In this Activity, students observe and compare the behavior of three lightsticks that are exposed to three different temperature ranges (cold, room temperature, and hot). The Activity could be used early in the school year to give students practice in making detailed observations and devising reasonable explanations for those observations. It illustrates the use of qualitative vs.
In this Activity, students investigate a classic chemistry demonstration that uses the phenomenon of freezing-point depression to lift an ice cube out of a glass of water with a thread. They first test how adding salt, pepper, cream, and sugar to cold water affects the temperature.
In this Activity, students investigate the action of leavening agents in baked goods. They first compare the results when leavening agents are added to water, with and without heating. They then prepare biscuits using dough that has been placed in different temperature environments and compare them. Preparing the biscuits requires an oven.
In this Activity, students observe gelatin samples treated with substances that may or may not have an enzymatic effect on the protein in the gelatin. Substances used are fresh pineapple, canned pineapple, fresh pineapple that has been frozen and microwaved, and meat tenderizer.
In this Activity, students test two chemical deicers, rock salt (sodium chloride) and calcium chloride, to determine which melts ice better and whether it is worth the extra cost to buy a more expensive deicer. They perform three tests comparing the two deicers, predict which will be more effective at melting through a thin disk of ice, and then test their prediction.
In this Activity, students investigate the magnetic interactions between a flexible-sheet refrigerator magnet and a probe tip cut from the same magnet to deduce the relative arrangement of the magnetic poles. These interactions are used as a macroscopic analog of scanning probe microscopies. The Activity could be used when atoms are introduced.
In this Activity, students investigate the fermentation process by making sauerkraut and test the effect of changing one variable in the sauerkraut-making process. The Activity involves students for an entire month, the length of the fermentation process.
In this Activity, students use an oatmeal canister to make a pinhole camera, load it with black and white photographic paper, and create a paper negative using the camera. This interdisciplinary Activity combines chemistry and art.
In this Activity, students collect data outdoors on a rainy day using plates and paper towels and use the information to calculate the rate of rainfall. This Activity reinforces ideas about density, mass, volume, area, length, and units.
In this Activity, students extract anthocyanins from flower petals and other plant matter. They observe what happens when vinegar or ammonia are added to the extracts. This Activity could be used as an introduction to the study of plant pigments and the idea that specific substances are responsible for the colors of objects.