get from fish. But many of the world’s wild fish species are in crisis because we’ve taken too many of them from the ocean. So the answer is to farm more of our fish, right? While fish-farming relieves some pressure on the ocean’s wild species, it also contributes to that pressure, since farmed fish are fed fishmeal made from wild-caught fish. That’s because fish don’t make their own Omega-3s either. Like us, they get them from their diet. Using technology that came out of the space program, scientists have developed a way to cut out the middle-fish from the food chain and harvest Omega-3s for fishmeal directly from the source: algae.
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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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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 (103 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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Separating Mixtures, Physical Properties, Mixtures
Video: Ingenious Video 9: The World’s Smallest Water Treatment Plant Comes in a Packet Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
About 800,000,000 people worldwide – that’s almost one in ten, more than the population of the U.S. – don’t have reliable access to clean water. Using a technology first developed to reuse dirty laundry water, scientists have developed a water treatment plant the size of a teabag. Inside, a potent chemical triple-threat removes microbes, heavy metals, silt and dirt to produce clean, safe water one bucket at a time.
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Molecular Structure , Polymers, Interdisciplinary, Chemical Properties
Video: Ingenious Video 10: Oversexed Moths are Ruining Apples for Everyone Mark as Favorite (2 Favorites)
Codling moths may look harmless, but their larvae wreak havoc in orchards, burrowing into fruit and eating them from the inside out. Pesticides have always been the solution to the old “worm in the apple” problem, but pesticides kill all the insects in the field, even the good ones. Instead of pesticides, farmers may soon use pheromones, those scented chemical messages animals release at mating time. Spreading synthetic, species-specific pheromones keeps male codling moths from finding females to mate with. No mating means no eggs, no larvae, and no more bad apples. Scaling up agricultural pheromones has proved difficult, but innovative approaches to pheromone production (using yeast cells) and distribution (with the help of customized weather stations) are starting to make it happen.
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Lab Safety, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Interdisciplinary, Heat, Temperature, Polymers, Molecular Structure | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 3: This Sandwich Will Save Your Life in an Arc Flash Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
It’s never fun when your clothes catch on fire. And while “stop, drop, and roll” may be a good idea sometimes, in more extreme cases, you need a better plan. Every day, industrial workers, firefighters, and soldiers risk fiery situations that might seem hard to imagine. In an arc flash event, for one, temperatures can jump to metal-melting levels in milliseconds. How can anyone possibly survive that? Well, take a tip from a club sandwich, because it’s all about the layers. The composite fabrics that protect life and limb in these situations rely on some incredible, multilayered chemistry, including the ability to quickly form a protective carbonaceous crust around the wearer.
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Model of the Atom, Atoms, Subatomic Particles, Electrons, Valence Electrons, Lewis Dot Diagrams, Electron Configuration, Physical Properties | Middle School, High School
Project: Atomic Holiday Ornaments Mark as Favorite (47 Favorites)
In this project, students will design an atomic holiday ornament for a chosen element, along with a certificate of authenticity to display on a “Chemis-tree”. Students will also have the opportunity to vote on the ornaments created by their classmates.
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Lab Safety | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Video 5: RAMP (For Students) Mark as Favorite (21 Favorites)
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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Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Elements, Matter, Covalent Bonding, Ionic Bonding, Intermolecular Forces, Polymers | Middle School, High School
Project: The Chemistry of Toys Mark as Favorite (35 Favorites)
In this project, students will study the chemistry behind a toy or novelty item of their choosing. They will look at the parts that make up their item and determine what materials each part is made of; the types of atoms, molecules, and bonds present in those materials; and their physical and chemical properties.
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Periodic Table, History, Radioactive Isotopes, Alpha/Beta/Gamma Decay | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Video: Helium Video Mark as Favorite (12 Favorites)
In this video, Sam Kean tells stories about helium.
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Predicting Products, Activity Series, Chemical Change, Chemical Change, Observations | High School
Project: Wastewater Recovery Mark as Favorite (76 Favorites)
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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Culminating Project, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, History, VSEPR Theory, Polymers, Covalent Bonding | High School
Project: The Evolution of Materials Science in Everyday Products Mark as Favorite (75 Favorites)
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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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 Mark as Favorite (61 Favorites)
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.