Take-Home Chemistry: 50 Low-Cost Activities to Extend Classroom Learning (PB240X2)

For high school science teachers, homeschoolers, science coordinators, and informal science educators, this collection of 50 inquiry-based labs provides hands-on ways for students to learn science at home—safely. Author Michael Horton promises that students who conduct the labs in Take-Home Chemistry as supplements to classroom instruction will enhance higher-level thinking, improve process skills, and raise high-stakes test scores. Many of the exercises involve skills such as measuring, graphing, calculating, and extrapolating graphs, and cover topics such as moles, chromatography, chemical reactions, and titration. Each lab includes both a student page and a teacher page and provides an objective, a purpose, a materials list, notes, and post-lab questions, making Take-Home Chemistry a useful tool for improving how students learn chemistry. Ideas For Use Additional Info Science Discipline: (mouse over for full classification) Catalysts Conservation of mass Oxidation reduction reactions Reaction rates Temperature Chemical changes Chemical properties Physical changes Physical properties Atomic mass Atoms Chemical formulas Compounds Crystalline solids Elements Molecules Analyzing data Asking questions Collecting data Experimenting Interpreting data Measuring Observing Intended User Role: High-School Educator, Teacher Educational Issues: Assessment of students, Classroom management, Inquiry learning, Teacher preparation, Teaching strategies Contents Introduction Why Take-Home Labs? Evidence of Success Inquiry in Chemistry Providing Feedback to Students Assembling the Materials Master Materials List Managing the Boxes Safety Notes Section 1: Science Process Skills, Measurement, and Scientific Inquiry 1. Scavenger Hunt Teacher Page Student Page 2. Building Your Balance Teacher Page Student Page 3. Pendulum Lab Teacher Page Student Page 4. Thickness of Paper Lab Teacher Page Student Page 5. Graphing the Ball's Bounce Teacher Page Student Page 6. Investigating an Urban Legend Teacher Page Student Page 7. The Mole Teacher Page Student Page 8. Calculating Moles Lab Teacher Page Student Page Section 2: Chemical and Physical Properties 9. Solutions, Suspensions, and Mixtures Teacher Page Student Page 10. Separation Lab: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures Teacher Page Student Page 11. Probability of Finding an Electron Teacher Page Student Page 12. Half-Life Simulation Teacher Page Student Page 13. Rutherford Gold Foil Simulation Teacher Page Student Page 14. Mean Free Path Activity Teacher Page Student Page 15. Freezing Water Teacher Page Student Page 16. Surface Tension Lab Teacher Page Student Page 17. Density of Oil Lab Teacher Page Student Page 18. Chromatography Lab Teacher Page Student Page 19. Density Column in a Straw Teacher Page Student Page 20. Mechanoluminescence: Making Things Light Up Teacher Page Student Page 21. Intensive and Extensive Properties Teacher Page Student Page 22. Creating a Colloid Teacher Page Student Page 23. Average Atomic Mass Simulation Teacher Page Student Page 24. Reaction Rate Teacher Page Student Page 25. Molecular Motion and Temperature Teacher Page Student Page 26. Boiling Water in a Syringe Teacher Page Student Page 27. Lifting an Ice Cube With a String Teacher Page Student Page 28. Chemical Formula Simulations Teacher Page Student Page 29. Chemical Reaction Simulation Teacher Page Student Page 30. Balancing Chemical Equations Simulation Teacher Page Student Page 31. Molecular Shape Teacher Page Student Page 32. Identifying Types of Streetlights Lab Teacher Page Student Page 33. Growing Crystals Teacher Page Student Page 34. Decomposition of Water Lab Teacher Page Student Page 35. Solubility Lab Teacher Page Student Page 36. Sea Ice Lab Teacher Page Student Page 37. Invi Table of Contents 6 Introduction 10 Why Take-Home Labs? 11 Evidence of Success 12 Inquiry in Chemistry 14 Providing Feedback to Students 17 Tips for Using This Book 20 Assembling the Materials 21 Master Materials List 22 Managing the Boxes 23 Safety Notes 24 Section 1: Science Process Skills, Measurement, and Scientific Inquiry 32 1. Scavenger Hunt 34 Teacher Page 34 Student Page 54 2. Building Your Balance 40 Teacher Page 40 Student Page 56 3. Pendulum Lab 42 Teacher Page 42 Student Page 58 4. Thickness of Paper Lab 44 Teacher Page 44 Student Page 60 5. Graphing the Ball’s Bounce 46 Teacher Page 46 Student Page 62 6. Investigating an Urban Legend 48 Teacher Page 48 Student Page 66 7. The Mole 50 Teacher Page 50 Student Page 68 8. Calculating Moles Lab 52 Teacher Page 52 Student Page 70 Section 2: Chemical and Physical Properties 72 9. Solutions, Suspensions, and Mixtures 74 Teacher Page 74 Student Page 132 10. Separation Lab: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures 76 Teacher Page 76 Student Page 132 11. Probability of Finding an Electron 78 Teacher Page 78 Student Page 136 12. Half-Life Simulation 80 Teacher Page 80 Student Page 140 13. Rutherford’s Gold Foil Simulation 82 Teacher Page 82 Student Page 144 14. Mean Free Path Activity 84 Teacher Page 84 Student Page 148 15. Freezing Water 86 Teacher Page 86 Student Page 150 16. Surface Tension Lab 88 Teacher Page 88 Student Page 152 17. Density of Oil Lab 90 Teacher Page 90 Student Page 154 18. Chromatography Lab 92 Teacher Page 92 Student Page 156 19. Density Column in a Straw 94 Teacher Page 94 Student Page 160 20. Mechanoluminescence: Making Things Light Up 96 Teacher Page 96 Student Page 162 21. Intensive and Extensive Properties 98 Teacher Page 98 Student Page 164 22. Creating a Colloid 100 Teacher Page 100 Student Page 166 23. Average Atomic Mass Simulation 102 Teacher Page 102 Student Page 168 24. Reaction Rate 104 Teacher Page 104 Student Page 170 25. Molecular Motion and Temperature 106 Teacher Page 106 Student Page 172 26. Boiling Water in a Syringe 108 Teacher Page 108 Student Page 174 27. Lifting an Ice Cube With a String 110 Teacher Page 110 Student Page 176 28. Chemical Formula Simulations 112 Teacher Page 112 Student Page 178 29. Chemical Reaction Simulation 114 Teacher Page 114 Student Page 182 30. Balancing Chemical Equations Simulation 116 Teacher Page 116 Student Page 8 31. Molecular Shape 118 Teacher Page 118 Student Page 190 32. Identifying Types of Streetlights Lab 120 Teacher Page 120 Student Page 192 33. Growing Crystals 122 Teacher Page 122 Student Page 194 34. Decomposition of Water Lab 124 Teacher Page 124 Student Page 196 35. Solubility Lab 126 Teacher Page 126 Student Page 200 36. Sea Ice Lab 128 Teacher Page 128 Student Page 200 37. Invisible Ink Lab 130 Teacher Page 130 Student Page 202 Section 3: Chemical Reactions 204 38. Oxidation Lab 206 Teacher Page 206 Student Page 214 39. Synthesis Reaction 208 Teacher Page 208 Student Page 216 40. Single Displacement Reaction 210 Teacher Page 210 Student Page 218 41. Double Displacement Reaction: Precipitate Lab 212 Teacher Page 212 Student Page 220 Section 4: Gas Laws, pH, and Kinetic Molecular Theory 222 42. Cartesian Diver Lab 224 Teacher Page 224 Student Page 242 43. Pressure Lab 226 Teacher Page 226 Student Page 243 44. Boyle’s Law Lab 228 Teacher Page 228 Student Page 246 45. Finger Thermometer 230 Teacher Page 230 Student Page 248 46. Expansion and Contraction 232 Teacher Page 232 Student Page 250 47. pH Paper Lab 234 Teacher Page 234 Student Page 252 48. Titration Lab 236 Teacher Page 236 Student Page 254 49. Redox Reaction Lab 238 Teacher Page 238 Student Page 256 50. Adhesion and Cohesion Lab 240 Teacher Page 240 Student Page 258 Materials List for Students 262 Duplication Pages 264 Index 272