Lesson Plans > Science > Physical Science > Introduction to Chemistry Concepts

	Introduction to Chemistry Concepts (11)
		1. Fool's Gold: From Alchemy to Chemistry
			1a. What's the Matter?
				What is Matter? An Introductory Lesson • High School • Middle School  1-2 class periods The air we breathe, the water we drink, our homes, ourselves - all of it is made of matter. But what is matter? In this lesson, students will define matter, and will manipulate various materials in order to develop definitions for the three main states of matter found on Earth: solids, liquids, and gases. Students will then devise and perform tests to help them decide whether a particular substance is a solid, liquid or gas.
			1e. Atoms and Their Structure
				Atomic Structure • High School • Middle School  1-2 class periods In this lesson, students explore atomic structure by drawing models of atoms. Students will also learn about the size of atoms by finding out how many times they would need to cut a piece of paper in half in order to make it the size of an atom.
			1g. Atomic Properties
				Atomic Structure • High School • Middle School  1-2 class periods In this lesson, students explore atomic structure by drawing models of atoms. Students will also learn about the size of atoms by finding out how many times they would need to cut a piece of paper in half in order to make it the size of an atom.
		2. Patterns in Chemistry
			2c. Electron Basics
				Atomic Structure • High School • Middle School  1-2 class periods In this lesson, students explore atomic structure by drawing models of atoms. Students will also learn about the size of atoms by finding out how many times they would need to cut a piece of paper in half in order to make it the size of an atom.
		3. Types of Chemical Bonding
				Chemical Bonding • High School • Middle School  2 class periods All matter is made of atoms. However, it is the bonds between the atoms that lead to the great variety in chemicals that exist. This lesson consists of several activities that can supplement a unit on chemical bonding.
		4. Models and Shapes of Molecules
				Molecular Geometry • High School  2-3 class periods Linear, bent, octahedral. . . Molecules come in many shapes. It is important for chemists to be able to predict the shape of a molecule, since a molecule's shape can help explain its properties. This lesson provides a series of activities that can supplement a unit on Lewis structures and molecular geometry.
			4a. The Octet Rule: Eight Is Great!
				Molecular Geometry • High School  2-3 class periods Linear, bent, octahedral. . . Molecules come in many shapes. It is important for chemists to be able to predict the shape of a molecule, since a molecule's shape can help explain its properties. This lesson provides a series of activities that can supplement a unit on Lewis structures and molecular geometry.
			4c. Molecular Geometry
				Molecular Geometry • High School  2-3 class periods Linear, bent, octahedral. . . Molecules come in many shapes. It is important for chemists to be able to predict the shape of a molecule, since a molecule's shape can help explain its properties. This lesson provides a series of activities that can supplement a unit on Lewis structures and molecular geometry.
			4d. Electron Group Geometry
				Molecular Geometry • High School  2-3 class periods Linear, bent, octahedral. . . Molecules come in many shapes. It is important for chemists to be able to predict the shape of a molecule, since a molecule's shape can help explain its properties. This lesson provides a series of activities that can supplement a unit on Lewis structures and molecular geometry.
		5. Chemical Names and Formulas
				Chemical Names and Formulas • High School  1-2 class periods In order to study chemistry, students need to learn the language! This lesson consists of a series of activities that give students opportunities to practice naming chemicals.
		6. The Mole
				The Mole • High School  1-2 class periods Chemists need ways of measuring quantities of atoms and molecules, yet atoms are much too small to count or to be weighed. Instead, chemists use a relative mass scale, and use moles to measure quantities of a substance. This lesson consists of activities designed to supplement student learning on the mole, relative mass, formula mass, and percent composition.
		7. Chemical Equations and Reactions
			7a. Significant Figures
				Significant Figures • High School • Middle School  2 class periods Scales, graduated cylinders, and thermometers are not perfect, which is why it is important to account for uncertainty in measurement by using the rules of significant figures. This lesson contains supplementary activities to help students learn to work with significant figures.
			7b. Writing Chemical Equations
				Balancing Equations • High School  1-3 class periods We can change water into vapor, or into hydrogen and oxygen, but we cannot make it disappear! Therefore, it is necessary to account for all atoms when writing chemical equations. This lesson consists of practice activities that students can use to improve their ability to balance equations.
			7c. Balancing Equations
				Balancing Equations • High School  1-3 class periods We can change water into vapor, or into hydrogen and oxygen, but we cannot make it disappear! Therefore, it is necessary to account for all atoms when writing chemical equations. This lesson consists of practice activities that students can use to improve their ability to balance equations.
		8. Reaction Types
				Reaction Types • High School  Varies From the violent combustion of hydrogen gas, to the slow formation of a precipitate from a solution, there are many different types of chemical reactions. This lesson consists of a series of activities that can supplement a unit on reaction types.
		9. State and Phase Changes
				State and Phase Changes: Matter in Motion • High School  1-2 class periods All around us, phase changes are taking place. Water evaporates from puddles, ice cubes melt in our glasses of water, and dew forms on the grass. This lesson contains activities that can supplement a unit on phase changes.
		10. It's a Gas!
				Gas Laws • High School  2-4 class periods We use them to inflate balloons, rafts, and tires. We need them in order to breathe. Gases are all around us! This lesson consists of a series of activities designed to supplement student learning about gas behavior and the gas laws.