Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics
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1 – 25 of 51 Classroom Resources
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Elements, Periodic Table, Polyatomic Ions | Middle School, High School
Game: Guess What: Compounds Mark as Favorite (6 Favorites)
In this game, students will use their knowledge of the different types of elements and the compounds they can form to guess the computer opponent’s secret compound before the computer can identify their compound.
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Elements, Periodic Table, Polyatomic Ions, Covalent Bonding, Ionic Bonding, Molecular Formula | Middle School, High School
Activity: Game Activity: Guess What: Compounds Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)
In this game, students will use their knowledge of the different types of elements and the compounds they can form to guess the computer opponent’s secret compound before the computer can identify their compound. Students will take turns with the computer asking and answering yes or no questions about their secret compounds, selected from a pool of 20 compounds, to try to narrow down the pool to identify the computer’s compound first. This activity encourages students to reflect on different ways matter can be classified.
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Isotopes, Atoms, Electrons, Subatomic Particles, Elements, History, Introduction, Review, Alpha/Beta/Gamma Decay, Radioactive Isotopes | Middle School, High School
Activity: What are Isotopes? Video Questions Mark as Favorite (62 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer questions about isotopes. They will learn about the discovery of isotopes, the difference between chemical and nuclear reactions, different kinds of radioactive decay, and some uses of radioactive isotopes.
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Periodic Table, History, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Elements, Identifying an Unknown, Atoms, Atomic Radius, Ionic Radius, Ionization Energy, Electron Affinity, Valence Electrons, Electrons, Subatomic Particles, Ions, Model of the Atom | High School
Lesson Plan: The Periodic Table Unit Plan Mark as Favorite (79 Favorites)
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 Periodic Table to your students.
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Introduction, Lab Safety, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Physical Change, History, Separating Mixtures, Elements, Mixtures, Density, Measurements, SI Units, Significant Figures, Dimensional Analysis, Scientific Notation, Accuracy, Molecular Motion, Phase Changes | High School
Lesson Plan: The Chemistry Basics and Measurement Quick Start Unit Plan Mark as Favorite (63 Favorites)
This Quick Start Unit Plan includes all the materials that a teacher will need for the first 10 class meetings of the school year. Each day is outlined with teacher notes, and includes slide presentations as well as directions for demonstrations, activities and labs to use. The fundamental topics covered in the 10 days of lessons are: laboratory safety, laboratory equipment, experimental design, classification of matter, chemical properties, physical properties, chemical change, physical change, phase changes, separation techniques, dimensional analysis, unit conversions, factor label method, accuracy, precision, significant figures, and percent error calculations. This Quick Start Unit plan aims to help students to build a foundation of understanding, and master important topics before moving deeper into the chemistry curriculum.
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Matter, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Mixtures, Elements, Alloys | High School
Lesson Plan: Observing Properties of Those Marvelous Metals Mark as Favorite (16 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will see how metals, both pure metals and alloys, may have different physical and chemical properties. They will investigate how these properties contribute to their usefulness in manufacturing and construction.
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Model of the Atom, Atoms, Subatomic Particles, Electrons, Atomic Mass, Isotopes, Periodic Table, Elements | Middle School, High School
Lesson Plan: Acting Out Atomic Structure Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this lesson, students will model the location and behavior of protons, neutrons, and electrons that make up the structure of atoms, focusing on the first 18 elements on the periodic table. Students will model different elements first by adding protons and neutrons (colored balls) to make the nucleus (a basket). Then, the students themselves will represent the electrons that are always moving around the nucleus yet remaining within their designated energy level. This activity is easiest to complete outside or in a large open room to allow for enough room.
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Periodic Table, Elements, History, Chemical Properties, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, Valence Electrons | High School
Lesson Plan: The Periodic Table Turns 150 Emergency Lesson Mark as Favorite (24 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about elements, the history and organization of the periodic table, as well as the scientists who contributed to the development of the periodic table through reading the highly rated ChemMatters article, The Periodic Table Turns 150. The lesson includes several activities to help promote literacy in the science classroom related to the reading. This lesson could be easily used as an emergency lesson plan for a substitute teacher, as most of the activities are self-guided.
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Elements, Interdisciplinary, Photosynthesis | High School
Lesson Plan: Growing Green on the Red Planet Emergency Lesson Mark as Favorite (9 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about elements, compounds, and chemical reactions through reading the highly rated ChemMatters article, Growing Green on the Red Planet. The lesson includes several activities to help promote literacy in the science classroom related to the reading. This lesson could be easily used as an emergency lesson plan for a substitute teacher, as most of the activities are self-guided.
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Periodic Table, Elements, Physical Properties, History, Atomic Mass, Subatomic Particles | High School
Activity: Which Element Am I? Mark as Favorite (94 Favorites)
In this activity, students will be challenged by a list of clues that describe 50 different elements from the periodic table. Using their own knowledge, or the help of the internet students will determine the identity of each element based on the clue provided.
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Density, Interdisciplinary, Elements | High School
Activity: Applying Density to Earth Mark as Favorite (10 Favorites)
In this activity, students will analyze data related to elevation and rock composition, in order to better understand the impact that density has on earth chemistry.
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Percent Composition, Intermolecular Forces, Interdisciplinary, Elements | High School
Activity: Investigating how the Chemistry of Plate Tectonics Affects Volcanoes Mark as Favorite (15 Favorites)
In this activity, students will learn about the impact chemistry has on plate tectonics and volcanoes. Students will analyze graphs and charts in order to better understand these topics during this investigation.
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Periodic Table, Elements, Introduction, Temperature | High School
Activity: An Element Fill-In Puzzle Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this activity, students will solve a puzzle by using element symbols from the periodic table to fill-in missing letters in familiar chemistry terms related to energy and thermodynamics.
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Periodic Table, History, Elements | High School
Activity: Periodic Table Trivia Crossword Puzzle Mark as Favorite (21 Favorites)
In this activity, students will be presented with trivia questions related to the periodic table of elements. Many of the questions can be answered by examining a periodic table, while others are related to specific elements and may require additional research. Students will complete a crossword puzzle as they answer each of the questions.
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Periodic Table, Elements | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Activity: The Periodic Table: Put Your Love to the Test! Mark as Favorite (27 Favorites)
In this activity, students will be challenged to see how familiar they are will the element names on the periodic table. Students will examine a heart-shaped word search, following the rules of the assigned difficulty level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) in order to identify as many element names as possible.
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Review, Physical Properties, Elements | High School
Activity: Family Reunion Puzzle Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this activity, students will be challenged to solve a collection of anagrams—but with a twist! Given 27 ordinary words, students must remove one letter and then rearrange the remaining letters to form a chemical term. Additionally, the anagrams are grouped into 3 families, with all of the chemical terms in each family sharing a common property or theme.
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Periodic Table, Elements | Middle School, High School
Activity: Lucky Seven Mark as Favorite (27 Favorites)
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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Periodic Table, Elements, History | Middle School, High School
Activity: The Disappearing Spoon Reading Questions Mark as Favorite (49 Favorites)
In this activity, students will read a series of passages from the young readers edition of The Disappearing Spoon that are related to the elements in the AACT video series
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Elements, Periodic Table | Middle School, High School
Activity: Chemistry Kakuro Puzzle Mark as Favorite (6 Favorites)
In this activity, students will use both math and logic to solve a chemistry themed kakuro puzzle. This puzzle differs slightly from a traditional kakuro by first requiring students to use a periodic table to find the atomic number for each element symbol appearing in the puzzle. Using the atomic numbers as starting clues, students then fill-in the empty squares with numbers 1-9 that sum to the value of the clue, but without reusing any digits. This activity is a fun challenge for students, and provides the opportunity to strengthen logic and reasoning skills.
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Matter, Mixtures, Elements | Middle School, High School
Activity: Elements, Compounds, & Mixtures - Oh My! Mark as Favorite (85 Favorites)
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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Elements, Periodic Table | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Activity: Element Matching Puzzle Mark as Favorite (5 Favorites)
In this activity, students will become more familiar with select elements from the periodic table. They will use the periodic table to determine the symbol for given elements, and recall any prior knowledge about each element. Then students will be challenged to solve a puzzle by organizing a set of cards that contain jumbled information about these elements. After all of the cards have been correctly organized, a secret message can be found.
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Interdisciplinary, Elements, Molecular Structure, Molecular Formula | High School
Activity: Discovering Minerals as Naturally Occurring Compounds Mark as Favorite (24 Favorites)
In this activity, students will learn about the basics of earth chemistry. Students will investigate and analyze the composition of various minerals, while drawing connections to their chemistry content knowledge. Additionally, students will examine the chemical make-up of the earth’s crust and interpret associated data.
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Periodic Table, Elements, History | Middle School, High School
Activity: The Disappearing Spoon Video Questions Mark as Favorite (61 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch videos from the AACT original video series, Sam Kean’s Disappearing Spoon. While watching a video, students will answer several questions related to the particular element of focus.
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Periodic Table, Introduction, Elements, Identifying an Unknown | High School
Activity: Make a Periodic Table Mark as Favorite (24 Favorites)
In this activity students use imaginary elements to create a periodic table based on the known properties of those elements.
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Periodic Table, Elements, Atomic Mass, Subatomic Particles | Middle School, High School
Activity: Periodic Table Connect The Dots Mark as Favorite (137 Favorites)
In this activity, students solve a series of clues about elements in order to uncover a message that has been hidden in the periodic table. Using the clues, students draw lines between identified elements on the table, which then connect to form the message. Two versions of this activity are available, varying the difficulty level of the clues.