Course Overview
This course is a running start in STEM meant to build a strong foundation in the sciences. My vision for this course is to bring challenging concepts in science such as thermodynamics to life and make them easier to understand for younger learners by doing. The sequence of lessons and labs in this course is aligned with a full year of study in chemistry as outlined by the New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning. However, this course can also be taken by students in all other states. I have translated the scientific concepts for the 2nd to 4th grade age group.
Students will gain skills at following detailed directions for labs as well as building a strong foundation of important scientific vocabulary. They will be asked to reflect on what they have learned and experimented with then challenged to take that learning to the next level.
We will learn about lab safety, laboratory equipment, how to keep a lab notebook, building 3D models, pH and chemical reactions, density, making ice cream, glow in the dark hands, candy chromatography and many more great experiments. Students will have the opportunity to develop important STEM skills such as thinking like a scientist, problem solving, collecting and interpreting data and communicating results.
This course features lessons that introduce a scientific concept using videos and power point presentations. Assignments, worksheets and Do Now’s reinforce knowledge. Each lesson will be accompanied by a hands on lab. Students will be transformed into scientists and will keep a detailed laboratory notebook to keep track of their observations and record results of each experiment using tables and charts. At the end of each lesson/lab there will be a short quiz to test the knowledge and familiarity of the newly learned concepts. Every lesson and lab is followed by an Activity Review section which includes a review video of the worksheet assignment explaining how to arrive at the correct responses as well as scanned answer sheets and quiz answer keys.
This course includes:
- 30 WORKSHEETS WITH COUNTERPART ANSWER SHEETS
- 25 VIDEO-LESSONS
- Each lesson is accompanied by PowerPoint lesson slides
- 25 ACTIVITY REVIEW VIDEOS (I explain step by step how to reach the correct answer)
- 25 ONLINE QUIZZES WITH ANSWER KEYS
- DIFFERENTIATION AND EXTENSION ASSIGNMENTS
- LAB REPORT TEMPLATE
- CLEAR MATERIALS AND PROCEDURE (Individual PDF files attached to each lab, easy to print)
- LAB TIPS ON BEST PRACTICE AND TECHNIQUE
- LAB GUIDES AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Course Goals
Upon course completion students will be able to follow a set of written instruction for a scientific investigation. Students will learn how to formulate and justify a prediction based on cause-and-effect relationships. Students will conduct multiple trials to test a prediction and draw conclusions about the relationships between predictions and results. This course will enable students to practice using measuring tools (graduated cylinder, pipette, ruler) with precision. Students will learn how to keep a lab notebook, make observations and record results. The goal of this course is to spark creativity and curiosity and to teach students how to ask questions about scientific concepts.
Suggested Course Materials
Click here to download the suggested list of course materials
Target Audience
This course is primarily intended for students that are interested in science and hands on chemistry labs in particular. The course is designed to be an introduction to chemistry and a running start for students between the ages of 7 and 10 interested in STEM fields. If your students like making slime or bath bombs but would like to take their lab bench to the next level this is the right course.
Course Requirements
There are no pre-requisites for this course. However basic math, reading and writing skills at the elementary school level are required. Ability to follow detailed procedures and keep an organized lab notebook. Also some art skills for drawing observations but a camera can supplement these.
COURSE TOPICS
Module 1: Let's Get Started!
Lessons
Inside the Chemistry Lab Lesson
Science Tools and Safety Lesson
Candy Corn Experiment
Rainbow Lab
Module 2: Building Models and Making Observations
Lessons
Boron Lesson
Boron Model Lab
Boron in Science Lab
Crystals Lesson
Growing Crystals Lab
Module 3: Solid, Liquid, Gas
Lessons
The Ice Experiment
Ice Cream Lab
Solutions Detectives Lesson
Solutions Detectives Lab
Balloons Lesson
Balloons Lab
Module 4: Chemical Reactions
Lessons
Density Tower Lesson
Density Tower Lab
Magic Milk Lesson
Magic Milk Lab
Glow in the Dark Lesson
Glow in the Dark Lab
Module 5: New Methods and Technique
Lessons
Penny Drop Lesson
Penny Drop Lab
Candy Chromatography Lesson
Candy Chromatography Lab
The sequence of labs in this course is aligned with the sequence of topics in chemistry outlined by the NJ Center for Teaching and Learning.
These topics are as follows:
Atomic Structure
Electron Configurations and the Periodic Table
Periodic Trends
Ionic Bonding & Ionic Compounds
Covalent Bonding & Molecular Compounds
Mole Calculations
Chemical Reactions
Stoichiometry
Gases
Intermolecular Forces
Thermochemistry
Thermodynamics
Properties of Matter & Solutions
Acids & Bases
Kinetics & Equilibrium
Organic Chemistry
Water
Kids Chemistry Labs:
Lab 1: Building Boron Model (Atomic Structure)
Lab 2: Growing Salt Crystals (Ionic Bonding and Ionic Compounds)
Lab 3: Making Ice cream! (Thermodynamics)
Lab 4: Solution Detectives (Acids and Bases, pH)
Lab 5: Balloons (Chemical Reactions and Gas)
Lab 6: Density Tower (Properties of Matter)
Lab 7: Magic Milk (Intermolecular Forces)
Lab 8: Glow in the Dark Hand/Invisible Ink (Organic Chemistry and Chemical Reactions)
Lab 9: Penny Drop Lab (Water)
Lab 10: Candy Chromatography (Properties of Matter and Organic Chemistry)
