Curated OER
Poster Assignment: Sports Chemistry
Tenth graders distinguish between chemical and physical properties and changes in matter when given specific examples. They view a video of sports activities. Students chose their favorite sport and design an experiment to improve sports...
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
Condensation Polymerization: Preparation of Nylon 6/6
Students participate in a lab activity in which they synthesize nylon 6/6, calculate the percent yield by mass, identify the polymer as thermoplastic or thermoset, and determine the melting point, density and end-product use of the polymer.
Curated OER
Investigation of Crystallinity in Polymeric Materials
A kaleidoscope is constructed using polarizing polymer paper and then low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, and polypropylene are all melted onto individual glass slides and examined through a microscope. The intent is to...
Curated OER
Determination of Phosphorus Content in River Water
Divide your chemistry or environmental science class into two groups. Each group tests water samples from a river for the concentration of phosphorus using a different method. With chemists, you can use this activity as they learn to use...
Curated OER
Quantitative Determination of the Composition of Water-based Paints and the Correlation of Paint Properties to Pain Composition
Students perform a series of tests on water-based paints. In this chemistry instructional activity, students identify their different functions. They calculate paint density and fractional concentrations.
Beyond Benign
Daphnia Bioassay LD50
De-icing materials may have a harmful effect on our environment; have your class perform an experiment to test the nature of these effects. Scholars monitor the survival rate of a sample of daphnia as the concentration of a de-icing...
Curated OER
Which Wrap Is Wrapped Right?
Students investigate the integrity and strength of different types of food wraps. They test the wraps and create a graphic organizer for the data. Once it is organized then a lab report can be written. The lesson contains background...
What affects Frog metamorphosis?
In this lab, students explore pollutants which affect frog metamorphosis using household pollutants (vinegar, oil, and bleach) and sponge capsules.
Curated OER
Water and Polymers
Students conduct qualitative and quantitative investigations based on the interaction between water and various polymers. They determine the percent moisture contained in various plastics along with a qualitative procedure to determine...
Curated OER
The Study of Molecular Orientation by Linear Dimension Change of Polymeric Films
Students investigate the linear dimension change of heated plastic film and relate the results to processing and service use of the materials. They calculate percent change in dimension as related to anisotropy and molecular reorientation.
Cornell University
Renewable Resins and Composites
Merge chemistry with environmental science to study biodegradable materials. An engaging activity allows learners to experiment with different resin concentrations and composites. Through experimental tests, scholars test their creations...
Curated OER
Semipermeable Membranes and Bioaccumulation
Beginning biologists place a drop of food coloring into water of differing temperatures to observe the effect on the diffusion rate. They remove the shells from raw eggs and then experiment with osmosis over the remaining membranes....
Curated OER
Respiration
This series opens with diagrams of experimental setups. A data table is displayed and questions are asked, indicating that the intent is for lab groups to perform the depicted experiments. At slide twelve, a coherent lesson about the...
Curated OER
#24 How Much Air Is In Foamed Polystyrene Products?
Students are challenged to come up with a good estimate of the amount of air in foamed polystyrene products. They use this gas evolution experiment and as such have students measure the gas generated when foamed polystyrene is degassed...
Curated OER
Density Lab
Students find the density of two substances. In this density lesson plan, students determine the density of water and ethyl alcohol and compare their densities. They enter their data into the computer to produce a class compiled graph....
Curated OER
Evolutionary Relationships Based Upon Comparative Genetics
Pupils investigate the protein cytochrome c in an attempt to use its genetic chemistry to study possible evolutionary relationships between organisms. The lesson integrates technology with the use computers to perform DNA analysis.
Virginia Department of Education
Molar Heat of Fusion for Water
How can you describe heat of fusion in a way the class understands and relates the importance of this concept to present day issues? In this third lesson of the series, learners conduct an experiment, demonstrating the flow of heat...
Curated OER
Holy Starbucks Batman
Learners investigate caffeine as a potential new pollutant in a northwest river system. Effects of caffeine on invertebrates and salmon fry will be explored through field work and lab work.
Curated OER
Chemosynthesis for the Classroom
Explorers set up Windogradsky columns with local mud so that they can culture microorganisms. After three and six weeks they make observations of the mud and the organisms growing in it. In this way they observe succession and relate...
Curated OER
Air, Air Everywhere! Lesson 2: Acid Rain
Middle school environmentalists record the pH of four different liquids, including two aerosol cleaning products. They liken the products to acid rain and speculate in writing which might affect the human respiratory system. Although...
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Investigating Properties of Water: Temperature
Investigate how temperature affects the density of water and stratification that occurs in bodies of water when temperatures vary. Water of differing temperatures is given different colors to see the layers that form. The lesson is meant...
Curated OER
Polymers
Young scholars explore online tutorial on polymers. In this chemistry lesson, they create two polymers in the lab and compare their properties. They write a sales letter about their new and improved polymer product.
Curated OER
Dust in the Wind; Chemicals in the Water
Students explore mechanical and chemical weathering at stations. They articulate some mechanisms of chemical and mechanical weathering through exploration in a lab. Students stations describe how chemical weathering differs from...