Resources

Chemistry Inquiry Science

  • PhotoStory Inquiry Resources
    Sample rough draft lesson plan for the "inquiry version of essential oil" lab.  This is a rough draft of a possible lesson plan for the "extraction of essential oils lab, inquiry version" in the 5 E's format.
  • Cookbook lab to inquiry:Turning the essential oil lab into inquiry, Microsoft Word 2003 version.  Did you have trouble opening up the "Turning the essential oil lab into inquiry" document above? It is a Microsoft Word 2007 document. Try opening this one. It is the same document but in Word 2003.
  • Essential Oil Lab (teacher version) 14.2 MB
    This Photo Story (14.2 MB) describes the step by step procedure to extract essential oils using the process of distillation. This is the teacher version and describes the use of Vodka as the ethyl alcohol. The student version does not use Vodka but uses ethyl alcohol purchased from a chemical supply company. As the teacher, you should either dilute the denatured ethyl alcohol (you can experiment to find the best dilution ratio for your chosen substance) or you can use a diluted form of ethyl alcohol such as vodka. Using this lab to teach inquiry content expectations are described separately.
  • Essential Oil Lab (student version) 13.8 MB
    This Photo Story (13.8 MB)describes the step by step procedure to extract essential oils using the process of distillation. This is the student version and describes the use of ethyl alcohol purchased from a chemical supply company as the carrier of the essential oil. If you are using denatured ethyl alcohol you will want to dilute it before you use it by adding distilled water.
  • Essential Oil Lab (teacher version 2.12 MB)
    This teacher version is the same as the teacher version above except that it is a smaller file size. If downloaded, the screen will be much smaller than the teacher version above.
  • Essential Oil Lab (student version 2 MB)
    This photo story is the same as the student version above except that it is a smaller file size. Thus, the screen image will be very small.
  • Photo Story 3 tutorial
    Photo Story 3 is a free Microsoft product that brings digital photos to life. Combine photos with voice narration, text, movement, and a musical background to create a digital story or keepsake after an event. Photo Story is for PCs running Windows XP or better.
  • Buttemer article: Inquiry on Board
    This article can be used with the essential oil lab as a guide for students who have never done any inquiry science.
  • Assessing inquiry
    This article can give some guidance on possible ways to assess inquiry.
  • Chemistry Inquiry
    On this site you will find a wealth of resources for teaching high school chemistry more effectively using guided inquiry lesson plans.
  • Antacid Inquiry Lesson by Teresa Colangelo, Concord HS
       * Lesson Plan
       * Antacid Table
       * Project
       * Analysis Questions
  • Five bottle inquiry lab from Mark Keller Center Line HSI wrote this lab a few years ago to use after we cover precipitations and neutralizations. Students have no other materials other than test tubes and the unknowns. When a group thinks they know what's in which bottle, they come to me as a group and present their evidence. I ask questions and if their logic holds water, they're done. If not, I suggest experiments they might try. This set of chemicalsrequires a good knowledge of double replacements. They never forget this lab. Mark Keller, Center Line HS, kellerm@clps.org 
       * The five bottle lab 
       * Complete set of documents for lab.  Here's a complete set of the five bottle lab papers. For a beginning class I do the three bottle paper as a demo, then have the work out the four bottle paper as a pre lab assignment, then into the lab for the five bottle challenge. They are not allowed any other equipment than test tubes. No litmus paper or indicators, no internet. I've included my code sheet and the concentrations that give the expected results.  Ca(OH)2 is a tricky product to get right. Most solubility rules tables say it's soluble. These concetrations produce results that are consistent with that.  Mark Keller, Center Line HS, kellerm@clps.org
             -  The five bottle lab 
             -  Five bottle lab code 
             -  Four bottle Practice lab 
             -  Three bottle practice lab
  • Chemistry Success in 20 minutes per day.  This is an e-book from Mel.org

Chemistry Companion Document

 

ACT, MME, and Inquiry Content Expectations

Research articles on helping struggling students

Formative Assessment Resources

Unit 1 Atomic Theory

General Chemistry Links

Additional Resources

Michigan Merit Curriculum 
(Personal Curriculum for students with an IEP)

Intervention Strategies for Chemistry
(by Jeff Weller and Angela Jenkins Roosevelt High School, Wyandotte, MI)

Chemistry Sample Pacing Guide