Curated OER
Students Get Animated: Make Existing Lessons Move and Motivate Students
Students study the chemical elements in a computer generated cartoon format. In this computer animation and chemistry instructional activity, students learn how to animate using computer programs. Students use animation to learn about...
Curated OER
Periodic Table of the Elements
Students experiment with transition metals. In this transition metals lesson plan students find the common properties of transition metals and conduct an experiment using one of them. Students then answer questions regarding what they...
Curated OER
Properties of Elements
Eighth graders explore information about the periodic table of elements. Using the Internet, 8th graders choose one element to research. They complete an "Adopt and Element" information sheet. Using Microsoft Word, students create an...
Curated OER
Atomic Structure and Ionic Bonding (A Visual Approach)
Using toothpicks, marshmallows, and round colored sticky dots, physical science enthusiasts build models of an atomic nucleus. In this eighth grade chemistry lesson plan, they play an atom-naming game with the models that they have...
Beyond Benign
Catalysts and Oxygen
Here is an engaging and hands-on lesson plan that allows high school chemists to demonstrate the effects of a catalyst on various chemicals. They garner knowledge of how reactants and products differ from one another, while analyzing the...
Curated OER
Organization of the Elements and Periodic Table
Students identify how to relate the position of an element in the periodic table to its atomic number and atomic mass. They also identify and interpret how to use the periodic table to identify metals, semimetals, nonmetals, and...
Curated OER
Periodic Table
Students identify the periodic table trends and predict material properties. They also design and conduct simple experiments and test material properties. Finally, students compare and contrast material properties and that chemical...
Curated OER
Halogens
Students identify the elements that belong to the halogen family on the periodic table. In this chemistry lesson, students describe the common characteristics of elements in this group. They research about hydrochloric acid's effect on...
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson C)
The health effects of mercury exposure if the focus of the first of three activities about the properties of metals. Pairs research mercury to write, prepare, and share posters, articles, or PSAs with the class.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson A)
Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature. Teach your class this and many more interesting mercury facts by assigning an engaging task. A public relations activity, the exercise informs pupils of the hazards of...
Cornell University
What Happens When We Excite Atoms and Molecules?
Excited atoms lead to exciting lessons! Learners use heat and light to excite both atoms and molecules. They display their learning in the form of Bohr models depicting the excited state of the atoms.
Curated OER
Fighting Corrosion to Save an Ancient Greek Bronze
Study corrosion on bronze statues with a hands-on lesson. As pupils place a penny in water with salt, they observe the changes in the penny throughout a period of a week. They then analyze the pre-conservation and the post-conservation...
Curated OER
Elemental Photography
Eighth graders investigate objects for a specific element from the Periodic Table. In this elemental photography lesson, 8th graders observe for and object and photograph it. Students use photographs to prepare a multimedia...
Curated OER
Mining an Ore
High schoolers investigate how to determine the percent composition of a mineral in an ore. In this mining an ore lesson plan, students use chocolate chips cookies to represent an ore and they remove precious minerals (the chocolate...
Curated OER
Ion (Derstand) Bonding through Energy Level Diagrams
Ninth graders investigate ionic bonding through energy level diagrams. In this ion bonding lesson plan, 9th graders observe demonstrations to show energy level diagrams using magnets to represent the subatomic particles. Students fill...
Curated OER
Why are Electrons Important?
Students write electron configuration of elements using atomic numbers and they identify valence electrons. In this electrons lesson plan, students observe a demonstration showing the space-filling property of an electron. They also...
Curated OER
Edible Atom/Molecule
Upcoming chemists construct atom or molecule models out of candy. This is a classic idea that learners really enjoy; however, this lesson plan is vague. There is no instruction about the structure of atoms or molecules. Make sure you...
Curated OER
Alkali Metals
Learners explore the unique properties of alkali metals. In this chemistry lesson, students create a mural of fireworks display after researching its different element components. They write a brief description about an alkali metal used...
Curated OER
The Noble Gases
Students identify the different elements that belong to the Noble Gas family. In this chemistry lesson, students design a neon sign. They research how they are made and share their work with the class.
Curated OER
Other Metals
Students identify the properties of transition metals. In this chemistry lesson, students research facts and uses of one aluminum product they choose. They create an advertisement highlighting aluminum's useful properties.
Curated OER
Nonmetals
Young scholars research about the chemical processes involved in cave formation. In this chemistry instructional activity, students draw or find a cave picture with stalagmites and stalactites online. They write a brief caption and share...
Curated OER
Doing Lewis Dot Diagrams
Students observe the periodic table and draw the Lewis Dot Diagram. In this investigative lesson students construct information on several elements including the Lewis Dot Formation and take a quiz on the information they learned.
Curated OER
Getting Animated
Students create a simple animation illustrating a chemical element in the periodic table. In this chemistry lesson plan, students create a new way to describe elements by using them in an artistic form.
Curated OER
Crystals: What Are They and What Holds Them Together
Students are introduced to the characteristics of crystals and what keeps them together. Using the Periodic Table, they examine the various elements and develop a model of an atom. In groups, they place sugar and salt in petri dishes...