Four activities immerse beginning chemists into the world of elements. They examine the periodic table, use cobalt hydroxide to learn about chemical formulae and valence electrons. Also, they name binary compounds and examine the...

Learners compare types of chemical change. In this chemical reaction lesson plan, students use a variety of household items to investigate different types of chemical change. Learners will engage in a discussion about the dangers of...

Young scholars study how to write chemical fomulas by reviewing the combinations atoms form into compounds. They write a procedure to test various substances and name the compounds and write formulas. As they construct models for...

Don't take for granted the technology behind power packs. Build an understanding of the chemical mechanics of a battery pack that charges your phone. The simulation allows young scientists to manipulate the type of elements in a pack and...

Can some plants make their own animal repellents? Science sleuths examine the properties of cinnamamide in pear trees using an case study about computational chemistry. The resource discusses how vital computers are to research, how...

Students work together to observe the bond lengths of single, double and triple bonds. They make their own predictions about the strength of the bonds and chemical reactions. They answer discussion questions to complete the lesson.

Scratch and sniff an introduction to organic chemical reactions. A creative lesson has individuals study the esters commonly used in scratch-and-sniff stickers and advertisements. Following the lab procedure, scholars create the organic...

Learners investigate the chemical composition of pennies dated 1983 or later. In this chemical composition of American coins lesson plan, students scratch the surface of the penny to expose the zinc core. They put the penny in...

Eighth graders observe two types of interactions in a sealed plastic bag. One bag contains baking soda and water, and the other baking soda and vinegar. They determine what evidence indicates that a chemical change is occurring.

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...

Challenge young scientists to design their own experimental procedures. They write the procedure for properly preparing two grams of a water-insoluble ionic salt. To finish, they perform the experiment and collect data to prove their...

Young scholars classify compounds as ionic or covalent. In this chemical bonding lesson plan, students experiment with 6 chemical compounds. They test physical properties such as the melting point, the solubility and the electrical...

Fifth graders investigate chemical reactions. In this physical science lesson, 5th graders make dry ice root beer and identify the type of change that occurs to the root beer mixture.

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...

Students examine the structure of molecules, their formula, and percentage composition of each element in the compound. They construct an organic compound with different functional groups using a modeling kit, and draw a 3-D structure...

"Up and Atom" is a mini-unit introducing middle-schoolers to the wonders of elements. Participants draw atom models, examine the periodic table, compare samples of metals to nonmetals, identify unknown elements, and more! The beginning...

Should you trust the water you drink every day? The hands-on activity has scholars test water from different sources for contaminants. Pupils perform chemical testing and make conclusions about pH, hardness, iron, chlorine, lead,...

Students differentiate between point and non-point pollution and determine how the different types of pollution are harmful to aquatic ecosystems. They complete a series of tests on a sample of "polluted" water and a sample of "pure" water.

Students investigate various substances to determine the perpetrator of a crime. For this biology lesson, students test for the presence of organic compounds in various samples. They identify an unknown substance based on its physical...

Sixth graders complete several experiments about chemical and physical changes. In this physical and chemical science lesson, 6th graders complete 6 experiments about chemical and physical changes. Students examine the processes of...

Students assume the role of police detectives and investigate chemical agents used to make explosives and suspected terrorists based on information provided. Students have a list of questions to lead their investigation and must produce...

Students identify the different types of mixtures. They identify examples of solutions, suspensions, colloidal dispersions, and emulsions through a game and basic experiments.

Students explore the world of polymers. In this chemistry lesson, students make polymers and observe their properties. Follow-up questions and extension activities are included.

Students investigate foods. In this biology lesson plan, students will conduct testing on different types of foods as they learn about different molecules that make them up. Students will also learn about the shapes of the molecules.