I have some facts about oxygen for kids and a cool underwater flame experiment. Also, look at my post Homeschool High School Chemistry & Free Reference Sheet and Resources for more ideas.
Oxygen is a fascinating gas.
And without it we wouldn’t be able to live.
The ancient Greeks thought air was made of just one thing, and they called it “aether.”
Animals, humans, and even some microorganisms need it for survival.
And it helps us breathe, move, and stay alive.
And the best part? Plants, trees, and algae make the oxygen we need to breathe.
It is truly a life-giving gas.
CHEMISTRY BOOKS FOR KIDS
First, look at these books about chemistry.
12 Chemistry Books & Resources for Kids of All Ages
But first here are some resources that are a great introduction and more to chemistry for kids.
Discover fun facts about the greatest scientists from history through Basher's fresh and unique illustration style.
Did you know that Marie Curie used to keep radioactive materials in her pockets? Or that Mendeleyev literally dreamed up his famous periodic table? Superstars of Science tells the stories behind the big ideas in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, mathematics, cosmology, earth sciences, and engineering. Read about 40 great scientists including Newton and Einstein who produced theories that explained the way in which the Universe works, Crick and Watson who uncovered the structure of DNA, and Alexander Graham Bell who had the big idea that became the telephone. Each one of these greats of science has had some vital flash of insight that has changed the way we see the world and the way we live. Come meet the superstars of science!
Discover the secrets of chemistry, and learn about the properties of matter and the ways in which they interact, combine and change. Chemistry is a compelling guide to a community of characters who make up everything around us.
This book is a classic in the field of popular science. Standard reading since the 1930s, it is one of the few histories of chemistry to concentrate on the lives of the great chemists. Through these dramatic and human stories, it gives an authoritative and entertaining account of the great discoveries and advances in this scientific field. After many printings in three previous editions, this book has been newly revised by the author for this fourth edition. Beginning with Trevisan and his lifelong search for the "philosopher's stone," the author narrates the lives and discoveries of such towering figures as Paracelsus and his chemical treatment of disease; Priestley looking for phlogiston and finding oxygen and carbon dioxide, Lavoisier creating a new language of chemistry; Dalton and his Atomic Theory; Avogadro and the idea of molecules, Mendeleeff arranging the table of elements under his Periodic Law; the Curies isolating radium; Thomson discovering the electron; Moseley and his Law of Atomic Numbers; Lawrence and the construction of the cyclotron; and more. Probably the most dramatic chapter in the book, the account of the development of nuclear fission, ends the story of chemistry at its most monumental achievement.
You’ll be amazed at all you can learn from this favorite drink – what’s in it, why it fizzes, what you can do with it, the containers it’s in, and more!
Napoleon's Buttons is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly influenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules resulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred advances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance-which, in turn, can result in great historical shifts.
If you want your child to be able to explore and complete some simple chemistry experiments without running around grabbing all the items an all in on kit is just the thing to add to your chemistry studies.
Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters? The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. The Disappearing Spoon masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery -- from the Big Bang through the end of time.
Chemistry EditionChemistry Fluxx is the perfect compound of chance, skill and strategy-use atoms and laboratory tools to match the current goal of the game and win! The rules are always changing in Fluxx. The Keepers, Goals, Rules and Action cards determine how the game will be played.
For students, DIY hobbyists, and science buffs, who can no longer get real chemistry sets, this one-of-a-kind guide explains how to set up and use a home chemistry lab, with step-by-step instructions for conducting experiments in basic chemistry -- not just to make pretty colors and stinky smells, but to learn how to do real lab work:
- Purify alcohol by distillation
- Produce hydrogen and oxygen gas by electrolysis
- Smelt metallic copper from copper ore you make yourself
- Analyze the makeup of seawater, bone, and other common substances
- Synthesize oil of wintergreen from aspirin and rayon fiber from paper
- Perform forensics tests for fingerprints, blood, drugs, and poisons
- and much more
Written for lay readers, provides an introduction to the principles of chemistry and includes quotations from popular literature to show how chemistry and everyday life intertwine.
If you have ever suspected that "heavy water" is the title of a bootleg Pink Floyd album, believed that surface tension is an anxiety disorder, or imagined that a noble gas is the result of a heavy meal at Buckingham Palace, then you need The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry to set you on the road to chemical literacy.
You don't need to be a scientist to grasp these and many other complex ideas, because The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry explains them all: the history and basics of chemistry, atomic theory, combustion, solubility, reaction stoichiometry, the mole, entropy, and much more—all explained in simple, clear, and yes, funny illustrations. Chemistry will never be the same!
AIR IS NOT OXYGEN is a fun way to brush up on essential science concepts you missed in school. (Admit it. You probably thought you had better things to do than study!) Clear, short chapters focus on mastering key concepts instead of memorizing facts. Dozens of optional hands-on activities make science come alive! In a style described as “Dave Barry meets Bill Nye with a touch of the Mythbusters,” award-winning author, Bill Morelan, debunks common misconceptions about basic science. Reflecting both the National Science Content Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards, AIR IS NOT OXYGEN covers Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Science Methods.A fun, informative read, AIR IS NOT OXYGEN helps fill the gaps in your science education. (Never be humiliated by science geeks again!) Perfect for sharing, or as a handy basic reference tool. Makes a great book for kids, too.
Then, look at these 10 facts about oxygen for kids.
10 FACTS ABOUT OXYGEN FOR KIDS
- Joseph Priestley discovered the gas we now know as oxygen in 1774.
- Oxygen is the third most abundant element in the universe.
- It comes from a Greek word that means “acid-former”.
- The air around us is made up of about 21% oxygen.
- It’s a colorless, odorless gas.
- Oxygen is important for fires to burn. Without oxygen, a fire can’t keep going.
- The air contains other gases, like nitrogen (about 78%) and small amounts of carbon dioxide. But oxygen is the one we need most to survive.
- Oxygen is also in water (H2O), which is why we need it to survive.
- Animals, humans, and even some microorganisms rely on it for survival.
- Oxygen is what makes fires burn and without it, fire can’t keep going.
Next, look at some of these hands-on activities.
MORE HANDS-ON CHEMISTRY ACTIVITIES
- How To Make A Fun Periodic Table Notes Game With Kids
- Easy Atom Model Project: How To Create A Fun Lego Version
- 2 Fun Chemistry for Kids Experiments & John Dalton Notebooking Pages
- 21 Fun Chemistry Homeschool Ideas for Kids
- 10 Popular High School Chemistry Homeschool Curriculum
- Easy Hands-On Science: Label the Atom Playdough Activity
- Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History – Fun Hands-On Activity
- Air Is Not Oxygen: Essential Science You Should Have Learned … But Probably Didn’t!
Finally, look at how to do an underwater flame experiment to learn about oxygen.
HOW TO DO AN UNDERWATER FLAME EXPERIMENT & FREE PRINTABLE
Look at this list of supplies.
Supplies:
- Large bowl (glass preferred for better visibility)
- Tea light
- Lighter
- Water
- Glass
- Adult supervision required
First, gather all the supplies need.
Fill a large glass bowl with water.
Carefully place an unlit tea light in the water.
Light the tea light.
Invert the glass over the lit tea light.
Slowly and carefully push the cup to the bottom of the bowl. Wait a few seconds.
Then slowly bring the glass back up and notice the tea light is still lit!
How is this possible?! Because of oxygen or air!
The air in the glass takes up spaces preventing water from entering the cup, allowing the flame to stay lit!
Will the flame go out?
Eventually, if the tea light stays under the water the flame will be extinguished because the oxygen in the glass will run out.
HOW TO GET THE FREE UNDERWATER FLAME EXPERIMENT PRINTABLE
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