American Chemical Society
Colors on the Mooove!
It does a mind good! Learners experiment with a combination of food coloring, detergent, and milk. They observe how the food coloring reacts with the different liquid combinations and relate their observations to the charges on the fat,...
American Chemical Society
Engineering a Floatation Device
Classes will definitely not be sinking after a buoyant lesson! A project-based assessment helps highlight the importance of prior knowledge as individuals design a floatation device for a cell phone. They use their knowledge of chemical...
American Chemical Society
Conservation of Mass
It may take up less space, but the mass stays the same. Tackle a common misconception about conservation of mass using a hands-on instructional activity. Learners measure the mass of substances before and after melting, dissolving, and...
American Chemical Society
Chemical Reactions and Color Change
Colors are more than just a pretty effect. Learners explore what color change means in terms of chemical properties and reactions. They create a pH solution using cabbage leaves and observe the changes when acids and bases are added.Â
American Chemical Society
Forming a Precipitate
Things are getting a little slippery in an inquiry-based lesson studying precipitates. Learners use soap and Alka-Seltzer tablets to create different mixtures with water. They then study the properties of the mixtures including their...
American Chemical Society
Exploring Baking Powder
Birthday cake wouldn't be light and fluffy without the chemical reactions between ingredients. Young scientists explore some chemical reactions in the 11th installment of a 16 lesson Inquiry in Action series. They determine the...
American Chemical Society
What’s the Difference between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?
Introduce pupils to chemical reactions. Using the hands-on lesson, learners experiment with substances that combine to form a gas. Different substances react to form different amounts of gas, leading to a discussion about the particles...
American Chemical Society
The Density of Liquids
It's in your destiny to study density! Young scientists conduct an experiment to study the relationship between weight and density. They compare weights of liquid samples of different substances and predict how their densities are related.Â
American Chemical Society
Mixing Liquids to Identify an Unknown Liquid
Yellow and blue make green in a colorful lesson on liquid solutions. The seventh installment of a 16-part Inquiry to Action series asks pupils to mix different-colored solutions and record their observations. They then use their...
American Chemical Society
Identifying an Unknown Liquid
Liquids are what's the matter with the lesson! Learners investigate properties of different liquids as they interact with various types of paper. They then use their observations to identify a mystery liquid to finish the sixth lesson in...
American Chemical Society
The Water Cycle
Bring the water cycle into the classroom without the mess. Learners build a model of the water cycle using everyday materials. They observe the process of evaporation and condensation and relate their observations to the larger scale...
American Chemical Society
Dissolving and Back Again
From solid to liquid and then back again. Young scientists dissolve salt in water and then evaporate the water while observing what happens to the solute. They use their observations to make predictions about other solutions.
American Chemical Society
Dissolving an M&M
Here's a sweet lesson to explore solutes and solvents. Using candies and water, learners observe properties of parts of the solution as the candies dissolve. They then modify the setup and note variations in the solution.Â
American Chemical Society
Matter Is Made of Tiny Particles
Believe in the invisible and convince the class that tiny particles exist even if they can't see them! A thorough lesson investigates all phases of matter and provides pupils hands-on experiences that demonstrate that all matter is made...
Digital Public Library of America
Fannie Lou Hamer and the Civil Rights Movement in Rural Mississippi
Good primary resources, offering different perspectives on important issues and events, are hard to find. A packet of 12 primary source images, videos, audio recordings, records, and newspaper articles related to the 1960s civil rights...
Digital Public Library of America
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Despite the passing of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, as well as the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the struggle to ensure fair voter registration and election procedures continues. Young historians...
Digital Public Library of America
The Underground Railroad and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Escaping Enslaved people attempting to escape didn't need a ticket to ride on the Underground Railroad. Here is a packet of primary sources that reveal the kind of courage and determination they did need to face the challenges to gain...
Museum of the American Revolution
Through Their Eyes: Major Causes and Events of the American Revolution
Looking for an efficient way to explore the causes and results of the American Revolution? The American Revolution Museum offers a seven-lesson series to hit the highlights of this turning point, using primary sources and activities such...
National Woman's History Museum
Helen Keller--Citizen and Socialist
Do history books tell the full story of Helen Keller? The sanitized version of Helen Keller found in most textbooks leaves out her most provocative ideas. She was a socialist, fought for workers' rights, and advocated for the use of...
Digital Public Library of America
Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln
Frederic Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, although dissimilar in their backgrounds, were united in their views about slavery. A set of 14 primary sources permits scholars to examine the views of these two powerful men.
Digital Public Library of America
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
A set of 14 primary sources provides background for a study of Lorraine Hansberry's drama, A Raisin in the Sun. Featured are images from stage productions of the play, white supremacy protests, a clip from a television interview, and...
Digital Public Library of America
African American Soldiers in World War I
Finding good primary source materials to support any study of history can be a challenge and time-consuming. A set of 11 primary source letters, images, and text excerpts provide young historians with an opportunity to sharpen their...
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
A Student Exploration of the Global Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health
Small efforts can have global impacts. Learners use data to analyze public health impacts on climate change. They read articles that present relative data about climate change and use the data to make conclusions about the impact on...
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
A Student Exploration of the Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States
Let the data drive the science. Learners examine data provided in resources to discover connections between climate change and health of vulnerable populations. They study trends and present findings using their choice of projects.