Classroom Resources: Organic Chemistry
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Molecular Structure , Functional Groups, Isomers | High School
Lesson Plan: Organic Chemistry Unit Plan Mark as Favorite (7 Favorites)
The AACT high school classroom resource library has everything you need to put together a unit plan for your classroom: lessons, activities, labs, projects, and videos. We constructed a unit plan using AACT resources that is designed to provide your students with an introduction to organic chemistry through a short module.
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Functional Groups, Molecular Structure , Polarity | High School
Activity: Introduction to Functional Groups Mark as Favorite (9 Favorites)
In this activity, students will learn about the naming conventions for organic compounds and examine the functional groups of different molecules.
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Separating Mixtures, Identifying an Unknown, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure | High School
Lesson Plan: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Mark as Favorite (4 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about the development of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and how it used today. There are a series of activities to help promote literacy in the science classroom related to the reading. Through these activities students will learn how to interpret a skeletal structure, as well as the names and structures of several organic functional groups. Additionally, they will examine and evaluate a mass spectrum. This lesson could be easily used as plans for a substitute teacher, as most of the activities are self-guided.
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History, Observations, Identifying an Unknown, Molecular Structure , Functional Groups | High School
Lesson Plan: Introduction to Flavor Chemistry Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will read an article about flavor chemistry to learn about the science of tasting. There are a series of activities to help promote literacy in the science classroom related to the reading and help students experience what they’ve read about. One part, the Job Interview, could be used as plans for a substitute teacher since the activity is self-guided.
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Electromagnetic Spectrum, Heat, Radiation, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, History, Interdisciplinary, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure | High School
Lesson Plan: Mars Exploration with Infrared Spectrometers Mark as Favorite (11 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about how space scientists used infrared spectrometers to explore Mars through an article reading. Space exploration involves a lot of chemistry, which many students are surprised to learn. There are a series of activities to help promote literacy in the science classroom related to the reading. This lesson could be easily used as plans for a substitute teacher, as most of the activities are self-guided.
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Ionic Bonding, Covalent Bonding, Naming Compounds, Molecular Structure, Molecular Structure , Functional Groups, Polyatomic Ions, History | High School
Lesson Plan: The Development of Baking Powder Mark as Favorite (17 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about the chemistry behind baking powder through reading about its history and development over time. There are a series of activities to help promote literacy in the science classroom related to the reading. This lesson could be easily used as plans for a substitute teacher, as most of the activities are self-guided.
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Interdisciplinary, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 8: Is the Answer to Overfishing… Algae? Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
Omega-3s are an essential nutrient that humans have to get from fish. But many of the world’s wild fish species are in crisis because we’ve taken too many of them from the ocean. So the answer is to farm more of our fish, right? While fish-farming relieves some pressure on the ocean’s wild species, it also contributes to that pressure, since farmed fish are fed fishmeal made from wild-caught fish. That’s because fish don’t make their own Omega-3s either. Like us, they get them from their diet. Using technology that came out of the space program, scientists have developed a way to cut out the middle-fish from the food chain and harvest Omega-3s for fishmeal directly from the source: algae.
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Molecular Structure, Intermolecular Forces, Polarity, Polymers, Molecular Structure , Functional Groups, Polymers | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 6: Kill More Germs by Cleaning … Less? Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
There’s clean, and then there’s CLEAN. Even if something looks clean, it might still be harboring microbes – many of them harmless, some of them definitely not. With most of the ways that we clean and disinfect — that is, kill germs — the clean doesn’t last as long as you might think. Disinfectants work by attacking bacterial membranes and viral protein coats, breaking them down so that those germs fall apart and die. But the germaphobes were always right: As soon as a disinfectant dries, and a surface is re-exposed, like if someone touches or (worse) sneezes on it, it needs be disinfected all over again. The next generation of cleaning products, however, add a trick: they lay down an incredibly thin polymer layer that keeps the germ-killing ingredients in place and effective for 24 hours at a time.
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Molecular Structure, Intermolecular Forces, Polarity, Polymers, Molecular Structure , Functional Groups, Polymers | High School
Activity: Ingenious: Kill More Germs by Cleaning … Less? Video Questions Mark as Favorite (5 Favorites)
In this activity, students will answer questions while watching the video, Kill More Germs by Cleaning… Less?, from the Ingenious series produced by the American Chemical Society. Each episode investigates a different topic related to how leading-edge chemistry is taking on the world’s most urgent issues to advance everyone’s quality of life and secure our shared future. This episode investigates the chemistry of cleaning. Unfortunately, clean doesn’t last as long as you might think—this video examines how disinfectants work and also how long they lasts. Scientists share about the next generation of cleaning products, that keeps the germ-killing ingredients in place and effective much longer.
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Interdisciplinary, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure | High School
Activity: Ingenious: Is the Answer to Overfishing… Algae? Video Questions Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this activity, students will answer questions while watching the video, Is the Answer to Overfishing… Algae? from the Ingenious series produced by the American Chemical Society. Each episode investigates a different topic related to how leading-edge chemistry is taking on the world’s most urgent issues to advance everyone’s quality of life and secure our shared future. This episode investigates Omega-3’s, the essential nutrient that humans have to get from fish. However, fish don’t make their own Omega-3’s, and like humans, must get them from an important part of their diet, algae. But with over-fishing considerations and fish-farming limitations, scientists are working to develop a new way to harvest Omega-3’s to maintain stability.
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Molecular Structure , Functional Groups, Experimental Design, Interdisciplinary, Chemical Change | High School
Lab: Designing Biomimetic Songbird Preen Oil from Waste Cooking Oil Mark as Favorite (16 Favorites)
In this guided-inquiry lab, students will design and test a procedure reacting waste cooking oil in a blue cheese slurry to create a substance that mimics songbird preen oil, which is both antibacterial and hydrophobic. Students will convert the fatty acids in waste oil to methyl ketones, thought to be the principal antibacterial component of preen oil, using the P. roqueforti mold found in blue cheese. Students will expand their knowledge of biomimicry, inherent properties of preen oil, and chemical synthesis by applying the principles of green chemistry. They will also assess their own process through higher-order problem solving and building on their scientific research skills.
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Intermolecular Forces, Polarity, Molecular Structure, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure | High School
Lab: The Chemistry of Hand Sanitizer and Soap Mark as Favorite (132 Favorites)
In this lab, students will model the interaction between hand sanitizer particles and virus particles, as well as between soap particles and virus particles. They will apply their understanding of molecular structure and intermolecular forces to analyze their observations and behavior of the particles, in order to gain a better understanding of how soaps and sanitizers work.
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Molecular Structure , Functional Groups, Balancing Equations | High School
Lab: Esterfication Mark as Favorite (28 Favorites)
In this lab, students will make at least six esters from different combinations of available organic acids and alcohols. In addition, they will attempt to identify the scent of each ester that is created.
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Conservation of Mass, Renewable Energy, Balancing Equations, Chemical Change, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure | High School
Lab: Soap or Fuel? Mark as Favorite (30 Favorites)
In this lab, students will transform vegetable oil into a soft soap and into biodiesel fuel. The two reactions emphasize that the products of a chemical reaction are under the control of the chemist. By noting the relationship of the reaction product to the reactants, students will gain a deeper understanding of the law of conservation of matter.
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Reduction, Classification of Reactions, Redox Reaction, Functional Groups, Chemical Change | High School
Lab: Silver Test Tube Holiday Ornament Mark as Favorite (21 Favorites)
In this lab, students will carry out a reduction reaction in order to create a silver-plated test tube that can be used as a holiday ornament.
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Cracking, Chemical Change, Functional Groups, Combustion | High School
Demonstration: Cracking Reaction Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this demo, students will witness a cracking reaction. They will verify the products by exposing the products to three side reactions.
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Pharmaceuticals, Functional Groups, Identifying an Unknown, Chemical Properties, Observations | High School
Lab: Over the Counter Drugs Mark as Favorite (39 Favorites)
In this lab, students will do some research about common over the counter drugs and then carry out some chemical tests to learn more about their composition. They will then identify an unknown drug sample.
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Condensation, Chemical Change, Functional Groups, Lewis Structures | High School
Lab: Condensation Reaction Mark as Favorite (11 Favorites)
In this lab, students will use Lewis structures to explain the mechanism of an organic condensation reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, also known as an esterification reaction.
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Molecular Formula, Functional Groups, Molecular Structure, Saturated vs. Unsaturated, Molecular Structure , Oxidation | High School
Lesson Plan: Chocolate: The New Health Food Mark as Favorite (25 Favorites)
Explore emergency lesson plans from ChemMatters magazine.
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Molecular Formula, History, Functional Groups, Covalent Bonding, Molecular Structure | High School
Activity: Napoleon's Buttons Writing Assignment Mark as Favorite (25 Favorites)
In this activity, students read Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson’s book Napoleon’s Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History. They discuss the book in class and complete a written assignment based on the chemistry and history highlighted in the book.