Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemical Changes

For Teachers 8th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recognizing and Describing Chemical Changes

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders distinguish between physical and chemical changes in both natural and technological settings. They identify the reactants and products for a given chemical reaction. they then write simple chemical equations given the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical and Chemical Changes

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students examine the different changes in matter.  In this chemical change lesson plan students determine the amount of reactant made in a reaction using the law of conservation. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sometimes, solid + liquid = gas

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders experiment with common household liquids and solids. For this chemical reaction lesson, 3rd graders discuss phase changes and experiment to find other ways to create gases. They use water, vinegar, lemon juice, flour,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Can You Tell One Clear Gas From Another?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders perform experiments to determine the identity of an unknown gas sample. In this chemistry lesson, 5th graders fill balloons with air, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. They use mass and reactivity to identify the gases.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students complete a unit of activities to learn about states of matter and how to measure matter. In this matter lesson, students complete 8 lessons to learn about matter, its states, and how to measure matter.
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Colors Collide or Combine?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
As part of a unit investigating the dissolving of M&Ms® candy coating, this lesson examines whether or not the different colors combine. There are no new concepts revealed in this particular lesson, but learners will see that the...
Lesson Plan
LABScI

Freezing Point Depression: Why Don’t Oceans Freeze?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can you go ice fishing in the ocean? Learners examine the freezing point of different saltwater solutions. Each solution has a different concentration of salt. By comparing the freezing points graphically, they make conclusions...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Discovering Enzymes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Explore the function of enzymes through a series of lab investigations. Learners use household enzymes such as hydrogen peroxide to model the role of enzymes. The enzymes break down proteins with and without a catalyst.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemical Change

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders watch a demonstration in which a balloon is inflated using the gas created by combining vinegar and baking soda. Then, in groups, they combine various assigned substances and watch and record the results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's the Matter? (Experiments)

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students observe a scientific discrepant event, and are then challenged to create experiments to solve the dilemma.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Anatomy of an Element

For Teachers 5th
Learners discuss matter and atoms using this resource. First, they look at a website describing atoms. Then, they learn about the periodic table and discuss how it is organized. Finally, they create a comic strip to display their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Penny Factory

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify the characteristics of a simple physical and chemical change. They describe objects by the properties of the materials from which they are made and separate or sort items using these properties. Students explain...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

One Plus One Makes New

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners identify the different properties of matter. In this chemistry lesson, students design an experiment on a property of matter they would like to investigate. They report their findings in class.
Lesson Plan
Earth Day Network

Staying Green While Being Clean

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Clean up the environment with a lesson that focuses on replacing hazardous cleaning supplies with green, environmentally-friendly products. Using a dirty patch of surface as a control area, kids clean other parts of various surfaces...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's the Law: Periodically

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine the Periodic Table. In this element lesson, 9th graders observe the chemical reactivity of elements. They graph the properties and discuss the trend in the group and period of elements. The students use math to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemistry Module

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students build metal atomic models using styrofoam. In this chemistry lesson, students identify the different unique properties of metals. They explain how metal atoms bond.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemical Families

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders describe that matter is made of minute particles called atoms, explain structure and properties of atoms, classify chemicals, locate chemicals on the periodic table, and play Jeopardy.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ziplock Chemistry

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate various chemical reactions when creating mixtures in ziplock baggies. In this chemistry lesson, students will recognize various chemical reactions and cite evidence. Safety and assessment strategies are included in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Influences Reaction Rate?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study reaction rates, what determines how fast a reaction happens and how the chemical changes occur.  In this reactions lesson students complete a lab where they use Alka-Seltzer to observe reaction rate and create a graph...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changes All Around Us

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders, in groups, observe the difference between physical and chemical changes and create a collage of pictures to show the difference.
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Mysterious M&M's

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
The first in a six-lesson mini unit, all using M&Ms® candies, this physical science activity gets kids to observe a single piece and discover what happens when it is placed in a plate of water. The activity can be used to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Does Size Matter?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore chemical solutions. In this chemistry activity, students investigate the relationship between three related experiments about solutions. Students determine variables that affect the chemical concentration of each solution.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stomach Chemistry

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders compare physical and chemical changes. They perform a simulation experiment/activity that replicates what happens in the stomach as food is digested by stomach acids.