Activities
- Distinguish between chemical and physcial changes
with this "Changes in Matter" activity.
- Prepare unknown samples of heterogeneous mixtures,
homogeneous mixtures (solutions), and pure substances, then use this "Classifying Chemicals Using Properties"
activity. It includes an evaluation in PDF form.
- Try this "Elements and the Periodic Table"
Puzzle
 .
- Have fun learning the symbols for the elements
with this "Elemental Tale" .
- Make "Oobleck" and describe it's
properties. Get teacher overview and materials list here and activity
in .
- Try this "The Study of Matter" wordsearch
 with answers .
- Or do this "The Study of Matter" crossword
puzzle .
- If you use Holt's Modern Chemistry,
do Abigail Freiberger's Chapter 1,
"Matter and Change" Study Guides for objectives 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 . Also, use her Homework
Worksheet , Practice Problems and Quiz for the chapter. And you
might want to show these PowerPoint presentations
for the first
 and second second halves of the chapter.
- Show The World of Chemistry video,
"A State of Matter," and have students answer the questions on this "World of Chemistry: States of Matter"
worksheet.
- Try Arbor Scientific's "Exploring Matter Activities" that
include demos, labs, and activities.
- This "States of Matter
mini-module" contains pre- and post-tests,
activities, labs, and worksheets.
- Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for
Science designed this "Density Column Using Recyclable
Plastics" middle school activity to explain the
concepts governing the recycling of plastics, problems encountered in
the recycling process due to the different types of plastics used, and
to gain an understanding of the differing properties of each type of
plastic using density to illustrate the concept of density.
- "Introducing Inquiry and the Nature of Science"
introduces basic procedures involved in inquiry and concepts describing
the nature of science.
- For middle school students try these Sponge Bob
Science worksheets, "Bikini Bottom Experiments" and "Controls and Variables" .
- The movie "October Sky" is
the true story of Homer
Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by
the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's
wishes. It is an inspirational movie that demonstrates how
boys, through trial an error were able to construct a rocket that lead
to winning the National Science Fair's top award.
Here is an "October Sky" worksheet.
- Try
Evan's
Chemistry Corner's
"Matter vs Not Matter" worksheet with these index cards.
- Or
try his "Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures" worksheet that has students
read a poem about these and answer questions from it.
- Do
his "The Nature of Matter"
worksheet.
- A good
middle school activity for introducing controls and variables in an
experiment is "Identify
the Controls and Variables" with the Simpsons. Lisa
Smith from the NSTA Listserve has used the site to
create the worksheet "The Simpsons - Identifying the Controls and
Variables" .
- Introduce
students to the Metric System with The
Science Spot's "Metric
Mania Lessons."
- And then
try this "Data, data everywhere: Measurement Scavenger Hunt" with this student worksheet or this "Mini-Metric Olymics"
activity.
Labs
- Use the Scientific Method to
solve the "Egg In a Bottle" problem.
- Do the "Observation
of a Candle" lab.
- Demonstrate a chemical change.
- Middle School lab on Properties of Matter .
- Another demonstraton of density is "The Sinking or Floating Cans" demo.
- "Kitchen Chaos" is a white powders
lab simulation that would be great for middle school students.
- "What
Chemists Do: Identification and Analysis" is a form of the
traditional white powders lab and "Mystery
Powder Lab" is another version.
- Do this "Dunkin' for Density" lab with data sheet
 .
- Demonstrate
density with the Flinn
Scientific Inc. "Case of the Sunken Ice Cube"
- Do
the Flinn Scientific
Inc. "How Sweet
It Is: A Colorful Sugar Solution Density Column" demonstration.
- Try this "Physical and Chemical Changes" lab.
- The "Comparing Compounds and Mixtures" lab was found at Evan's
Chemistry
Corner.
- His
"My Type of Mixture" lab demonstrates the
difference between homogenius and heterogenius mixtures.
- Use Tracie Schroeder's
worksheet to teach students "How to Light a Bunsen Burner ."
- Start the year off with some
of these "First Day Demonstrations" .
- Test your students
observation skills by doing the "Cheese Candle" demo.
Links
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