Virginia Department of Education
Average Atomic Masses
Facilitate learning by using small objects to teach the principles of atomic mass in your science class. Pupils determine the average mass of varying beans as they perform a series of competitive experiments. They gather data and...
Virginia Department of Education
Radioactive Decay and Half-Life
Explain the importance of radioactive half-life as your high school biologists demonstrate the concept by performing a series of steps designed to simulate radioactive decay. Pupils use pennies to perform an experiment and gather data....
Curated OER
Properties of Metals
Fifth graders study the properties of metals and use them to identify different properties. In this metal properties lesson students complete a demonstration .
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What's the Matter? Locating Electrons in an Atom
Middle schoolers roll dice in order to simulate the probability of locating an electron in a certain region around the nucleus.
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Periodic Motion - The Pendulum
Students experiment to determine the period of a pendulum. In this periodic motion activity, students use different pendulums to determine their periods. They use various amplitudes to determine its effects on the period.
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Halogens
Students identify the elements that belong to the halogen family on the periodic table. In this chemistry instructional activity, students describe the common characteristics of elements in this group. They research about hydrochloric...
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Combating Corrosion
Study corrosion on bronze statues with a hands-on lesson. As pupils place a penny in water with salt, they observe the changes in the penny throughout a period of a week. They then analyze the pre-conservation and the...
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Order, Order All Electrons
Students read the periodic table and apply their knowledge of the construction of atoms. They demonstrate reading the electron configuration of an element on the periodic file.
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The Elements
Fifth graders explore the differences between elements. In this elements and atoms lesson students complete an activity that shows how chemicals react to a flame test.
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Speeding up the Fizz
Students investigate temperature and chemical reactions. They explore the effect of temperature and particle size has on the rate of a simple chemical reaction. In addition, they graph their results and answer assessment questions.
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Artsgenesis: Civil War Tapestry
Students explore the Civil War and the many emotions that emerged during this era. The teacher arranges students in groups of families and prepares them to simulate typical responses during this era. The Civil War and Gettysburg is...
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Arranging the Elements
Students describe how elements are arranged in the periodic table. They compare metals, nonmetals, and metalloids based on their properties and on their location in the periodic table. Finally, students identify and describe the...
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States of Matter
Students discuss a given set of questions based on Chemistry and matter and review a glossary of terms. They conduct experiments on each state of matter: "Dry ice and water, Dry ice and soap and Dry ice and Isopropyl Alcohol." and...
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Elements and Compounds
Eighth graders explore the chemical and physical properties of a variety of elements in a lab setting. They organize the data they collect onto a spreadsheet and then choose one element from the periodic table to research. They...
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Electronegativity
Students identify the type of bonding between two atoms of elements given their electronegativity values. They study the trend of electronegativity across the periodic table in small groups.
Beyond Benign
Green"er" Precipitation Reaction
All sodium carbonate may not have the same amount of carbonate, but it should have the same percent. Learners write and balance an equation to predict the chemical reaction between sodium carbonate and zinc acetate. Through the lab...
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Changes in the Copper Penny
Third graders explore the difference between a physical change in a substance and a chemical change. students study the volume, density, altering shape and chemistry of a copper penny.
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Who Dirtied The Water/Clean Water: Is It Drinkable?
Students enter the room, receive a film canister that contains materials that be added to the dirty water bell jar. They record on their data table who or what is doing the adding and the actual substance that has been added to the bell...
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Metals, Non-metals, Metalloids
Students discuss the physical and chemical properties of metals and non-metals. As a group, they classify items as a metal or non-metal. Using the periodic table chart, students discuss the characteristics of each metal. Based upon...
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How to Think Like a Scientist
Fifth graders study the scientific method and understand how to apply it. In this "thinking like a scientist" lesson students complete several activities.
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Crystals: What Are They and What Holds Them Together
Students are introduced to the characteristics of crystals and what keeps them together. Using the Periodic Table, they examine the various elements and develop a model of an atom. In groups, they place sugar and salt in petri dishes...
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The Interactive Periodic Table of the Elements
Students study the different types of metals. In this investigative activity students watch a demonstration on the effects of temperature on atoms and take a tour through baone matter.
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Oh - The Bonds of Matter!
Eighth graders identify the types of bonds elements form. In this chemistry activity, 8th graders represent valence electrons with dot structures. They draw and label different atoms.
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Drawing Lewis Structures
In this drawing Lewis structures worksheet, students read about the 5 steps taken to draw Lewis structures for atoms and molecules. These include identifying the valence electrons, placing pairs of electrons between atoms to be bonded,...