Week 1 States of Matter
Take a regular Coke can (not diet) at room temperature. Give it a good shake - a REALLY good shake! Flick up and down the sides of the can while rotating it and make sure you have flicked the can quite a bit. Then quickly open the can.
Shaking the can mixed the carbonation throughout the solution - as a result it was easy to feel the pressure on the outside of the can exerted by the gas bubbles inside the can. Flicking the can caused all the gas bubbles to rise to the surface and escape easily once the can was opened. Had the can not been flicked, gas bubbles from throughout the soda still would have escaped but would have pushed a lot of liquid up and out in the process.
Shaking the can mixed the carbonation throughout the solution - as a result it was easy to feel the pressure on the outside of the can exerted by the gas bubbles inside the can. Flicking the can caused all the gas bubbles to rise to the surface and escape easily once the can was opened. Had the can not been flicked, gas bubbles from throughout the soda still would have escaped but would have pushed a lot of liquid up and out in the process.
Week 2 Solutions
Take 3 clear cups and fill each one 1/3 full with water. To cup A add 1 Tbs. sugar, to cup B add 1 Tbs. pepper, to cup C add 2 Tbs. oil. Stir each one and compare how easily each dissolves in the water (if at all). Identify the solute and solvent in each system and compare solubility.
Week 3 Atoms
I will update this entry soon - showing how to build a model of an atom using marshmallows and toothpicks is best explained with pictures!
Week 4 Ions
Draw a diagram the bond that occurs in table salt. What is the chemical formula?
Week 5 Compounds
The basics of naming compounds: http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_naming.html
Week 6 The Periodic Table
Play Periodic Table Bingo: the foreman calls out an element name, symbol, or number. Players mark spaces on their own periodic tables and try to complete an entire row or column.
Weeks 7-9 Elements #1-36
Review elements in the human body: http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/f/blbodyelements.htm
Review elements in money: http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/goldsilverpenny.htm
Review elements in money: http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/goldsilverpenny.htm
Week 10 Chemical Reactions
Make shiny clean pennies: http://chemistry.about.com/cs/demonstrations/a/aa022204a.htm
Week 11 Reaction Rates
Study reaction rates with Alka Seltzer: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Chem_p027.shtml
Week 12 Equilibrium
Take multiple cups of water at different temperatures. Drop in small amounts of food coloring and measure time it takes for entire solution to reach consistent color throughout.
Week 13 Catalysts
See activity for Week 13. Observe affects of stirring and differing amounts of food coloring on the rate of reaction.
Week 14 Acids and Bases 1
Create your own pH indicator using red cabbage: http://chemistry.about.com/od/acidsbase1/a/red-cabbage-ph-indicator.htm
Week 15 Acids and Bases 2
Combine 1 tsp. baking soda to a few Tbs. vinegar and observe the multi-step reaction: 1)acid-base and 2)decomposition.