Apologia Chemistry: Back to School! Back to Moles!

The class spent most of the period reviewing the Percent Composition minilab and the the Weighing Moles lab.  We took the data and calculated the theoretical yield, experimental yield, and percent error for several hydrates.  We reviewed how to convert mass of elements and compounds into moles.

We spent the rest of the class doing What is Percent Composition? with quarters, nickels, and dimes.  I gave the coins to each child with a scale and asked what information they could derive.  The kids counted and weighed the coins.  They calculated the quarters as a percent of the total value and as percent by mass.  We did this for the nickels and dimes, too.  The idea is to understand empirical formulas.  Thursday, I am going to give the kids a combination of quarters and show how to use the mass percent to determine the empirical formula.  Here is a worksheet with an answer key.  I plan to do the Beanium lab and explain isotopes. 

Here are a few photos.  Note the  timelines below.  I like to include completed work as documentation our Co-op completes the work described.  As part of the timelines the kids has a worksheet and were to document the scientists' contributions to the development of the Atomic Theory.  Just as you would expect, I got some of the work--but not all of the work.  Sigh.  Thursday I will explain just what they are missing.  Again.