Curated OER
# 12 Using Bottled Water as a Problem Solving Exercise in Chemical Identification
Students work in groups of two or three, groups are given four unidentified bottled waters in unmarked containers and the chemical characteristics taken from the label on the bottled waters. They devise and carry out a plan to match the...
Pingry School
Qualitative Analysis of Eleven Household Chemicals
Chemical and physical properties give compounds an identity. Learners use the identity of a compound to predict what it is. By performing different tests like solubility, flame, heat, and reactions, individuals attempt to identify an...
Virginia Department of Education
Mineral Identification
What's the difference between a rock and a mineral? And what properties are used to identify minerals? The first installment of a five-part series on earth materials and processes prompts young scientists to identify a set of...
Curated OER
2001 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad National Exam Part II
Only eight problems are on this competitive national chemistry exam. It required the balancing of chemical equations, solving stoichiometry questions, and more. This is part two of three of the national exam. Also available is a local...
Curated OER
Sorting Plastics For Recycling
First, young chemists practice polymer identification by density and flame tests. With the data collected, they propose a method of separating polyethylene from other plastics and determine what property makes it desirable for recycling....
Curated OER
Minerals of the Earth
Unearth this gem of a resource to use in your geology unit! With colorful images, bullet-point text, and links to related videos, it deals with the characteristics, properties, and identification of minerals. There are also slides...
Curated OER
Unit 3 Bonding
An organized table charting the different types of chemical bonds arrays this resource. The octet rule, ionization energy, and the naming of compounds are also reviewed. Young chemists answer review questions in multiple choice fashion....
Curated OER
Chapter 19 Review, Section 3: Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
If you need a homework assignment for your chemistry class, add this one to the possibilities. This assignment is composed of six questions including the identification of oxidizing and reducing agents, recognizing different redox...
Curated OER
Identification of Different Compounds and Substances
High schoolers conduct a series of tests to identify unknown compounds. In this chemistry lesson, students compare the physical and chemical properties of substances. They collect data and formulate a conclusion.
University of Colorado
Marvelous Martian Mineralogy
All you need is light. Groups use a reflectometer to find the reflectivity of specific chemical compounds. Learners compare the graphs of the reflectivity of the known compounds to Martian soil. Using the graph comparisons, scholars...
Curated OER
Fizzy Pop
Fifth graders compare and identify variables that affect the rate of a chemical change using Alka-Seltzer, water, ice, and hot water. They time how long each variable takes to pop the canister into the air, and record the results on a...
Teach Engineering
Flame Test: Red, Green, Blue, Violet?
Let the true colors shine through. Pupils conduct a flame test to identify an unknown element. Class members calculate and prepare specific molarity solutions of three chemicals. Using their observations of the colors emitted, they...
Curated OER
Disposable Diaper Comparison and Mystery Powder Identification
Students investigate which diaper is the most absorbent. In this chemistry lesson, students calculate how much water is absorbed by diapers. They identify an unknown powder based on physical and chemical properties.
Curated OER
Plastic Identification Lab
For this plastics worksheet, students experiment with an unknown plastic and determine the polymer name and resin code by using a flow chart of various tests. They answer five questions after they collect their data.
Virginia Department of Education
Metamorphic Rocks
Rocks can bend? Pupils investigate how heat and pressure produce metamorphic rocks by modeling them using clay, and then categorize samples based on observable characteristics. The lesson ends with a metamorphic rock identification...
Curated OER
Unit 5- Oxidation Reduction
For this oxidation reduction worksheet, students read the notes provided about the different types of chemical reactions. Students identify the reactants and products and answer fill in the blank and short answer questions.
Curated OER
Chemical or Physical Change?
Eighth graders participate in several science activities to note chemical or physical changes after discussion. They understand that all matter has definite structure which determines physical and chemical properties.
Curated OER
Lab Safety
In this safety worksheet, students read about lab safety including safety equipment and procedures. Students learn about reading chemical labels and the MSDS. This worksheet has 14 matching and 13 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Establishing a Baseline Ecology of a Creek Ecosystem
Students investigate the physical, chemical and biological parameters necessary to establish an ecological baseline. Establishing an ecological baseline not only shows the ecological characteristics of a creek but makes the possible...
Curated OER
Mighty Minerals
Young scholars identify the characteristics of minerals. They complete proper identification tests and record the data in an organized fashion. They list important uses for minerals as well.
Cornell University
Exploring Rocks and Minerals
Investigate the properties of rocks and minerals through a rockin' hands-on activity. Learners test rocks for various properties and, using a guide, attempt to identify different samples. They use various properties including hardness,...
Curated OER
Innocent or Guilty: A Lab on DNA Gel Electrophoresis
Students use the prelab as an introduction to the importance of DNA fingerprinting- a form of identification that us being accepted by both scientific and leagl experts. They prepare a gel for electrophoresis. DNA fragments, which have...
Curated OER
Ranking Molecular Properties Based Upon Intermolecular Forces
A splendid chart of information about chemical bonding tops the first page. In it you will find information on London forces, permanent dipoles, hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, and covalent bonds. A four-step process for assigning...
Nuffield Foundation
Biodiversity in Your Backyard!
Take your enthusiastic ecologists outdoors to explore the biodiversity right in their own schoolyard! In preparing for this activity, it may be worthwhile to research websites with local flora to help in the plant identification portion.