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Lesson Plan
Oregon State

Using Paper Chromatography

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Through the analysis of paper chromatography to separate ink from the pen found at the crime scene, learners analyze the different stains and through calculations determine the thief. 
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Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Using Color to See How Liquids Combine

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Blue-tinted water is added to unknown liquids that have been tinted yellow to find out how they interact. This is a memorable activity that is part of an investigation on the properties of liquids, which is part of a unit on the...
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Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Curious Crystals

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Crystals are more than meets the eye! Can learners tell them apart simply by observation? As they examine five samples with a magnifier, they find that appearance alone is not enough. This serves as an introduction to a mini unit on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical Properties of Matter

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Five fabulous procedures introduce physics or chemistry classes to special properties of matter. They discover adhesion and cohesion, solubility, melting and boiling points, and viscosity through hands-on experiences. Tests are...
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Lesson Plan
Beyond Benign

Sublimation

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Ah, caffeine! What would some of us do without it? Teach your high school chemistry class the concept of sublimation as they complete a hands-on experiment to visualize the changes caffeine undergoes during heating and cooling. They...
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Instructional Video1:10
PBS

Properties of Matter: Matter's Physical Properties | UNC-TV Science

For Students 3rd - 12th Standards
Does gold really boil? Learn what temperature gold boils at and more using an animated activity about the properties of matter. Scientists learn about the properties of matter including examples of physical properties, the effect changes...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Designing an Absorbency Test

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Time to soak up some learning! A hands-on lesson teaches learners about the absorbency properties of substances. They conduct tests by dipping different materials in water to determine which hold water and then complete a handout to...
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Activity
PBS

Sink or Swim?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
What's with all the numbers on plastic products? Learners complete an in-depth analysis of the physical properties of the different plastic types. They connect the properties of the plastics to uses and test their observation skills by...
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Activity
PBS

Super Sleuths

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
There's no such thing as the perfect crime! Your class of sleuths are ready to investigate the trace evidence at a crime scene and compare it to a list of suspects. They use their investigative skills to record physical properties of the...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Changes Caused by Heating and Cooling

For Teachers 2nd Standards
It's heating up—and cooling down—in here! A hands-on lesson plan allows learners to experiment with melting and freezing butter to observe changes as a substance transitions between liquid and solid form. They also view an animation that...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Float and Sink

For Teachers 2nd Standards
We're not talking about the kitchen sink. Learners explore what types of objects sink and float in water in an inquiry-based lesson plan. With experimentation, they find similarities between materials that float and those that sink.
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Dissolving is a Property

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Believe it or not, it is possible for liquids and solids to get along! A hands-on lesson has individuals explore dissolving properties of candies in water. They complete an activity guide to record observations about different candies...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Liquids Have Properties

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Liquids have many similarities, but their differences can set them apart. Using a student activity guide, learners conduct different property tests on water, oil, and syrup. They record their results and use them to rank the liquids by...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Using the Properties of Materials to Improve a Model Boat

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Work together to stay afloat. Using a paper boat, pupils connect properties of materials to their usefulness. They test different paper to determine how many pennies each boat will hold and learn that combining materials with different...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Testing Materials to Learn About Their Properties

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Storing food in plastic makes more sense than storing it in paper. Young learners research the properties of these materials along with aluminum foil. They then connect the properties of the materials to their usefulness by completing a...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
American Chemical Society

Classifying Objects Based on their Observable Properties

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Sorting objects by properties is a lesson in justification. Learners begin by studying different types of properties of materials, including those based on appearance and texture. They examine the properties of specific items and use...
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Activity
1
1
American Chemical Society

A Closer Look at Crystals

For Students K - 5th
It's about to become crystal clear! Learners compare and contrast three different types of crystal substances. First they observe their structure and then investigate how they interact with various substances.
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Activity
1
1
American Chemical Society

Flame Out

For Students K - 5th
Add a little heat to your science lesson. Young experimenters work to understand the chemical reaction taking place when a candle burns. They experiment with both oxygen and carbon dioxide to make conclusions about the reaction.
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Activity
1
1
American Chemical Society

Diapers: The Inside Story

For Students K - 5th
There shouldn't be any accidents with this activity! An inquiry-based lesson has learners explore the absorption properties of the gel compound in diapers. After testing its properties, they learn the science of the molecules that make...
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Lesson Plan
3
3
American Chemical Society

Exploring Baking Powder

For Teachers 5th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Setting the Standards of Excellence

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A number doesn't have much meaning without a standard of reference. Learners read about the history of developing standards to measure chemical and physical properties and complete reading guides to process the information. They focus on...
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Investigating the Properties of Plastic and its Effects on the Environment

For Teachers 8th - 10th Standards
Pore over the properties of plastic. Working through four different stations, pupils investigate some properties of plastic, including chemical decomposition, mechanical breakdown, density, and the ability to infiltrate the food chain....
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Purdue University

Yucky Water? No Problem!

For Teachers 5th Standards
Young scholars study the process of water filtration in a three-part STEM lesson. After analyzing samples of dirty water, teams design and build their own filtration systems and measure their efficiency.
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Lab Resource
Pingry School

Qualitative Analysis of Eleven Household Chemicals

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Chemical and physical properties give compounds an identity. Learners use the identity of a compound to predict what it is. By performing different tests like solubility, flame, heat, and reactions, individuals attempt to identify an...