Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics
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Separating Mixtures, Physical Properties, History, Measurements, Dimensional Analysis | High School
Lesson Plan: Bettye Washington Greene Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about the significant chemistry contributions of Dr. Bettye Washington Greene, who was one of very few African American women to be awarded a doctorate in the chemical sciences in the 1960’s. Students will read an article and engaging in related activities. The activities help promote literacy in the science classroom. Parts of this lesson could be used as plans for a substitute teacher.
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Activity Series, Electrons, Electrons, Electron Transfer, Atoms, Ions, Chemical Change | High School
Activity: Game Activity: Activity Series Game Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)
In this game, students will explore the activity series of metals by observing interactions between metals and metal ions. The game starts with a brief tutorial followed by a “capture the flag” game where students “steal” electrons based on the activity series. Then students play a pong-style game based on reactivity to earn points. Finally, there are two extension activities for students to view videos of real-world reactions and create particle models of these reactions.
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Electromagnetic Spectrum, Radiation, History | High School
Lesson Plan: NMR and MRI: Applications in Chemistry and Medicine Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about NMR and MRI imaging by reading an article and engaging in related activities. The activities help promote literacy in the science classroom. Parts of this lesson could be used as plans for a substitute teacher.
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Mixtures, History, Physical Properties, Periodic Table, Atomic Structure, Ions | High School
Lesson Plan: George Eastman, Kodak, and The Birth of Consumer Photography Mark as Favorite (4 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about George Eastman’s contributions to modern day photography, as well as the history and chemistry of photosensitive chemicals through reading an article and engaging in related activities. The activities help promote literacy in the science classroom. This lesson could be easily used as plans for a substitute teacher, as most of the activities are self-guided.
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Chemical Change, Observations, Redox Reaction, Electron Transfer, Oxidation Number, Chemical Change, Activation Energy | High School
Lesson Plan: Cyanotypes: Taking Pictures with the Sun Mark as Favorite (9 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will read about the chemistry behind two photographic methods, including cyanotypes, and then prepare their own sun-sensitive cyanotype paper from two different types of paper. They will place items of their choosing on the prepared papers, place them in the sunlight, and develop and compare the images. Finally, students will be asked to think about different variables they could test with adjustments to the original procedures.
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Identifying an Unknown, Solutions, Solubility, States of Matter, Melting Point, Phase Changes | High School
Simulation: Safety Data Sheets Mark as Favorite (7 Favorites)
Students learn about sections of a safety data sheet (SDS) and how the information can be used for safety purposes and for identifying unknowns. They will use the Physical and Chemical Properties section and particle diagrams to distinguish between substances with similar appearances in a variety of lab-based scenarios.
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Lab Safety, Introduction, Review | Middle School, High School
Activity: Laboratory Equipment Scramble Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)
In this activity, students will be challenged to solve a set of scrambled word puzzles. Each scrambled word corresponds to the name of a common piece of chemistry laboratory equipment. After solving each puzzle, students will use designated letters from each word to solve a riddle.
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Identifying an Unknown, Solutions, Solubility, States of Matter, Melting Point, Phase Changes, Acids & Bases, pH, Strong vs Weak, Observations, Molecular Motion | High School
Activity: Simulation Activity: Identifying Unknowns with Safety Data Sheets Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
In this activity, students will use a simulation to learn about some of the sections of a safety data sheet (SDS) and how the information on SDSs can be used not only for safety purposes but also for identifying unknowns. Specifically, students will use “Section 9: Physical and Chemical Properties” to distinguish between two or three substances with similar appearances in a variety of lab-based scenarios. Particle diagrams are also included to help students visualize the substances’ behavior on a particulate level.
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Chemical Change, History, Identifying an Unknown, Molecular Structure | High School
Lesson Plan: Development of Diagnostic Test Strips Mark as Favorite (4 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about diagnostic test strips by reading an article and engaging in related activities. The activities help promote literacy in the science classroom. Parts of this lesson could be used as plans for a substitute teacher.
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Atomic Theory, Model of the Atom, Subatomic Particles, History | High School
Activity: Atomic Theory Timeline Mark as Favorite (7 Favorites)
In this activity, students will attempt to identify the historical contributions of several famous chemists and also identify the year of their work.
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Concentration, Titrations, Indicators, Equivalence Point, Chemical Change, Accuracy, Error Analysis, Chemical Change | Middle School, High School
Lesson Plan: Comparison of Vitamin C in Juice Drinks Mark as Favorite (9 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will use a color-changing indicator called indophenol and a simplified titration method to determine if vitamin C is present in a variety of store-bought juices. The indicator solution will turn from dark blue to colorless once all the indophenol has reacted with vitamin C in the juices. Students will count how many drops of juice it takes to produce this color change in a 5-mL sample of indicator solution. The greater number of drops it takes to cause the color change, the less vitamin C is present in each drop. They will use their data to compare the relative amounts of vitamin C in the juices to a solution prepared from a vitamin C tablet.
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Review | High School
Activity: ChemConnections Mark as Favorite (18 Favorites)
In this activity, students will complete a series of chemistry-themed word puzzles. There are 10 puzzles of varying difficulty levels in the set; each puzzle provides 16 words which students must categorize into four groups of four items that share something in common without knowing what the categories are. Each puzzle has only one correct solution. Words that have more than one meaning and/or could fit in multiple categories will be more difficult to categorize correctly. Students will then have a chance to reflect on any of the terms or categories that were particularly tricky or unfamiliar to them.
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Review | High School
Activity: Chemistry Emoji Pictionary Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
In this activity, students will try to determine the correct chemistry related term, phrase, or item based on a provided set of emojis.
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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 (15 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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Redox Reaction, Oxidation, Reduction, Half Reactions, Cathode, Anode, Electron Transfer, Electrolysis, Electrolytic Cells, Error Analysis, Error Analysis, Accuracy, Chemical Change, Accuracy, Dimensional Analysis, Mole Concept, Significant Figures | High School
Lesson Plan: Recycling Copper from E-Waste Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will consider the need for innovative solutions to e-waste both from an environmental perspective as well as for the economic benefit to reclaiming raw materials from used electronic devices. They will then take on the role of an electroplate technician who is tasked with evaluating the effectiveness of a copper recycling process that uses electrolysis to purify and recover copper metal from e-waste. As e-waste is a relatively new—and growing—issue, it demonstrates how new industries can develop that utilize skills from existing jobs.
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Elements, Interdisciplinary, Photosynthesis | High School
Lesson Plan: Growing Green on the Red Planet Emergency Lesson Mark as Favorite (6 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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Separating Mixtures, Identifying an Unknown, Polarity, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Structure | High School
Lesson Plan: What Chemicals are in E-Cigarettes? Mark as Favorite (15 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about gas chromatography by comparing it to paper chromatography. Students will analyze gas chromatography data to learn more about the chemicals present in e-cigarettes. Finally, students will take the knowledge they learned to create an infographic. Students will post their infographic publicly to make a positive impact in their community.
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Periodic Table, Ionization Energy, Electronegativity | High School
Activity: Introduction to Ionization Energy and Electronegativity with a Tactile Model Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
In this activity, students will investigate the definitions of ionization energy and electronegativity as well as the periodic trends for each through building tactile models using Lego blocks.
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Galvanic Cells, Redox Reaction, Oxidation, Reduction, Anode, Cathode, History | High School
Lesson Plan: Columbia Dry Cell Battery Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this lesson, students will learn about electrochemistry and electric cells (batteries) by reading an article and engaging in related activities. The activities help promote literacy in the science classroom. Parts of this lesson could be used as plans for a substitute teacher.
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Saturated vs. Unsaturated, Molecular Structure , Molecular Structure, Covalent Bonding, Lewis Structures, Interdisciplinary, Dimensional Analysis, Intermolecular Forces, Melting Point | High School
Lesson Plan: Dietary Fats Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about the chemistry of dietary fats in the food they eat. They will calculate the number of calories coming from fats, carbohydrates, and proteins based on a food label before completing a guided activity focused on investigating the chemical structures of different types of fats. Students will then engage in a literacy component where they will use an article about the biological role of various types of dietary fats and foods to answer a series of questions.
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Separating Mixtures, Identifying an Unknown, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure | High School
Lesson Plan: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Mark as Favorite (5 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about the development of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and how it used today. There are a series of activities to help promote literacy in the science classroom related to the reading. Through these activities students will learn how to interpret a skeletal structure, as well as the names and structures of several organic functional groups. Additionally, they will examine and evaluate a mass spectrum. This lesson could be easily used as plans for a substitute teacher, as most of the activities are self-guided.
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Physical Properties, Physical Change, Observations, Identifying an Unknown, Lab Safety, Covalent Bonding, Ionic Bonding, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Motion | High School
Animation: Physical Properties and Particle Interaction Animation Mark as Favorite (16 Favorites)
This animation explores the relationship between physical properties and particle-level interactions. Particle diagrams of common household substances are used to illustrate that forces of attraction influence melting points. Similarly, particle diagrams of the same substances dissolved in water are used to compare their conductivity in solution. This animation was featured in the November 2023 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
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Physical Properties, Physical Change, Observations, Identifying an Unknown, Lab Safety, Molecules & Bonding, Covalent Bonding, Ionic Bonding, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Motion, Solutions, Conductivity, States of Matter, Melting Point, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Motion | High School
Activity: Animation Activity: Physical Properties and Particle Interaction Mark as Favorite (11 Favorites)
In this activity, students will view an animation that explores the relationship between physical properties and particle-level interactions. Particle diagrams of common household substances are used to illustrate that forces of attraction influence melting points. Similarly, particle diagrams of the same substances dissolved in water are used to compare their conductivity in solution.
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Polyatomic Ions | High School
Activity: Polyatomic Ion Word Search Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
In this activity, students will be challenged to recognize and identify common polyatomic ions by name and chemical formula. Unlike a traditional word search puzzle, students are only provided with a list of formulas for 24 polyatomic ions, instead of the names of each. They are tasked with finding the corresponding ion names hidden in the puzzle, and then must match each one with its correct formula.
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Electromagnetic Spectrum, Observations, Scientific Method, Experimental Design, Error Analysis, Accuracy, Chemical Properties | High School
Lesson Plan: Screen Your Sunscreen! Mark as Favorite (4 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn more about UV radiation, its effect on skin, and the different ways in which sunscreen protects skin. After exploring this, students will develop an investigation to assess the claims made by different sun protection products. Students will compare the effectiveness of a variety of sunscreens and/or clothing that claim to offer sun protection. The lab will be wrapped up with a CER-style report.