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Determining Acids and Bases
Students use purple cabbage indicator to test five know substances for acidic/alkaline balance. They discuss the safety precautions required both inside and outside a lab in handling acids and bases.
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Identification of Animals by Serum Electrophoresis
Learners 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.
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Chemistry: Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy
Students research on renewable and nonrenewable resources. In this chemistry lesson, students design and build solar panels. They evaluate their device and write a lab report.
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Bacteria Pool Party
Young scholars investigate the organisms of bacteria. They are given a culture of bacteria that can be observed under a microscope. The students make observations that are recorded. The instructional activity includes the mention of...
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From Polymers to Bioplastics: Looking Toward Finding Renewable Resources
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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Glucose Factory
Fourth graders determine, through laboratory activity, the presence or absence of glucose in a variety of plant leaves and stems. They work in groups and perform a three part laboratory which shows them how plants convert sunlighht to food.
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Nuclear Fleas
Seventh graders distinguish characteristics of living things and identify the importance of careful observation. They identify five things that are not alive, but display characteristics of life and list five things that are alive, but...
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Plant Classification
Young scholars share with the class how they think plants are classified and are assessed on their prior knowledge. They use a packet to complete throughout the week at their own pace, which includes various activities to familiarize...
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How Shocking
Learners describe the characteristics of polymers and rubbers and how they improve human lives. In this shock lesson students build a shock absorbing structure using different polymer materials.
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Introduction to Dissolved Oxygen and Demonstration of a Simple Test Procedure
Students explain the importance of dissolved oxygen in water ecosystems. They describe the aquatic oxygen cycle and the effect of water pollution on oxygen. They make observations, collect data and draw a conclusion.
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It is a Crash Test, Dummy
Students research air bags on the Internet and use the information to design their own version of an air bag. After exploring the benefits and dangers of air bags students perform a chemistry lab in which they mix baking soda and vinegar...
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Measuring Acceleration
Students create an accelerometer and take measurements of acceleration in a moving car. They study the car speeding up in a straight line, slowing in a straight line and curving at constant speed. They prepare a lab report showing...
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Mighty Minerals
Learners investigate the physical and chemical characteristics of minerals. They make a list of the uses of minerals found in Illinois. They write a report individually based on their observations.
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Project Geode
Young scholars predict the appearance of a geode's internal structure based on its mass and density. They form a hypothesis based on the data they collect. They also identify common minerals found in Illinois.
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Taking Picture Using a Pinhole Camera
Ninth graders produce a lithographic negative from a pinhole camera and solve problems if light leaks appear on the negative. They are able to describe and use lab safety procedures presented in class.
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Bungee Barbie
Students discover the relationship between force and the amount of time over which the force is applied. They discover the meaning of impulse and it equals the change of momentum. Students connect things to a computer to test their results.
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Measuring Aquatic pH
Middle schoolers apply the scientific method and safety rules to aquatic pH. They test unknown solutions for pH levels.
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Flame Test
Students conduct a flame test on different substances. In this chemistry lesson, students predict the element present based on the color emitted during the flame test. They explain how different elements produce different colors.
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Water Chestnut Graphing Activity
Students are taught how to format and enter data into an Excel spreadsheet. They make a graph and interpret graphed data. Students discuss possible impacts of water chestnut invasion. They graph data on water chestnut. Students report...
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Dirty Worms
Young scholars examine the functions of earthworms and their effect on soil. They conduct an earthworm dissection lab, and complete a checklist.
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Density of a Gas
Eighth graders investigate the mass, volume, and density of a gas by producing it in a chemical reaction. The entire Density of a Gas Lab and L section of the K W L chart be formatively assessed.
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Molar Ratio
Young scholars conduct an experiment in which they react sodium bicarbonate with hydrochloric acid to determine the molar ration between the two reactants. Students must write correct formula and a balanced chemical equation and explain...
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Transmission of Disease
Learners provide names of viral diseases that they would possibly like to be infected with today; listing them on the Smart Board. They then come to an agreement about what virus to use and use beakers of fluids to simulate how viruses...
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Seltzer Breath
Students investigate "indicator" (Bromothymol Blue or BTB) to test for the presence of certain chemicals in liquids and gases. They compare distilled water and seltzer water for presence of carbon dioxide.