American Chemical Society

Cleaning Water with Dirt
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In this activity on page 7 of the PDF (Water in Our World), learners make their own water treatment systems for cleaning water.

Avi's Sensational Salt Dough
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In this activity on page 5 of the PDF, learners mimic the process for making bricks. Learners shape and bake creations from a dough that is made from flour, salt, and water.

Dissolving Different Liquids in Water
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In this activity, learners add different liquids to water and apply their working definition of “dissolving” to their observations.

Veggies with Vigor
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In this activity, learners try to revive wilted celery. Learners discover that plants wilt when their cells lose water through evaporation. Use this activity to introduce capillary action.

Disappearing Statues
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In this activity (on page 8), learners model how marble statues and buildings are affected by acid rain.

Air, It's Really There
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This lesson focuses on molecular motion in gases. Learners compare the mass of a basketball when it is deflated and after it has been inflated.

Upside-Down Town
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In this activity, learners explore ray optics. Learners discover that they can use a magnifying glass to create an upside-down image.

Temperature Affects the Solubility of Gases
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In this activity, learners heat and cool carbonated water to find out whether temperature has an effect on how fast the dissolved gas leaves carbonated water.

Change in Temperature: Endothermic Reaction
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Learners investigate signs of a chemical reaction when they mix vinegar and baking soda. In addition to a gas being produced, learners also notice the temperature decreases.

Playtime Paint
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In this activity on page 9 of the PDF, learners make their own paint using chalk as a pigment and glue and water as binders. This activity introduces learners to special mixtures called suspensions.