The Best of ClickSchooling!® Science - Chemistry
By Diane Flynn Keith
ClickSchooling is a free e-newsletter that provides a daily review
of an educational website that parents and teachers can use to help children and students learn every
subject imaginable. Diane Flynn Keith has been publishing ClickSchooling since 2000.
Chemistry
Grades: 4 and up
This site uses humor, interesting text, and colorful illustrations to
explain basic chemistry concepts such as: matter, elements, atoms, and
reactions. It also demonstrates how math is useful in chemistry. One of
the best features at this site is the option to take the "Tour"
that highlights the main points. Once you've taken the tour, you can view
the site map or do a search to explore concepts of interest (or confusion!)
in more depth. This site serves as a great introduction to chemistry for
kids!
Grades: 3-12
Keep your chemistry knowledge sharp with the quizzes on this website! When
you get to the site click on a grade or age range. A new screen pops up with
a few multiple-choice quizzes. Click on a quiz, select the best answer to
each question, and then click on "My score please..." at the bottom
of the screen. You will be given a percent grade and the opportunity to take
the test again or go on to the next one. Even if you have never officially
studied chemistry, it's fun to try your hand at the quizzes and find out
what you do or don't know. Then you can go back to some of the suggested links
to fill in any knowledge gaps. This site also offers links to chemistry homework
help, science fair projects, periodic table downloads, and more!
Grades: 6 and up
This is so cool! For those of you used to seeing a periodic table of elements
in a chemistry textbook or on a poster — this is a visual and interactive treat!
At this site you can view the most updated version of the Periodic Table of
Elements. You can also click on each element in the chart and find out it's
name, symbol, atomic number and weight, and a description. There's more! You
can read about its history, physical data, electronic data, compounds, uses,
nuclear data, structure, and learn about that element in sciences like biology
and geology as well! There are a few interactive games and quizzes sprinkled
throughout the data that reinforce the concepts and make learning fun. This
provides a great way to enhance any study of chemistry.
Grades: All
What a way to introduce chemistry to your kids - through comics! When you
get to this site you will see some comic book characters and a periodic
table of elements. Click on an element (like Oxygen) on the Periodic Table
and another screen pops up with thumbnail sketches of comic strips that have
featured that element. Click on the thumbnail to reveal the entire comic strip.
I had forgotten how many comics feature scientific terminology and in particular
chemical elements. Some that do include oldies but goodies like "Ricky
Nelson," "Batman," "Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge," and
the more modern "Strange Tales." Once you've read the comic strip about
an element you can click on the icon quot;Webelementsquot; and be transported to
an interactive Periodic Table of Elements where you can get the real scientific
scoop on that element.
Note: I know the content of some comics may be questionable,
and while I didn't find anything objectionable in the ones I reviewed, I would
recommend parents preview the site or visit it with your children. As I mentioned,
the comics featured at this site range from Disney to DC—so there should be
something to suit everyone.
Grades: K-12
At this site, sponsored by the Southeastern Michigan Math-Science Learning
Coalition, you will find many hands-on, fun, and interesting Chemistry
lessons divided into categories for: Early Elementary, Later Elementary,
Middle School, and High School. They have drawn from science resources all
over the Internet to create this Chemistry Lessons site.
The lessons are fun and hands-on, and can generally be accomplished with
items you may already have around the house, or at the very least with
materials that are not too expensive to purchase (although you may have
to expand your shopping stops beyond the local supermarket or drug store).
So, be sure to plan ahead and have the materials on hand before you get
started. All lessons contain colorful pictures, easy-to-read-and-comprehend
text that explains the science behind the experiment, suggestions for stories
you can tell to grab your student's interest in the subject prior to performing
the experiments, and even suggestions on where to purchase the items you will
need to do the experiments. Not only that, some of the lessons even discuss
careers where you would use this kind of science! Take a look at a couple of
the experiment titles under each grade level category to get an idea of the
variety offered:
Early Elementary:
- Engineering Toothpaste - make your own toothpaste with chemicals from nature!
- If I Have Acid In My Stomach - Why Don't I Melt? -- the answer is "snot" what you think!
Later Elementary:
- Make Plastic Out of Milk - and you thought it could only be made out of oil based products!
- Novocain - examining pain killers and the nerve's response to it.
- Where Does Jell-O Really Come From - is it really made from cow hooves?
Middle School:
- Make Your Own Paint - use red bricks and eggs for your next paint project!
- Lemon Power - make a battery from a lemon!
- Playing with Polymers - use glue and borax to make a "Silly Putty" look-alike!
High School:
- Antacid Tablet Race - understanding rocket propellants by investigating Rolaids & Tums
- Liquid Nitrogen Fun - dry ice experiments!
And the hits just keep on coming! Have fun!
If you find a dead link, please notify us by sending an email to
ClickSchooling@Homefires.com.
|
