Curated OER
Balancing Chemical Equations
Ninth graders explain how atoms and molecules form different substances during chemical reactions and how these processes require losing, gaining or sharing electrons. They correctly write chemical formulas and show how a balanced...
Perkins School for the Blind
Building an Organic Molecule
Glucose is a simple sugar and a molecule that can be illustrated through modeling. Scientific investigators with visual impairments use hands-on models to reconstruct the process of bonding molecules. The tools used in this activity are...
Curated OER
Standard 4-Photosynthesis, Diseases and the Immune System
In this photosynthesis, disease and Immune System worksheet, students fill in the blanks with key terms to complete sentences about the transfer of energy from the sun to plants, enzymes as catalysts in reactions, homeostasis, the immune...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Are All Plants Created Equal?
Photosynthesis requires energy and produces food, and cellular respiration produces energy and requires food. An interesting activity analyzes the factors that affect the rates of photosynthesis and respiration. Classes spend one day...
Curated OER
Chemical Sleuthing
Students engage in a activity which includes flame tests and the construction of a simple diffraction spectrograph with which to measure sodium ion emissions. They use the Bragg equation to compute the wavelength of the line spectra...
Virginia Department of Education
Mystery Iron Ions
Young chemists perform an experiment to determine if a compound is iron (II) chloride or iron (III) chloride. Then they determine the formula, balance the equation, and answer analysis questions.
Virginia Department of Education
Vapor Pressure and Colligative Properties
Hate to vacuum, but enjoy using a vacuum pump? Explore a lesson plan that starts with a demonstration of boiling water at various temperatures by using a vacuum pump. Then scholars design their own experiments to measure vapor pressure...
Curated OER
Enzymes in Action: An Inquiry Approach to the Effects of Enzymes
Students experiment with enzymes as key components of chemical reactions in all living things through this series of lessons.
Curated OER
Chemical Formulas Unit-Day 4
The purpose of this lesson involves reviewing nomenclature and molecular
formulas as well as introducing naming molecular compounds and identifying acids. The students investigate and understand how conservation of energy
and matter is...
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
Physical and Chemical Properties of Water
Students experiment with water as a component of suspensions, solutions, and heat conduction contributing to the use of food and the health and wellness of human beings.
Virginia Department of Education
Molecular Model Building
During this hands-on activity, young chemists build molecular models based on the Lewis dot structure before studying valence shell electron pair repulsion theory.
Curated OER
Properties of Matter
High schoolers investigate the properties of matter. For this properties of matter lesson, students observe containers of different metals and discuss their properties including density. High schoolers find the density of an unknown...
Curated OER
Energy in the Natural Environment
Students examine the flow of energy through the natural environment. In groups, they describe the effect of energy on the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere. To end the lesson, they experiment with the chemical and physical...
Curated OER
Enzymes in Action
Students explore how enzymes are important in the chemical reactions of all living things. In this enzymes and catalysts lesson students complete an activity to see how enzymes change living things.
Curated OER
Bouncing Balls
Students create a polymer to demonstrate its properties and develop an awareness of the wide variety of uses for polymers.
Curated OER
What Color is Chlorophyll?
Students observe the interactions of chlorophyll and light. They develop and form their own testable hypotheses. Students predict the color of chlorophyll in various types of plants.
Curated OER
Activity #19 Oxygen For Yeast
Students observe and record what occurs when yeast is added to hydrogen peroxide. They indicate why a chemical reaction (decompostion) must have occurred during the experiement. Pupils explain why yeast was used. Students comprehend the...
Curated OER
Science with Mud!
Eighth graders give some examples of chemical reactions they see everyday. For this chemistry lesson, 8th graders investigate how much water soil can hold. They collect data and compare results with others.
Cornell University
The Making of Macromolecules
Compare and contrast macromolecules made from the same elements. Young scholars learn how the structure of a molecule has as much influence on a compound as the elements in the molecule. They experiment with molecular model kits to...
Curated OER
Oxidation and Salt
Students study the reaction on iron in water, air, and sodium chloride. They create a situation that shows this process and gives them the opportunity to hypothesize what, why, and how. They keep records and do an oral and written ...
Curated OER
What is Matter?
Students investigate what matter is and how it changes states. In this physical properties instructional activity, students examine the vocabulary database and identify the characteristics of the three phases of matter. Students...
Curated OER
Animals of the Fire Ice
Students examine ocean life by identifying methane hydrates. In this ocean life lesson, students research organisms that live in the coldest, deepest parts of the ocean and live off methane hydrates. Students create a group...
Curated OER
Solutions and Suspensions
Students explore matter by conducting an in class demonstration. In this liquid mixture lesson, students identify the difference between a solution in which a solid dissolves into liquid, and a suspension where the solid doesn't dissolve...