Oregon State
Using Paper Chromatography
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.
American Chemical Society
Using Color to See How Liquids Combine
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...
American Chemical Society
Curious Crystals
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...
Curated OER
Physical Properties of Matter
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...
Beyond Benign
Sublimation
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...
PBS
Properties of Matter: Matter's Physical Properties | UNC-TV Science
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...
American Chemical Society
Designing an Absorbency Test
Time to soak up some learning! A hands-on instructional activity 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...
PBS
Sink or Swim?
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...
PBS
Super Sleuths
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...
American Chemical Society
Changes Caused by Heating and Cooling
It's heating up—and cooling down—in here! A hands-on lesson 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...
American Chemical Society
Float and Sink
We're not talking about the kitchen sink. Learners explore what types of objects sink and float in water in an inquiry-based instructional activity. With experimentation, they find similarities between materials that float and those that...
American Chemical Society
Dissolving is a Property
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...
American Chemical Society
Liquids Have Properties
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...
American Chemical Society
Using the Properties of Materials to Improve a Model Boat
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...
American Chemical Society
Testing Materials to Learn About Their Properties
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...
American Chemical Society
Classifying Objects Based on their Observable Properties
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...
American Chemical Society
A Closer Look at Crystals
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.
American Chemical Society
Flame Out
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.
American Chemical Society
Diapers: The Inside Story
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...
American Chemical Society
Exploring Baking Powder
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...
American Chemical Society
Setting the Standards of Excellence
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...
Teach Engineering
Investigating the Properties of Plastic and its Effects on the Environment
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....
Purdue University
Yucky Water? No Problem!
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.
Pingry School
Qualitative Analysis of Eleven Household Chemicals
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...