Curated OER
Candy Cane Chemistry
Fourth graders, in groups, examine the effect of heat on bonding forces by doing laboratory work.
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #15 - Solar-Powered Electrolysis of Water and the Hydrogen Economy
An outstanding instructional activity awaits your physics fledglings! After reading about how hydrogen can act as an energy carrier, they examine the electrolysis of water using solar power. They test the gases produced for flammability...
Curated OER
Exothermic Rehydration of Gypsum
Students observe exothermic reactions in the lab using plaster. In this chemistry instructional activity, students collect data from their experimental set up every five minutes. They explain the different stages in the hardening of...
Curated OER
From Polymers to Bioplastics: Looking Toward Finding Renewable Resources
Students investigate the properties of polymers. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the importance of energy sources. They produce a bioplastic from the lab and evaluate its structural integrity.
Curated OER
It's a Crash Test, Dummy
Students use the internet to research air bags in cars and trucks. In groups, they discover air bags history and the safety issues surrounding them. They create their own design of a new air bag and test it using a raw egg in...
Curated OER
Degradation and Weathering of Polymeric Materials
Students investigate issues of degradation and weathering of polymeric materials during their useful life. They evaluate photodegradable plastics and their viability as an environmental solution for litter and investigate the qualitative...
Cornell University
Predicting Chemical Reactions
Prove the Law of Conservation of Mass through a lab investigation. A well-designed lesson plan asks groups to combine materials and monitor indicators for chemical reactions. Measuring the mass of the reactants and products allows...
Curated OER
Semipermeable Membranes and Bioaccumulation
Beginning biologists place a drop of food coloring into water of differing temperatures to observe the effect on the diffusion rate. They remove the shells from raw eggs and then experiment with osmosis over the remaining membranes....
Cornell University
Renewable Resins and Composites
Merge chemistry with environmental science to study biodegradable materials. An engaging activity allows learners to experiment with different resin concentrations and composites. Through experimental tests, scholars test their creations...
Curated OER
Pollution or Prevention?
Students examine potential contamination on the environment due to products and by-products of a new industrial process. Students conduct a lab that explores the economic differences between choices of pollution cleanup and prevention.
Curated OER
Heating and Cooling Curves
Students experiment with a pure substance and a phase change. In this heating and cooling curves lesson plan, students study the effects of heating and cooling a pure substance to observe a phase change. They determine both the melting...
American Chemical Society
Does Temperature Affect Dissolving?
When making sweet tea, why do people dissolve the sugar in hot tea instead of cold tea? The class discusses the previous lab and builds upon it. Working in groups, they design an experiment to determine how temperature affects the...
Curated OER
Acid Rain
Students investigate the effects of acid rain. The lesson contains a lab background for the teacher to use before the implementation of the lesson. They conduct an experiment to collect data and then report the results of the observations.
Curated OER
Ocean Absorption Lab
Middle schoolers examine various techniques that can reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and use chemistry to simulate oceanic sequestration. They conduct an experiment involving the method of oceanic absorption for carbon...
Curated OER
Geo Sequestration Lab
Students explore geologic sequestration as a technique used to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They use chemistry to stimulate oil mining. Students conduct an experiment to learn about geo carbon sequestration.
Curated OER
Exothermic Reactions
Learners experiment, observe, measure, and analyze what occurs during an exothermic reaction. They safely design an experiment, control variables, and properly dispose of materials.
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.
Pingry School
The Alchemist's Dream – Copper into "Gold"
Many scientists attempted alchemy for hundreds of years before a full understanding of metals became clear. Scholars take a penny and, through two different chemical reactions, make it appear to turn into silver and later gold. They...
Curated OER
Castaway or Survivor
What a clever idea! Chemistry learners imagine themselves deserted on an island with a radio, but no batteries. They also have a few odds and ends in their pockets and storage chest. They are challenged to create a battery that will...
Curated OER
Flame Test
Students conduct a flame test on different substances. In this chemistry lesson plan, students predict the element present based on the color emitted during the flame test. They explain how different elements produce different colors.
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
Tie Dye
Students practice writing research proposals to test the color fastness of a dye once it has been exposed to a t-shirt. Each proposal needs details of experimental design, length of treatment, and means of cleaning the shirt. All...
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
Not a Drop to Drink
Middle schoolers design an experiment to determine which liquid is water. In this chemistry lesson, students perform the experiment as outlined in their design. They record observation and formulate conclusion.