Absolutely Fabulous Periodic Table
Requires Macromedia Flash. Too cool
http://www.chemsoc.org/viselements/Pages/pertable_fla.htm
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Acid & Base Activities
This is a great activity for acids and bases. It includes the properties of acids, bases and then some extension activities. It uses litmus paper for indicators as well as phenol red so students get exposure to different types of indicators. Check it out and adapt as needed!
http://educ.queensu.ca/~science/main/concept/chem/c10/C10LAMJ1.htm
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Acids and Bases: More than just a cabbage
This site has the time-tested cabbage juice indicator... along with some fabulous ideas for teaching acids and bases.
CA Science Standards: 5. Chemical reactions are processes in which atoms are rearranged into different combinations of molecules. As a basis for understanding this concept:
e. Students know how to determine whether a solution is acidic, basic, or neutral.
http://www.funsci.com/fun3_en/acids/acids.htm#6
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Alien Juice Bar
This is a link to a wonderful PDF that will take your students through a fun acitivity to learn about acids and bases.Be sure to click on the link to the GEMS Interactive Web site. This activity is based on the "Acids and Aliens" activity from the book Of Cabbages and Chemistry, published by Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS).
http://www.middleschoolscience.com/alienjuicebar.pdf
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Atom Builder Activity
PBS site explores what makes up these tiny subatomic particles. Refer to the Atom Builder Guide and then get to work and build your very own atom.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/atom/#
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Changing State of Matter
This site gives a good activity for student to conduct with some great questions and observations for them to make. It directs students to think about the movement of particles in the different states.
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?Grade=6-8&BenchmarkID=4&DocID=160
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Comic Book Periodic Table
Just for fun... as you introduce specific elements, go to this site! Click on an element to see a list of comic book pages involvingthat element. Click on a thumbnail on the list to see a full comic book page. These make great presentation graphics.
http://www.uky.edu/Projects/Chemcomics/
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Diet Coke+Mentos = An Awesome Chemical Reaction!
Enjoy the show! There are many gret videos of the Coke + Mentos reaction on this site. Careful, though... they're homemade, so be sure to preview them before you show your classes!
Mentos and mint lifesavers have a compound in them called gum arabic, which chemically makes it easier for bubbles to form, by reducing the surface tension.
If you have a liquid that is supersaturated with gas (like soda, which is pumped full of carbon dioxide), a nucleation site is a place where the gas is able to form bubbles. Nucleation sites can be scratches on a surface or specks of dust - anywhere that you have a high surface area in a very small volume. That's where bubbles can form. Mentos seem to be loaded with nucleation sites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw-eEWtPm8Y&search=mentos
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Diet Coke=Mentos: A how-to and explanation
Okay, so the video is pretty cool... there is actually an "art" to this reaction. This site gives some directions along with an explanation of the science behind the explosion!
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000109
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Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions
This web site deals with endo- and exothermic reactions and physical and chemical changes. Even though it is from a university website (from the first of 4 colleges I attended on the long, 10-year road towards my bachelor's degree), it is still applicable to the 8th grade classroom. One great feature of the activity is the last question that requires the identification of different changes as being endo- or exothermic. And, it starts with a teacher demo! What more could you ask for?!
http://www.csmate.colostate.edu/cltw/cohortpages/viney/exoendo.html
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Exothermic Reaction
This site shows how to demonstrate the oxidation of glycerin by potassium permanganate. There are some good follow up questions as well. It also indicates that there is avideo, but I couldn't get it to work, unfortunately--I think they have it set up as part of a collection available on CD, but I couldn't locate it. The demo is worthwhile though. As always, use proper safety prodecures and know your limitations.
http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/CCA/CCA3/MAIN/GLYCER/PAGE1.HTM
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FORENSICS IN THE CLASSROOM
Five different "cases" deal with everything from hair, blood and DNA analysis, to handwriting analysis, chromatography, finger-print matching and flame tests. There is something for everyone--both 7th grade life science as well as 8th grade physcal science.
http://www.courttv.com/forensics_curriculum/
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HMChem: General Chemistry Online (Not Yet Sent)
HMChem holds a wealth of information and resources for the high school chemistry teacher and student. There are five sections: classroom, test center, lab, library, and real world. The library contains the complete text of Ebbing/Gammon, General Chemistry, as well as models of molecules, a long list of movies and animations, simulations, and appendices with supporting information. The classroom provides additional information with hyperlinked text that links to diagrams and further explanation. The lab offers simulated experiments and pre-lab exercises. The test center provides problems for drill and practice and quizzes arranged by topics. Students receive immediate feedback on the quizzes with a link to help with the incorrect questions. The real world section explores the application of chemistry to ecology, engineering, geology, industry, medicine, and other fields.
http://hmchem.cubicsci.com/
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How to Draw Electron Dot Diagrams
Take a look at the rules for writing Lewis electron-dot symbols. This site is helpful for teachers that would use a "refresher" before presenting this to their students!
http://nobel.scas.bcit.ca/chem0010/unit3/3.3.2_Lewis.htm#here
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HowStuffWorks: How Atoms Work
Have you seen this one?
In this edition of How Stuff Works we will follow the fascinating story of how discoveries in various fields of science resulted in our modern view of the atom. We will look at the consequences of knowing the atom's structure and how this structure will lead to new technologies.
Some cool graphics here!
http://science.howstuffworks.com/atom.htm
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Introduction to Molecular Modeling
Here's a fun computer activity designed for partners. Use this activity to help students learn how to go from a chemical equation to a model of a molecule.
You need to download a Chime plug-in.
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/chime/mmpart1.htm
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Lab--Metals vs Nonmetals
This lab activity has some great follow-up questions to go with it. It uses some advanced materials, such as hydrochloric acid, so it may be a great opportunity for an honors class or cluster (or looking to get some students OUT of lab?).
http://educ.queensu.ca/%7escience/main/concept/chem/c07/C07LAVR3.htm
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Metals vs. Nonmetals
From Howe High School, one of my personal favorites, here are the basics on the difference between metals, nonmetals and metaloids.
http://www.howe.k12.ok.us/%7ejimaskew/ps/pslab9b.htm
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Multilingual Periodic Table
A comprehensive site for everything about the periodic table. Click an element to view a detailed description. Click the flags at top to choose your language: English, French, Spanish, Dutch, and German.
http://www.lenntech.com/periodic-chart.htm
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Physical and Chemical Properties & Changes
Students have such a difficult time distinguishing between properties and changes and between physical vs. chemical. Before you test them, let them test themselves at these two sites.
http://www.1001-periodic-table-quiz-questions.com/quiz/k-12/change_1.html
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Properties of Metals & Nonmetals
This site from the Discovery Channel comes with a great data table that you can print out and give to students. It includes directions on having students conduct conductivity experiments on different elemental samples.
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/metalsandnonmetals/
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Science Help Online Chemistry
This site explores how one measures matter, a critical step that is central to Chemistry itself. Content defines and explains inertia, mass, conservation of mass, volume, density, weight, and the mole; as well as providing a formula for measurement and several measuring matter quizzes.
http://www.fordhamprep.com/gcurran/sho/sho/lessons/lesson13.htm
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The Bonding Game
Brought to you by Poway Unified...
http://www.powayusd.com/pusdphs/WebQuests/ChemWebQuest/ChemSite.htm
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The Elements Song (and animation!)
The Periodic Table with Tom Lehrer. This is a fabulous, animated song that is simpley the periodic table put to music! Put it on your LCD projector and feel free to sing along! (Be sure you have Macromedia Flash)
http://www.privatehand.com/flash/elements.html
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Valence Electrons
Need some help explaining valence electrons? Here is a nice definition for you! Frostburg State University provides an explanation of valence and the difference between valence and the number of valence electrons in an atom.
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/bonds/faq/valence-vs-valence-electrons.shtml
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