Curated OER
#16 Separation Science Lab
Learners in this inquiry-based experiment, put in the role of a method development chemist. The scenario they are given is that a train wreck has occurred resulting in a chemical spill. Students are told that the spill mixture consists...
Pingry School
Kinetics of the Acid Decomposition of Thiosulfate
Several factors affect the rate of a chemical reaction including temperature, surface area, and concentration. Using an experimental approach, learners explore the effect concentration has on this rate while maintaining consistency with...
Normal Community High School
Mole Calculations
You didn't know you'd find moles in chemistry class! Through the introduction of moles and molar volume at STP, classes see how to calculate moles using a given chemical equation. The presentation includes a short review of ions in...
Earth Day Network
Staying Green While Being Clean
Clean up the environment with a lesson that focuses on replacing hazardous cleaning supplies with green, environmentally-friendly products. Using a dirty patch of surface as a control area, kids clean other parts of various surfaces...
Virginia Department of Education
Mystery Anions
Lost an electron? You should keep an ion them. Young chemists learn qualitative analysis in the second lesson plan of an 11-part chemistry series. After observing reactions of simple salts, the teacher provides pupils with unknown...
Concord Consortium
Seeing Intermolecular Attractions
Ahh, the rules of attraction...intermolecular attraction! Introduce your chemistry crew to the other forces that influence the behavior of atoms and molecules alike with a simple interactive. Pupils push and pull polar and non-polar...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect and Me: How Do We Affect Each Other?
Ninth graders create a model of greenhouse effect in the lab. In this integrated science lesson, 9th graders investigate the different variables affecting this condition. They research about global warming and prepare a PowerPoint...
Curated OER
Column Chromatography
Students research the mechanics of liquid chromatography. In this technology instructional activity, students calculate the concentration of unknown samples. They write a report about their research and lab results.
Curated OER
Mixing It Up!
Third graders identify the different states of matter. For this science lesson, 3rd graders describe the different components of solutions and mixtures. They create emulsions, foams and suspensions in the lab.
Curated OER
The Great Cafeteria Caper
Students extract DNA from their own hair roots. They run an electrophoresis gel to examine patterns of their DNA along with standard DNA. The experiment is based on a crime scene scenario.
Curated OER
Quality Control at Kality Krunchers Dill Pickle Factory
In a hypothetical scenario, food chemists use titration to concoct a brine solution for producing the crunchiest pickles. They also analyze store-bought pickle juices. In addition to reinforcing titration techniques, the lesson requires...
Curated OER
Real-World Projects: Challenges from the Polymer Industry
Two scenarios are presented for chemistry detectives to decipher. Both require the use of an infrared spectrometer and focus on the examination of polymer materials. In the first, lumps in polyethylene bottles are analyzed. In the...
Curated OER
Grow an Alum Crystal
What an exciting lab experiment to conduct with your high school chemistry class! Crystals are formed naturally in the environment. However, allow your blossoming chemists to create their own unique crystals using alum and water. You may...
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
Rusting-A Form of Oxidation
High schoolers observe the rusting process in the lab. In this chemistry lesson, students rank metals according to their conductivity. They give real world applications of this activity.
Curated OER
Chromatographic Separation of Methylene Blue and Sodium Fluorescein
Students determine the best solvent system for separating a methylene blue/sodium fluorescein mixture by thin layer chromatography. They conduct an initial TLC separation using ethanol and a different solvent mixture and analyze the data...
Curated OER
How to Clean Up an Oil Slick
Students explore how an oil spill is contained and cleaned up. They investigate an oil absorbing polymer that is hydrophobic, absorbs up to 19 times its own weight in nonpolar liquids, floats on water, and can be reused or disposed of by...
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...
Curated OER
Investigating the Effect Of Successive Heat and Cool Cycles on a Thermoplastic material.
Students investigate hot melt glue using a hot melt glue gun as an an injection molding simulator and a melt index viscometer. They evaluate the effect of heating and cooling by weighing the glue extruded over a constant time period.
Curated OER
Glass Transition in a Rubber Ball
Students illustrate the changes in the properties of a material at its glass transition point. They gather data which they use to construct graphs regarding elastic modules versus absorption modulus, tangent delta, and the effect of...
Curated OER
The Floating Egg Problem
This is the grown-up version of the classic "float an egg in salt water" experience, plus an experiment in soap making. High schoolers explore density, but more importantly, practice accuracy, precision, and the use of significant...
Curated OER
Hand Lotion Analysis
Students prepare a sample of a commercial hand lotion for analysis by HPLC to determine the percent composition of two common cosmetic preservatives, methylparaben and propylparaben. They perform the analysis and the data is evaluated to...
Curated OER
# 05 Color Me Analytical
High schoolers are introduced to colorimeter on two levels. They investigate how to physically manipulate the colorimeters. Secondly, the students start on a pathway of discovery to one of the most important principles in analytical...
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...