American Chemical Society
Combustion and Burning
On Earth, a candle flame points up, but on the International Space Station, it forms a sphere. Young scientists practice their skills by recording observations before, during, and after a candle burns. Chemical and physical changes...
Curated OER
Stream Chemistry Monitoring
Students become familiar with real-world gathering of chemical data. The experience how the science is done: the nature of analysis, data collection, interpretation, and presentation. They study a nearby body of water for their experiment.
Curated OER
Ice Ice Baby! The Design and Preparation of A Reusable Ice Pack
Students explore polymers by designing and preparing an inexpensive and effective reusable ice pack. They develop and test a design for a reusable ice pack in the science lab. Students apply chemical and physical properties of polymers...
Curated OER
Does Dye Die? Foreign Chemicals in Our Environment
Students conduct an experiment to observe photolysis in the lab. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the mechanism behind photolysis. They test the impact of a non-toxic marker to plant metabolism.
Virginia Department of Education
Partial Pressure
At some point, everyone has been under pressure—even Dalton! Explore Dalton's law of partial pressures with young chemists as they measure the volume of air extracted from a sample compared to its original volume. Class members perform...
Virginia Department of Education
Molar Heat of Fusion for Water
How can you describe heat of fusion in a way the class understands and relates the importance of this concept to present day issues? In this third lesson of the series, learners conduct an experiment, demonstrating the flow of heat...
Curated OER
Environmental Concerns (1) Analysis of Lead in Paint (2) Analysis of Water
A scenario and background information are provided for two different open-ended experiments that experienced chemistry classes can perform toward the end of the school year. In the first, they design a method for testing flakes of paint...
Curated OER
The Perils of Drinking Water
Learners determine the presence of drugs in water. In this chemistry lesson, students experiment on water samples using thin layer and column chromatography. They determine the concentration of drugs present using graphical analysis.
Curated OER
"Stick to It!" Properties of Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes
Students investigate the strength of different adhesives. In this physical science lesson, students compare the force needed to peel adhesive tapes from a surface. They analyze collected data and make a generalization.
Curated OER
Electroplating for Corrosion Protection: Redox in Action
Students define what a redox reaction is. In this chemistry activity, students electroplate some wires in the lab. They research the application of electroplating in the real world.
Curated OER
The Conceptual Theory of Chromatography
Students conduct a lab to determine the best way to separate a variety of mixtures choosing between paper, thin layer and column chromatography. They use chromatography techniques to identify unknown substances and submit a lab report on...
Kenan Fellows
Reaction Stoichiometry—How Can We Make Chalk?
What is a reasonable percent yield in the manufacturing process? Scholars develop a process for producing chalk in the third lesson of a six-part series. Then, they must determine the theoretical and percent yield. Discussions about...
Teach Engineering
Kidney Stone Crystallization
No one likes kidney stones, but they are very interesting to learn about. The last installment of a three-part unit has learners experiment with different chemicals to see which one inhibits the growth of calcium oxalate crystals (which...
Curated OER
Ice Cream
Open this instructional activity by giving a brief history of ice cream. Using liquid nitrogen to lower the temperature, preteens make their own confection. The accompanying activity sheet queries learners about freezing point, the...
Curated OER
Life in a Forest Stream
Students assess macro-invertebrates from a stream. In this science lesson plan, students observe, classify and identify organisms found in a stream. A lab station is constructed at the stream sight and students study the different...
Curated OER
Marine Biology Field Trips
Students visit a Marine Biology study area 2-3 times and write a report after the last visit. They participate in the Marine Biology field trips working with lab partners. They complete data sheets to write their primitive environmental...
University of Georgia
Would Your Cat Eat This Stuff?
Processed foods use inorganic compounds for flavoring and preservation. This take-home laboratory challenges scholars to find 20 different compounds identified on the labels of foods to list on their data collection sheet. The activity...
Royal Society of Chemistry
A Microscale Acid-Base Titration
Watch as acids and bases put smiles on their faces. Young chemists learn the concept of acid-base titration firsthand in a microscale experiment. Working groups collaborate, titrate, then use their data to determine the concentration of...
Curated OER
Fuel Cell Experimentation
With rising oil prices and increasing concerns over global warming, the pressure is on for engineers to develop alternative sources of energy. Among the new technologies being developed are hydrogen fuel cells, which young scientists...
Curated OER
Determining the Relationship Between pH and Hydrogen Ions with Microcomputer Based Lab (MBL) and/or Calculator Based Lab (CBL) Equipment
Students find the relationship between the variables based on experimental data. They determine mathematical relationship between pH and the amount of hydrogen Ions in solution.
Curated OER
Science Lesson Plans
Students conduct a variety of exploration activities on various science topics. For this science lesson outline, students design a cell encapsulation to hold a specific type of medicine. They give examples of physical and chemical...
Curated OER
Identification of Animals by Serum Electrophoresis
Students compare their unknown serum against a set of known serum standards and determine the animal source of their serum. They write a lab report to communicate their results.
Curated OER
Where's the Oxygen?
Students study seawater and how temperature and salinity influence it. In this oxygen lesson students complete a lab activity on dissolved oxygen.
Curated OER
How Do I Get a Pure Sample of the Molecules I Make?
Students initially engage in online research and consult print materials to identify a compound to produce. Once a selection has been made, individually, students conduct lab experiments to isolate substances. The end product is a...