Education Technology

Best of Chemistry Activities for the Fall Semester

Posted 10/09/2020 by Erick Archer

The ScienceNspired.com website is an excellent resource for any science teacher looking for lessons and content that can be used either in person or online. The colorful and engaging simulations help bring the concepts to life for students by enabling them to test variables and challenge their own ideas. Take a look at some of the best chemistry activities below. These are just a few of the many activities available for free with your TI-Nspire™ CX Premium Teacher Software or TI-Nspire™ CX or TI-Nspire™ CX II graphing calculator. Don’t have the software? Click here to get started.

1. Skills of Science: Tool — Periodic Table
This is a great tool for chemistry students. The Texas Instruments periodic table is completely interactive and offers rich detail for each element. It’s a must-have for every chemistry student!

Screenshots from the Periodic Table activity
Screenshots from the Periodic Table activity.

2. Atomic Structure and Periodic Table: Periodicity of Properties
This lesson is great for introducing the concepts of periodicity and the periodic table. The lesson provides some history about the development of the periodic table, how it works and the patterns it reveals.

Screenshots from the Periodicity of Properties activity
Screenshots from the Periodicity of Properties activity.

3. Atomic Structure and Periodic Table: Build an Atom (HS)
This is a great way to introduce students to the structure of the atom. They will construct atoms with neutrons, protons and electrons, all while discovering the patterns of atomic number, atomic mass and properties of different atoms. Students then play a fun game to test their knowledge. This is based on the popular Phet simulations.

Screenshots from the Build an Atom activity
Screenshots from the Build an Atom activity.

4. Atomic Structure and Periodic Table: Elements — Electron Configurations
Discovering how the periodic table is organized can be both rewarding and daunting. This activity helps by giving students the ability to explore the various periods and groups to see how it works and reveal the patterns.

Screenshots from the Electron Configurations activity
Screenshots from the Electron Configurations activity.

5. Chemical Bonding: Intermolecular Forces
So much of chemistry is invisible to students. We can sense the beginnings and results of chemical reactions, but we can’t see what happens at the atomic level. This activity attempts to help students understand intermolecular and intramolecular forces through several animations. This is a great way to introduce a very abstract concept.

Screenshots from the Intermolecular Forces activity.
Screenshots from the Intermolecular Forces activity.

6. Chemical Formula: Ionic Compounds — Why Am I Charged?
When you are ready to introduce charges and bonding with students, start with this simulation-based activity. It goes over the basics of anions/cations and how charges work. Students can test their abilities by choosing from many different ions.

Screenshots from the Why Am I Charged? activity.
Screenshots from the Why Am I Charged? activity.

7. Chemical Formula: Writing Chemical Formulas
Learning the rules of writing chemical formulas and then applying them takes a lot of practice. This TI-Nspire™ lesson enables students to try lots of combinations of cations and anions.

creenshots from the Writing Chemical Formulas activity.
Screenshots from the Writing Chemical Formulas activity.


About the author: Erick Archer is a Market Strategy Manager at Texas Instruments and works with science and STEM teachers in the implementation of TI technology. He is also a former high school science teacher, father of two sons, married to his high school sweetheart and LOVES baseball.