High school chemistry class members become "detectives for a day" and use the concept of paper chromatography to analyze a note left at the scene of a crime. Pupils test the ink on the note with a solvent, such as isopropyl alcohol, to...

One of water's claims to fame is as the universal solvent. Young physical scientists experiment to discover which materials dissolve in this special compound. You could never be more prepared for teaching this lesson than by using this...

Many scientists attempted alchemy for hundreds of years before a full understanding of metals became clear. Scholars take a penny and, through two different chemical reactions, make it appear to turn into silver and later gold. They...

To conclude a mini unit on the dissolving of M&Ms® candy coating, this instructional activity investigates whether or not the concentration of sugar in the solvent affects the dissolving rate. Consider having older science learners...

There is a solvent called aqua regis that can dissolve gold! After observing a solubility demonstration, groups receive four known crystals and one unknown. Based on the demo, they design an experiment to determine the identity of the...

Why does some ink bleed through paper, and other ink doesn't? Practice some paper chromatography to separate the colors from a pen with an interactive experiment for middle and high schoolers. Learners use a variety of solutions to track...

Encourage your classes to be laundry helpers! Learners explore the chemistry of stain removal with a lab investigation. By identifying the components of the stain, they identify the most effective solute for its removal.

Explore the importance of a concentration gradient in the rates of dissolution. Using the ocean ecosystem, learners study rates of dissolution around coral reefs. A hands-on experiment helps individuals discover the effects of changing a...

Immerse your chemistry class in the world of organic chemistry! Science scholars isolate acetaminophen from an over-the-counter sample during an intense and interesting lab. Groups use many different separation and analysis techniques to...

What happens when you combine 6.022 times 10 to the 23 piles of dirt into one? You make a mountain out of a mole hill. Scholars use dehydration to obtain percent composition and then calculate the molarity of the original...

Avoiding lab safety rules will not give you super powers. The activity opens with a demonstration of not following safety rules. Then, young chemists practice their lab safety while finding the mass of each item in a mixture and trying...

Water is crucial to survival. Scholars gain an appreciation for water by reading about it, learning about its atomic properties, and investigating its properties through six stations in a lab activity.

From molecules to nanotubes, an engaging unit explores the world of tiny science. Fifteen hands-on experiments and lessons engage young scientists as they learn chemistry. Discussions, worksheets, and data analysis reinforce the concepts...

Lather is not necessary for an effective shampoo. After learning of the industry created consumer misinformation, individuals investigate the toxicity of the most popular additive in shampoos to create lather. They use their results to...

Time to come clean! Scholars continue preparing the shampoo they created in the previous two lessons. The purpose of this stage is to calculate the perfect amount of additive to make the shampoo lather. 

Sometimes liquids just don't get along together. A fun experiment has scholars determine whether various liquids dissolve in water. They pour isopropyl alcohol, vegetable oil, and corn syrup into cups of water to see which ones mix well...

Chemistry explorers prepare a crystalline derivative and find its melting point. Once they discover the melting point, they can identify whether the substance is pure or an aldehyde or ketone. This outstanding laboratory activity helps...

Scholars find Earth won't support humans much longer and need to identify a planet with water to inhabit. They test four unknown samples and determine which is the closest to water. Then they explain and defend their results.

An educational lesson allows young chemists to test the solubility of different types of salt at various temperatures. Groups create a graph using data from unsaturated, saturated, and supersaturated solutions.

Your chemistry class is sure to love this experiment on column chromatography, as demonstrated with chalk sticks and felt tip markers. Pupils use sidewalk chalk (another inexpensive form of chalk stick) to demonstrate adsorption and the...

Can you go ice fishing in the ocean? Learners examine the freezing point of different saltwater solutions. Each solution has a different concentration of salt. By comparing the freezing points graphically, they make conclusions...

Test differences in writing instruments with this hands-on activity to demonstrate paper chromatography in action. The class performs an experiment on multiple writing instruments and determines the area of separation to discover an...

Why are acids and bases important in our daily lives? Lead the class in answering this question, among others, as they experiment with pH paper and classify where various substances belong on the pH scale. They also taste common acids...

How can you relate colligative properties of solutions to everyday situations? Pupils first discuss the concepts of density, boiling and freezing points, then demonstrate how to accurately determine the boiling and freezing point of...