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....

Students identify possible sources of health risks, types of exposures, routes of exposure, and populations that could be affected after discussing water pollution and environmental health hazards. After discussion, students conduct a...

Students construct models that demonstrate potential sources of contamination. Students select one type of contamination model (septic system, sinkhole, landfill, disposal lagoon, leaky barrels, oil spill, agricultural contamination) to...

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...

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...

Students participate in an investigation in which they compare a polyethylene bag designed for recycling or disposal with a polyethylene food storage bag. Students use hexane to determine the differences between the low density...

Advanced lab apprentices prepare zinc and copper solutions to which they will compare the same minerals from a multivitamin. Using absorption spectroscopy, they analyze the contents of the multivitamin for concentration. This lab can be...

Students treat a high molecular weight polyvinyl alcohol polymer with potassium periodate. They measure the viscosity of polyvinyl alcohols.

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...

Students calculate the volume of a specific mass of water placed in selected pieces of common laboratory glassware, using the density formula. They then determine the accuracy of the volumetric measurement for selected pieces of...

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...

Students determine that the relative concentration of copper ions in water can be determined by a color comparison. They make a copper (II) sulfate solution of a given concentration. Students dilute their initial solutions until their...

Students use forensic science to positively identify any suspected drugs submitted to the laboratory. They determine the identity of the drugs found in the bodies of drug-overdose victims. Students use TLC to identify the active...

Learners are able to discuss the difference between a proton, a neutron and an electron. They also can explain the difference between an ionic and a covalent bond. Students know the main structure of atoms and molecules. Student are able...

Students are able to draw a diagram of the light reactions and briefly describe what is occurring throughout the process. They are able to explain where each reactant/product in the photosynthesis equation comes from/goes during the...

Ninth graders conduct research on the subject of sea water. They use a variety of resources to obtain information. There are helpful resource links listed in the lesson. In conjunction with the research students make inquiry of the...

Twenty-six elements, compounds, and ions are randomly listed for chemistry whizzes to analyze. They are to diagram the Lewis electron dot structure for each, resulting in further insight on the configuration of different molecules. They...

While this resource does not provide problems for chemistry learners to solve, it outlines skills that they should have and concepts that they should grasp. Topics include thermodynamics, periodicity, redox equilibria, transition metals,...

As the title suggests, this is a simply summary of fossil fuels. There are no questions to answer or problems to solve, just notes about fossil fuels. The notes cover how fossil fuels are formed, how we extract it, what humans use it...

If you use this as an outline for your chemistry lecture on metals, your young chemists will absorb a well-rounded overview. This is not a worksheet per se, but a useful summary of the behavior of metals. Save yourself some planning and...

Students study thermal energy and energy transfer to sea ice processes. In this energy transfer lesson, students make their own ice cream and discuss energy transfer and thermal energy. Students view a radiation overhead and its role in...

Students explore elements by analyzing everyday objects and materials in class. In this carbon lesson, students define several vocabulary terms such as carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon, and carbonate. Students view a group of items,...

Use demonstrations to enlighten learners on oxygen's role in combustion. Use potatoes and hydrogen peroxide to increase oxygen concentration in a jar, then stick a glowing splint and a burning wad of steel wool into the newly formed...

Where does all of the carbon dioxide come from that is supposedly leading to climate change? Earth science pupils test animal, plant, and fossil fuels as sources in this investigation. Using an indicator, BTB, they are able to detect the...