Nomenclature Worksheets

 The key to learning how to name chemical compounds is to practice.  Here is a tutorial and worksheet with the answer key.  Here is another worksheet and answer key.  My kids literally practice hundreds of formulas.

Chemistry: How to Name Acids!

 One topic in inorganic nomenclature gives kids fits: Naming Acids.  Below is the song I use to name acids.  Below is a video I made explaining how to name acids.  Hope these help!

Apologia Chemistry: Ionic Formula Nomenclature

 I took some pix today.  The teens did Flinn’s activity: Putting the Ions in Their Hands.  Thursday, the kids are creating the compounds and naming them.  We spent 90 minutes making and naming ionic compounds.  Trust me!  It’s worth the investment of time!  I have the kids complete and correct their answers.  Two of the kids met remotely via Google Meet this morning.  I sent them the links before class.

Just below is a completed example.  One teen met remotely and sent me his pix.  I load the images into Jamboard, correct them, and send back screen shots.  The most common error is omitting the Roman numerals.

  

Apologia Chemistry: Name Ionic Compounds Lab

 I posted the video and links here for the ionic compound naming activity.   Thursday, the kids are doing the Forming and Naming Ionic Compounds lab.  However, the kids are doing an inquiry version.

1. I have prepared and separated several cations,  including Pb+2, Ag+, and Cu+2 and anions, including OH-, HCO3-, and acetate.  I made up solutions with compounds I had on hand.  I ordered silver nitrate and lead II nitrate for this lab.  Both form many precipitates.  Look at the lab instructions for compounds.  Baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, is the anion HCO3-.  Vinegar, acetic acid, is the source for acetate ion, C2H3O2-.  Copper II sulfate is cheap and the source of the copper ion, Cu+2.  I’m using sodium hydroxide, NaOH for OH- ion and hydrochloric acid HCl, for the Cl- ion.  This lab approach immediately reinforces the ionic formula naming activity.

2.  The teens will make their own charts.

3. The kids will use their ion kit to name the compounds formed in the lab.  For example, Pb+2 combines with OH-.  The kids need to write and name the formula, Pb(OH)2, lead (II) hydroxide.  They may use the cation and anion cards and the ion formula chart to write and name the ionic compounds.  

Sets of TI Calculators

Good Will online has sets of Math Explorer calculators with the caddies.  These calculators are useful for elementary students.  I like to have a caddy with calculators for my Co-op.  I they are easy to store on a shelf.

Apologia Biology: Pickle Dissection

 Thank you, Social Media!  Have you heard of a pickle dissection?  This is a new one for me.  The idea is to teach Anatomical Terminology, planes, words such as dorsal or abdominal.  For some reason, my family and teens I teach are so squeamish about dissections!  This is an inexpensive way to teach anatomical terms used in dissections for even your most squeamish students of any age.

Apologia Chemistry: More Heat Labs!

 Today, the teens in my Chem Co-op class did the Heating Curve of Water lab and crushed cans or Condensing Steam in an Enclosed Vessel, Experiment 4.3.  The kids did not use lab instructions.  Instead, I showed them this Heating Curve for Water and discussed phase changes.  We talked about how to graph the heat curve with temperature and time data.  The kids filled glass beakers 3/4 full of ice and heated the ice on a hot plate.  They took temperature measurements every minute.  The kids submitted Heat curve graphs and paragraphs with explanations why the can crushes. The teens were able to perform both labs, graph, and write paragraphs in 90 minutes.  

 

Chemistry on a Budget: Equipment

With rising inflation, it’s increasingly difficult to find a bargain—especially for lab equipment.  My Chem class has 13 teens.  I needed more test tube racks and test tube clamps.  I had exactly one test tube brush.  Sci-Supply has inexpensive lab equipment.  I just bought four test tube racks, one pack of ten test tube brushes, and three clamps for $32.93 with tax and shipping.  The shipping was $10.  (Home Science Tools has a test tube rack for $4.95.  HST may be the better buy if you are ordering one rack, a few test tubes, and lab chemicals, in terms of the cost of shipping.). Several science stores sell wooden test tube racks.  Ha!  Buy clothespins instead!  See if your local Dollar Tree has clothespins in stock.

Apologia Chemistry: Module 9 VESPR Models

 I just saw the image below on Social Media.  The models below are VESPR models, a topic discussed in Module 9.  So why bring this up now?  Save your plastic water bottles!  See if you can find large styrofoam balls at a discount!  Ideally, each teen can make their own set of models to use to understand VESPR.  

Apologia Chemistry: More Heat labs!

 When I do heat labs, I like to do several.  We aren’t doing Module 4 yet.  However, we are doing two more heat labs: Experiment 4.3, Condensing Steam in an Enclosed Vessel, and  Phase Changes or Heating Curve of Water Lab.  We’re crushing cans and watching water boil tomorrow.  There is an extensive video demonstrating how to crush cans below.  

The other lab, Heating Curve of Water Lab, is akin to watching paint dry.  The kids collect the data and graph ice melting and water boiling.  Here is a heating curve graph.  Immediately below is a screenshot of a more typical graph of a heating curve.

  In between, we’re working on Specific Heat problems.  If time permits, I’ll post a step by step video explaining my techniques for solving word problems when kids struggle with Algebra.

Color Code and Annotate the Periodic Table

 Today, the Chem Co-op class is going to annotate and Color Code the Periodic Table in class.  Basically, the kids will name and color the families among the elements.  We spend time reviewing the origins of names of the elements, too.  I include the Chalcogens and Pnictogens.  Below is an example.  I took a photo of the names of the families.  We color-coded the tables with the same family colors the kids used for their Summer Assignments.  We discussed briefly the numbering systems used for Periodic Tables.  There are many, many different Periodic Tables; take a look at this Gallery.  Today, we just named families.