Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Soap, Slime, and Creative Chromatography

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Do you think chromatography paper suffers from separation anxiety? Young chemists make soap, slime, silly putty, and experiment with chromatography in this lesson. The material includes clear instructions for each experiment along with...
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Mass-Mass Relationship

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate mass-mass relationships in the lab. In this mass-mass relationship lesson plan, students mix sodium carbonate with hydrochloric acid to produce sodium chloride, water and carbon dioxide. Students use the amount of...
Lesson Plan
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Not a Drop to Drink

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students 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.
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Chemistry: Egg Sucking Experiment

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students discover simple gas laws by observing an egg sucked into an Erlenmeyer flask. When the flask is warmed, the egg is placed atop it. when both are placed in ice water, the egg slips into the flask. The procedure is then reversed....
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Determination of the percentage of Acetic Acid in Vinegar

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars determine the concentration of acetic acid when the concentration of the base with which is titrated is known. They investigate how to weigh a sample using the balance, measure volumes using graduated cylinder, explore...
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Ranking Salinity

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students explain the uses of titration in chemistry and in industry. In this chemistry lesson plan, students determine the concentration of an unknown solution using titration. They calculate the percent of salt in saline solutions.
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Kinetic Theory

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe how molecules of the different phases of matter move according to the Kinetic Theory. For this chemistry lesson, students observe and participate in teacher demos. They give real world applications of the kinetic theory.
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From Polymers to Bioplastics: Looking Toward Finding Renewable Resources

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students investigate the properties of polymers. In this chemistry activity, students explain the importance of energy sources. They produce a bioplastic from the lab and evaluate its structural integrity.
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Viscosity Explorer

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students discuss and compare what type of fluids will fill up a beaker first. In this chemistry lesson, students differentiate between pouring glue and water and which will fill the beaker first. They discuss the viscosity of each fluid.
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Molecular Origami

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars construct an origami models of different molecules. For this chemistry lesson, students explain what expansive soils are made up of. They discuss what happens when this expansive soil expands or shrinks.
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Why is My Honey Runny?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify the factors that affect viscosity of substances. In this chemistry instructional activity, students define what viscosity is in their own words. They give real world applications of viscosity.
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Playing With Polymers

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners explore the world of polymers. In this chemistry lesson, students make polymers and observe their properties. Follow-up questions and extension activities are included.
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Soil Sample Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students test the pH of soil samples they collected from the field trip. In this chemistry lesson, students differentiate acids and bases. They write a lab report about the experiment.
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Burning Snacks in Chem Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students determine the energy content of various snack foods. They measure the temperature changes in various snack foods as the foods are burned in order to determine the foods' energy content. Students create graphs and data tables of...
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Acid Rain

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the effects of acid rain. The lesson plan contains a lab background for the teacher to use before the implementation of the lesson plan. They conduct an experiment to collect data and then report the results of the...
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Exothermic Reactions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars experiment, observe, measure, and analyze what occurs during an exothermic reaction. They safely design an experiment, control variables, and properly dispose of materials.
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To Smell or Not to Smell, That is the Ester

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain the basic concepts of polymerization. Students participate in a lab to create a crude preparation of carboxyl esterase and test its effectiveness in reducing the residual monomer in an emulsion such as paint.
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Acid Rain Simulation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners collect data on causes of Acid Rain. In this science lesson, students simulate the effects that produce acid rain, collect and analyze data from their samples. They relate science and statistics in this lesson.  
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Light & Crystals

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Pupils observe a demonstration of light refraction. They experiment with disappearing crystals to further study light refraction.
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Boyle's Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students experiment on Boyle's law using balloons and other common materials. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the relationship between pressure and volume. They solve problems relating to Boyle's Law.
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Chromatography

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students conduct various experiments on chromatography. In this chemistry lesson, students distinguish among the different types of chromatography methods. They explain how the stationary and mobile phase interact with each other.
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Combining Elements to Form a Compound

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore elements and compounds. In this instructional activity about elements and compounds, students will do an experiment. Students work in groups of 2-3 as they complete two separate activities. Students understand how two...
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Root, Root, Root for the Nutrients

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students observe the growth of a seed, predict what will happen when seeds are planted without soil, and conduct an experiment using a hydroponics system.
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Reaction Rates-Catalysis, Concentration, Surface Area, and Temperature

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Young scholars determine the meanings of concentration, surface area, and catalysis through an experiment. In this instructional activity about chemical reactions, students participate in an experiment. Young scholars complete three...