Students gain an understanding of the difference between electrical conductors and insulators, and experience recognizing a conductor by its material properties. In a hands-on activity, students build a conductivity tester to determine whether different objects are conductors or insulators. In another activity, students use their understanding of electrical properties to choose appropriate materials to design and build their own basic circuit switch.

Chemical kinetics and buffers are two topics that are extremely difficult for students to understand. Combining the two topics will allow for a staggered, repetitive approach to teaching students to understand of how these two topics in chemistry actually work. Students will both qualitatively and quantitatively track the effect and enzyme has on a reaction, calculate the reaction rate and buffer capacity. Students will use a variety of lab techniques including calculations using Beer’s Law and spectrophotometry.

Students are introduced to acids and bases, and the environmental problem of acid rain. They explore ways to use indicators to distinguish between acids and bases. Students also conduct a simple experiment to model and discuss the harmful effects of acid rain on our living and non-living environment, as well as how engineers address acid rain. In an associated literacy activity, students learn how persuasive techniques are used to develop an argument, and create an environmental case study.

In a class demonstration, the teacher places different pill types ("chalk" pill, gel pill, and gel tablet) into separate glass beakers of vinegar, representing human stomach acid. After 20-30 minutes, the pills dissolve. Students observe which dissolve the fastest, and discuss the remnants of the various pills. What they learn contributes to their ongoing objective to answer the challenge question presented in lesson 1 of this unit.

Students take advantage of the natural ability of red cabbage juice to perform as a pH indicator to test the pH of seven common household liquids. Then they evaluate the accuracy of the red cabbage indicator, by testing the pH of the liquids using an engineer-designed tool, pH indicator strips. Like environmental engineers working on water remediation or water treatment projects, understanding the chemical properties (including pH) of contaminants is important for safeguarding the health of environmental water sources and systems.

Students learn about the properties of solutions—such as ion interactions, surface tension and viscosity—as they make their own soap and shampoo and then compare their properties. Working as if they are chemical engineers, they explore and compare how the two surfactants behave in tap water, as well as classroom-prepared acidic water, hard water and seawater using four tests: a “shake test” (assessing the amount of bubbles produced), a surface tension test, a viscosity test, and a pH test. Then they coalesce their findings into a recommendation for how to engineer the best soap versus shampoo. The activity may be shortened by using purchased liquid soap and shampoo from which students proceed to conduct the four tests. A lab worksheet and post-quiz are provided.

Naming compounds is one of the most fudemental skills in general chemistry. Most likely you will be required to know naming rules for the reaminder of the semester! So how do you make sense of all of these rules? Take a look belwo for a systematic way to naming all basic general chemistry compounds. At the end of the module you should be able to...Idetify what time of bond a molecule conatinsDetermine the name from fromula for basic compoundsDetermine the formula form a name for basic compoundsAppropriately and correctly utilize the stock systemUtilize prefixes in naming basic organic compoundsCorresponding OpenStax Textbook Section 2.6, 2.7Types of BondsCovalent Naming RulesIonic Naming RulesPolyatomic Ion Naming RulesAcid Naming RulesIntroduction to Organic Naming 

Through relevant videos, connections to young adult literature, and hands-on exploration, students are introduced to the challenge of providing clean water and sanitation through a global lens.Additionally, students go on a “water walk” to experience the challenges that some people face each day as they locate and collect clean water.The goal of the unit is to ground the activities in a culture of empathy. Furthermore, students participate in an engineering design challenge in which they build a water filter that is both cost-efficient and effective in changing the pH and turbidity of the water samples.Finally, students have the opportunity to share their learning with peers and local experts through a sales presentation as they pitch their device and findings.Standards:CCSS English Language Arts (Grade 7)CCSS Math (Grade 7)Ohio Standards for Science (Grade 7)

Test the pH of things like coffee, spit, and soap to determine whether each is acidic, basic, or neutral. Visualize the relative number of hydroxide ions and hydronium ions in solution. Switch between logarithmic and linear scales. Investigate whether changing the volume or diluting with water affects the pH. Or you can design your own liquid!