9th Grade Speed Of Chemical Reaction Lesson Plan Example (Science)

Topic: speed of chemical reaction

Objectives & Outcomes

• Understand the concept of chemical reaction and its factors affecting it.

Introduction

• Definition of chemical reaction
• Factors affecting the speed of chemical reactions

Materials

• Gases (e.g. hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, methane)
• Solids (e.g. sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate)
• A beaker
• A stirrer (e.g. magnetic stirrer or mechanical stirrer)
• Timer or clock
• Pen and paper for note-taking

Warm-up

• Ask students to think of a chemical reaction they have seen before, and ask them to describe it.
• Write their responses on the board.
• Discuss the responses as a class, and point out the concept of chemical reaction.

Direct Instruction

• Define chemical reaction, and explain that it is a process in which two or more substances combine to form a new substance with different properties.
• Discuss the factors that affect the speed of a chemical reaction, including:
• The nature of the reactants: the more similar the reactants are, the faster the reaction will be.
• The temperature: a higher temperature increases the energy of the molecules, which increases the rate of the reaction.
• The presence of a catalyst: a catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed.
• Use the handouts to provide examples of each factor, and have students share their own examples as well.

Guided Practice

• Have students work in small groups to research a specific chemical reaction that takes place in their environment (e.g. the reaction that occurs when an acidic substance is combined with a base).
• Have each group present their reaction to the class, and discuss the factors that affect its speed.
• Ask students to come up with their own theories as to why the reaction occurs at a certain speed, and have them share their thoughts with the class.

Independent Practice

• Have students conduct a simple experiment to measure the speed of a specific chemical reaction (e.g. the reaction between baking soda and vinegar).
• Have students record their observations and then use their data to create a graph showing the relationship between time and the speed of the reaction.
• Have students use their graph to make predictions about the speed of the reaction under different conditions (e.g. varying the concentration of the reactants, increasing the temperature, etc.).

Closure

• Have students share their predictions and explain why they think the speed of the reaction will change under different conditions.
• Discuss the importance of being able to measure and understand the speed of chemical reactions, and how this can help us better understand and predict natural processes (e.g. how quickly carbon dioxide is absorbed by plants in the atmosphere, how quickly pollutants are broken down in the environment, etc.).

Assessment

• Observe students during the guided practice activity and provide feedback on their ability to correctly measure the speed of a given chemical reaction and explain their conclusions.
• Evaluate students' independent practice project reports based on their ability to conduct a controlled experimental trial, acquire and accurately record data, and use the data to draw conclusions about the effect of different conditions on the speed of the reaction.