Virginia Department of Education
A Crystal Lab
Young chemists grow ionic crystals, metallic crystals, and supersaturated crystals in three different lab experiments. Observing these under a microscope allows pupils to compare the various structures.
Curated OER
Gases and Plasmas
Young scholars determine what plasma is and why the sun is made up of plasma. They recognize situations where plasmas are found in nature and made by man. They discuss why the sun is a huge ball of plasma and if there are different...
Cornell University
Bacteria Take Over and Down
Bacteria outnumber all other forms of life on Earth. Scholars observe the growth of bacteria in petri dishes to understand their role in maintaining good health. Then, they observe the growth of bacteria after they introduce...
Curated OER
The Nature of Salt
High schoolers record information from the periodic table for sodium and chloride. They determine whether salts are molecular or ionic compounds, along with sodium chloride's molecular weight, and relative weights
Chicago Botanic Garden
Carbon, Greenhouse Gases, and Climate
Climate models mathematically represent the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land, sun, surface, and ice. Part two in the series of four lessons looks at the role greenhouse gases play in keeping Earth warm and has participants...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Synthesis and Characterization of CdSe Quantum Dots
Does the size of a sample change the physical properties of that substance? It turns out it can! Young scientists combine physics and chemistry to synthesize CdSe quantum dots and record their color properties. Learners should...
Curated OER
Temperature and Thermal Energy
Examine how heat can be transferred between systems by reconstructing a diagram on energy flow and solving problems on heat flow and work done.
University of California
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Calories are not tiny creatures that sew your clothes tighter every night, but what are they? A science lesson, presented at multiple levels, has learners experiment with heat, heat transfer, and graph the function over time....
Virginia Department of Education
Mystery Anions
Lost an electron? You should keep an ion them. Young chemists learn qualitative analysis in the second lesson of an 11-part chemistry series. After observing reactions of simple salts, the teacher provides pupils with unknown...
Curated OER
Dilution and Concentration of Solutions
Future chemists practice laboratory techniques by creating a monochloramine solution. The objectives are to use of dilution, 9concentration, and measurement skills and to prepare a solution that will be used in a water treatment...
Virginia Department of Education
Finding the Formula and Percent Composition
Do you have mole problems? If so, call Avogadro at 602-2140. The lesson starts with pupils working independently to solve for molar mass of ionic compounds. Then they learn to solve for percent composition and later perform an...
NASA
Making Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide
Some like it hot! Scholars observe both exothermic and endothermic reactions as part of the carbon dioxide oxygen cycle. First, scientists demonstrate (or watch) a chemical reaction to create pure oxygen using fire for...
Curated OER
Heat and Thermodynamics
This is actually a 10-day mini unit on thermal energy for your high school chemists. Every avenue is taken to get learners absorbed in heat: a pretest, a PowerPoint presentation, Internet exploration, demonstrations, lab activities, and...
Messenger Education
Cooling with Sunshades
Messenger's sun shade measures 8 ft x 6 ft and will have temperatures reaching 700 degree Fahrenheit on the outside while maintaining a cool 70 degrees underneath. In the third activity of four, groups discuss the basic properties of...
Curated OER
What Changes Occur When Ice Melts?
Young scholars explore the physical process of melting. They observe melting ice and answer questions related to energy transfer during phase changes.
Curated OER
Activity #8 Which State Are You In?
Young scholars define, give similarites and differences between solids, liquids, and gases. They compare and contrast a solid, liquid and gas in terms of shape, volume, compressibility, diffusion and density. Pupils classigy common...
Curated OER
Nanofibers on Your Clothes
Learners relate the presence of nanofibers in clothing to its ability to repel stains. They observe and contrast the characteristics of nanofiber, Scotchguard treated, and regular fabric then test the stain resistance of each fabric...
Curated OER
Let the Sunshine in
Students collect and analyze data to study wavelengths of visible light. They cover Styrofoam cups with three different colors of sun filtering products and shine a lamp directly on the cups. They determine the most effective filtering...
Curated OER
Electrical Energy
Students conduct an experiment to find out how well different wires radiate heat when voltage is applied across the wire. They use the results of their experiments to consider how the gauge of the wire and the type of wire affect the...
Curated OER
Electrostatics
Middle schoolers examine ways positive and negative charges are attracted and repelled by watching teacher demonstrations, and complete activity sheet related to classroom demonstration activities to prove proficiency of knowledge of...
Curated OER
Things That Glow
Third graders study the concept of light as an energy source. In this energy lesson students participate in a lab that show them the concept of light as an energy source.
Curated OER
The Effects of Temperature on Chemical Mixtures
Students explore chemical cahnges and the effect of temperature on chemical mixturees, They make observations of the behavior and appearance of certain chemical mixtures and reactions.
Curated OER
Conservation of Mass
In this conservation of mass worksheet, students design an investigation to demonstrate the Law of Conservation of Mass. Students describe their investigation, collect data, graph the data and write a conclusion about what they discovered.
Curated OER
Water Cycle Activity
Young scholars build a model and observe the cycle of evaporation and condensation that occurs in the water cycle. They see how the water cycle works, such as water condensing on the side of the jar and drops precipitating into rain...