by Rebecca W. Keller, Janet Moneymaker (Illustrator)
I am a homeschooling mom with a science background. My daughter
was asking many chemistry questions but I thought she would be
too young to understand acids, bases, DNA, polymers, etc. at
her age (6yo 2nd grader). I was wrong.
Written at a 4th and 5th grade reading level, introduces
children to college-level chemistry concepts such as the atom
and periodic table, molecular bonding and chemical reactions.
acid-base reactions, mixtures and separating mixtures, and large
molecules such as carbohydrates, polymers and enzymes, and includes
Janice Vancleave's A+ Projects in Chemistry Winning Experiments for Science Fairs and Extra Credit
Janice Pratt VanCleave
Planning experiments, finding and recording information related
to the problem, organizing the data and sharing your findings.
You'll find most of the materials you need around the house
or classroom. Every activity has been pretested and can be performed
safely and cheaply in the classroom, at a science fair, or at
Fun, simple chemistry experiments and easy projects kids to teens in high school can do at home using household materials to create really cool chemical reactions.
Since chemistry is a process, not just a collection of facts,
homeschool children should be encouraged to do what real chemists do: make
predictions, design and modify experiments, make observations,
and draw reasonable conclusions. No liability for personal injury
or damage to property or facilities will be assumed by A to Z
Home's Cool in connection with these activities and experiments.
Be sure you understand lab
safety considerations before you start.
Test the pH of various water samples, such as pool water, tap
water, bottled water, pond water, fish tank water using a pool
kit capable of testing pH and various water samples.
Crystal Ornament AN A TO Z PAGE
Whether it's Christmas time or not, Borax crystals are easy to
create and lovely to look at.
Charcoal Crystal Garden
Colorful, small, delicate crystals grow on a charcoal or brick surface. You can also use pieces of sponge, coal, or crumbled cork to grow the crystals on.
Crystals are formed because the porous materials they grow on draw up the solution by capillary action.
Experimenting with Dry Ice is interesting and enjoyable. We have
compiled a list of our favorite Dry Ice experiments that are
easy to do. From Rock-It Science.
The demonstrations in this chapter present special hazards, since
most involve very hot or extremely cold substances, volatile
chemicals, fragile glassware, high pressure gases or evacuated
Wool Generating Heat
Chemical reactions occur every day all around us. A chemical
reaction is a process where one type of substance is chemically
converted to another substance.
Seltzer Student Science Experiments
The familiar fizzing you hear when you drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet
into a glass of water is the result of a chemical reaction. It's
also the perfect tool for demonstrating some very nifty science
Chemistry activities that use chemicals you can find at the grocery
or the hardware store.
There are full-colour worksheets and teaching notes for fun activities
suitable for a chemistry club, and around three hundred pages
of question sheets and practical guides for GCSE and A Level
Gak Recipe AN A TO Z PAGE
A visco-elastic substance, rather like putty, that is fun to
make and play with. Oobleck and Glorax recipes added March 2000.
Learn how to make a can collapse or make a balloon fireproof.
From Professor Shakhashiri.
Explore this virtual kitchen and perform online experiments to
solve a puzzle and get a reward. To see The Virtual Kitchen,
you'll need a plug-in called Flash. From PBS.
Formulas for lotions, potions, concoctions and remedies you can
make at home.
Soap You Can Use
Those textbook experiments are no good. Using this simple method
you can make a real bar of soap. It's quite alkaline at first,
so I warn my kids not to wash their face, but after a couple
of weeks it becomes less dangerous (and gets harder).
Hazards in Your Home
A lesson plan for a high school-level experiment identifying
household chemicals and understanding their possible effects.
To understand what is needed to achieve effective cleaning, it
is helpful to have a basic knowledge of soap and detergent chemistry.
For students, DIY hobbyists, and science buffs, who can no longer get real chemistry sets, this one-of-a-kind guide explains how to set up and use a home chemistry lab, with step-by-step instructions for conducting experiments in basic chemistry.
Whether you are studying chemistry for the first time on
your own, want to refresh your memory for a test, or need a little
help for a course, this concise, interactive guide gives you
a fresh approach to this fascinating subject.