Curated OER
Investigating the Change
Sugar crystal growth is observed as an example of physical change and cabbage juice pH indicator is used to demonstrate chemical change. The crystal growth is tracked over five days. The cabbage juice experiment is involved and can also...
Curated OER
Chemical Change and Physical Change
Sixth graders combine chemicals to create a chemical change. In this chemicals lesson plan, 6th graders will investigate characteristics of chemical change by combining chemicals. They will learn that color change is an indicator of...
American Chemical Society
Exothermic, Endothermic, and Chemical Change
Scientists can't observe bonds breaking or forming, so how do they distinguish between exothermic and endothermic reactions? Young scholars complete two experiments to do just that. They monitor temperature change and calculate the...
Worchester Polytechnic Institute
Interactive Laboratory Activities for Secondary Education
Do you think the lab smells like rotten eggs? Sorry to hear about your sulfering. A set of five experiments covers many different topics including seasons, gravity, food, precipitation, and photosynthesis. Though not presented as a...
Curated OER
Physical/Chemical Properties of a Burning Candle
Students investigate the physical and chemical properties of a candle before and after it is lit. They conduct a burning candle experiment, and complete a KWL chart and worksheet, recording the results of the investigation.
Curated OER
The Chemistry of Refining Crude Oil
Consider our energy sources: wood, coal, oil, uranium. Learners compare the pollution to energy produced for each. They practice fractional distillation of an alcohol/water mixture to simulate the process of refining crude oil....
Curated OER
What is a Chemical Reaction?-Evidence of Change
In this chemical reactions worksheet, students experiment with hydrochloric acid and copper (I) chloride to identify the types of reactions they undergo with various other substances. They also observe the law of conservation of mass and...
Curated OER
Scientific Method
In this scientific methods instructional activity, students compare independent and dependent variables, hypothesis and theory, homogeneous and heterogeneous, and physical and chemical change. This instructional activity has 17 short...
Curated OER
IB Chemistry 1
In this chemistry overview worksheet, learners compare atoms and molecules, intensive and extensive property, and physical and chemical change. This worksheet has 12 short answer questions and 3 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Changes in Food
Ninth graders study food mixtures and substances in order to identify atoms, molecules, elements, and compounds and recognize physical changes that take place in foods.
Curated OER
Using Java Applets for Inquiry-Based Physics Lessons
Using Java Applets in the physics classroom can be a great way to reinforce scientific concepts.
Colorado State University
Why Does the Wind Blow?
Without wind, the weather man wouldn't have much to talk about! Blow away your junior meteorologists with a creative demonstration of how wind works. The activity uses an empty soda bottle and compressible Styrofoam peanuts to illustrate...
Curated OER
Making Cents of Density
Middle schoolers utilize their knowledge of the physical properties of matter such as mass, volume, and density to solve a problem. They utilize the scientific method to solve a problem. Pupils analyze their data to determine whether...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Synthesis and Characterization of CdSe Quantum Dots
Does the size of a sample change the physical properties of that substance? It turns out it can! Young scientists combine physics and chemistry to synthesize CdSe quantum dots and record their color properties. Learners should notice a...
Colorado State University
What Makes a Gas, a Greenhouse Gas?—The Carbon Dioxide Dance
Investigate a heated topic in environmental science. Scholars team up to play the parts of gas molecules in the atmosphere. As the teacher moves about, acting as the electromagnetic wave, learners react as their molecules would to the...
Curated OER
Change of State
Students investigate the change of states of Butyl Stearate and the temperatures at which it changes state. In this change of state lesson plan, students place a test tube of Butyl Stearate in a cold water bath and monitor its...
Curated OER
Laboratory - Density of a Material
Middle schoolers conduct a lab (with water, guar gum and sodium borate) and carefully record physical and chemical properties and changes throughout the session, and experiment with weighing by difference.
Curated OER
Observations of Properties of Matter
To guide learners through observations of chemical samples in the lab, this resource asks them to give all formulas and complete the attached data sheet. There are multiple questions about categories of elements and general behavior,
Curated OER
A New Phase In Town
Middle schoolers explore heat energy and how it is used to change the phase of matter, and discover that temperature does not increase or decrease until the phase change is complete. This extremely well-written plan is packed with great...
Colorado State University
How Can I Turn a Solar Oven into a Refrigerator?
Whether you want to heat things up in science class or cool things down a bit, an intriguing lab's got you covered! Science scholars explore the principles of thermodynamics using a solar oven, then change the conditions to turn their...
Colorado State University
Do Cities Affect the Weather? (Making a Cloud in a Bottle)
The dynamics of a city can have a drastic effect on the weather. A hands-on lesson asks learners to build a model to illustrate how city pollution provides a nucleus for condensation. The greater the pollution, the greater chance for...
Curated OER
Chemical Equations and Reactions
Graphic organizers, photos, diagrams, and text bring the world of chemical reactions to life. By viewing this presentation, young chemists learn how to recognize when a chemical reaction has occurred, and how to balance chemical...
Rochester Institute of Technology
Solar Energy
Warm up to the idea of solar energy. A lesson includes three activities that challenge scholars to apply knowledge in new ways. First, they learn to run an alarm clock without a battery by using solar energy. Next, they complete an...
University of Minnesota
Dendritic Spines Lab
This is your brain on drugs ... literally! Your neuroscientists-in-training examine the evidence of drug use on the human brain and how neurons change their connectivity when altered by drugs. They then work together to create testing...