Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics

1 – 25 of 48 Classroom Resources

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  Observations, Chemical Change, Inferences, Scientific Method, Experimental Design | High School, Middle School

  Demonstration: What Causes Yeast to Ferment?

  In this lesson, students will observe and verify molasses sugar content as a result of its ability to ferment yeast. They will compare how molasses allows yeast to ferment with other sugar solutions as well as a sugar-free solution.

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

  Lab: DIY Triiodide

  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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  Density, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Chemical Properties, Graphing, Alloys | High School, Middle 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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  Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Chemical Properties | High School, Middle School, Elementary 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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  Chemical Change, Physical Change, Activity Series, Redox Reaction, Chemical Change | High School

  Demonstration: Understanding the Discrepant Reactivity of Copper in the Presence of Strong Acids

  In this demonstration, students practice their observation skills during the additions of different acids to two test tubes containing copper. The activity is structured to allow students to make thoughtful remarks about what they observe, using rich indicators of both chemical and physical properties and changes. In subsequent lessons on new concepts, students can reflect back on their observations to rationalize the discrepant results of the reactions in the demonstration.

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  Observations, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Dimensional Analysis, Measurements, Matter, Chemical Properties, Mixtures | High School, Middle 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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  Separating Mixtures, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Introduction, Physical Change, History, Lab Safety, Measurements, Significant Figures, SI Units, Chemical Properties | High School

  Lesson Plan: Chemistry Basics Unit Plan

  The AACT High School Classroom Resource library and multimedia collection has everything you need to put together a unit plan for your classroom: lessons, activities, labs, projects, videos, simulations, and animations. We searched through our resource library and constructed a unit plan for introducing the basic chemistry concepts to students: Laboratory Safety, Equipment, and Reports, Periodic Table Basics, Physical and Chemical Properties and Changes, Endothermic and Exothermic Changes, and Classification of Matter. These topics are very important for your students to master before they dig into other chemistry concepts. This unit is designed to be used at beginning of the school year.

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  Chemical Change, Physical Change, Conservation of Mass, Chemical Change | High School, Middle School

  Lab: Chemistry in a Bag

  In this lab, students will observe and identify chemical and physical changes contained inside a plastic bag. Students will also use this lab to understand the Law of Conservation of Mass.

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  Observations, Chemical Change, Conservation of Mass, Stoichiometry, Conservation of Mass, Limiting Reactant, Chemical Change | High School

  Demonstration: Understanding Limiting Reactants

  In this demonstration, the teacher will perform a series of reactions between acetic acid (vinegar) and varying amounts of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in order to inflate several balloons. Students will observe the reactions and analyze the quantities of reactants used as well as the results in order to understand the concept of limiting reactants.

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

  Lab: Chemical and Physical Changes

  In this lab, students will observe and analyze a number of examples in order to determine if a chemical or physical change occurred.

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  Chemical Change, Phase Changes, Interdisciplinary, Culminating Project, Conservation of Mass, Chemical Change | High School, Middle School

  Project: Law of Conservation of Mass Comic Strip

  In this project, students will work in groups to create a comic strip that illustrates understanding of the law of conservation of mass.

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  Observations, Chemical Change, Net Ionic Equation, Reduction, Activity Series, Redox Reaction, Oxidation | High School

  Lab: Fine Art of Redox

  In this lab, students will use the activity series to verify the outcome of a chemical reaction.

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

  Demonstration: Liquid and Gas Burning Comparison

  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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  Observations, Chemical Change, Conservation of Mass, Chemical Change, Heat, Temperature, Exothermic & Endothermic | Middle School, High School

  Lab: Kitchen Reaction

  In this lab students will observe an endothermic chemical reaction involving baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid). Students will investigate the signs a chemical reaction has occurred (gas production, change in temperature). Students will perform the lab in an open system so they can see the change of mass due to gas production. This lab is a lead into the topic of conservation of mass. After the lab is completed, the teacher should do a demonstration of the exothermic reaction Hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide.

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  Chemical Change, Molecular Formula | Middle School, High School

  Lesson Plan: Valentine's Day Chemistry

  In this lesson, students learn about the chemistry of love. They see chemical structures of compounds involved in the biological process of love and learn about some of the chemical changes associated with love.

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  Observations, Chemical Change, Balancing Equations, Classification of Reactions, Chemical Change | High School

  Lab: It's Time to React

  In this lab, students will conduct four chemical reactions and analyze each for indicators of a chemical reaction. Based on their observations students will write a balanced chemical equation for each reaction as well as identify the reaction type for each reaction.

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  Solubility, Chemical Change, Precipitate, Net Ionic Equation, Balancing Equations, Chemical Change, Solubility Rules | High School

  Lab: Ions in Aqueous Solution Presentation

  In this lab, students will mix ionic solutions to determine what combinations form precipitates.

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

  Activity: Tie Dye

  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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  Observations, Chemical Change, Inferences, Stoichiometry, Conservation of Mass, Limiting Reactant, Chemical Change, Exothermic & Endothermic | High School

  Demonstration: Introducing Limiting Reactants

  In this demonstration, the teacher will perform a series of reactions between acetic acid--vinegar-- and varying amounts of sodium bicarbonate --baking soda--in order to inflate several Ziploc bags. Students will observe the reactions and analyze the quantities of reactants used as well as the results in order to understand the concept of limiting reactants. Students will also determine if the reaction is an endothermic or exothermic process based on their observations.

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  Observations, Density, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Balancing Equations, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Mixtures | High School

  Lab: The Lovely Lava Lamp

  In this lab, students add food coloring to a mixture of oil and water and record their observations. They then add an Alka-Seltzer tablet, record their observations and answer a series of questions about the chemical and physical changes that took place.

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  Density, Temperature, Chemical Change, Gas Laws, Density, Pressure, Balancing Equations, Stoichiometry, Chemical Change, Dimensional Analysis, Kinetic Molecular Theory, Ideal Gas, Volume, Graphing | High School

  Lesson Plan: The Gas Laws Unit Plan

  The AACT high school classroom resource library and multimedia collection has everything you need to put together a unit plan for your classroom: lessons, activities, labs, projects, videos, simulations, and animations. We constructed a unit plan using AACT resources that is designed to teach the Gas Laws to your students.

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  Observations, Separating Mixtures, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Scientific Method, Chemical Properties, Mixtures, Experimental Design | Middle School, High School

  Lab: Test Tube Separation

  In this lab, students will mix four substances in a test tube and recreate the original four layers through chemical and physical means.

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  Observations, Chemical Change, Redox Reaction, Scientific Method, Electron Transfer, Experimental Design | High School

  Lab: Test Tube Geology

  In this lab, students are introduced to experimental design and focus on collecting qualitative data.

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

  Lab: Greenhouse Gas Simulation

  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.