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Science lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 30 minutes

Reactants, products and word equations

Chemical reactions, acids and bases

CCSS NGSS.MS-PS1-2CCSS NGSS.MS-PS1-5England: KS3 Chemistry: Chemical reactions

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Reactants, products and word equations.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Physical and chemical changes

Leads to: Neutralisation and naming salts; Exothermic and endothermic reactions; Balancing chemical equations

Materials: Teacher demo or video, Indicator color chart, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Physical and chemical changes). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is this a physical or a chemical change: ice melting? (physical change / chemical change) → physical changePrompt: Is a new substance made?
  2. A nail left outside turns orange-brown and flaky. What has happened? (Paint fell on it / Iron reacted with oxygen and water to make rust / The nail melted / The nail dissolved) → Iron reacted with oxygen and water to make rustPrompt: Rusting needs both air and water.
  3. Physical and chemical changes: which statement is NOT true? (Rusting needs both oxygen and water. / Melting is a chemical change. / Burning is a chemical change. / Dissolving is a physical change.) → Melting is a chemical change.Prompt: Does each change make a new substance?

Hook · 3 min

  • Drop an antacid tablet in water (or show a clip) and ask whether a new substance is being made.
  • Share the objective: Reactants, products and word equations. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Complete the word equation: calcium + oxygen → ___
  • Step 1: calcium + oxygen → calcium oxide
  • Step 2: So the answer is: calcium oxide
  • Answer: calcium oxide
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Complete the word equation: calcium + oxygen → ___ (calcium chloride / calcium carbonate / zinc oxide / calcium oxide) → calcium oxidePrompt: A metal reacting with oxygen makes a metal oxide.
  2. Methane burns completely in air: methane + oxygen → carbon dioxide + ___ (carbon monoxide / nitrogen / hydrogen / water) → waterPrompt: Methane contains carbon and hydrogen. What does hydrogen become when it burns?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Word equations: which statement is NOT true? (Incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas. / Combustion is a reaction with oxygen. / Reactants are written on the left of the arrow. / The arrow in a word equation means "equals".) → The arrow in a word equation means "equals".Prompt: Which side of the arrow is which?
  2. Complete the word equation: copper + oxygen → ___ (copper carbonate / calcium oxide / copper oxide / carbon dioxide) → copper oxidePrompt: A metal reacting with oxygen makes a metal oxide.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Physical and chemical changes.
  • Use concrete materials: teacher demo or video.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Neutralisation and naming salts; Exothermic and endothermic reactions; Balancing chemical equations.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-7.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Reactants, products and word equations

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Calcium carbonate is heated strongly: calcium carbonate → calcium oxide + ___

    • A. oxygen
    • B. hydrogen
    • C. carbon dioxide
    • D. water

  2. Question 2

    Complete the word equation: copper + oxygen → ___

    • A. copper oxide
    • B. magnesium oxide
    • C. copper carbonate
    • D. copper chloride

  3. Question 3

    Word equations: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas.
    • B. Reactants are written on the left of the arrow.
    • C. Burning metal makes it lighter because mass is lost.
    • D. Thermal decomposition breaks a substance down using heat.

  4. Question 4

    What is needed for fuels to burn?

    • A. nitrogen only
    • B. oxygen and enough heat
    • C. carbon dioxide
    • D. water and light

  5. Question 5

    Complete the word equation: iron + oxygen → ___

    • A. iron chloride
    • B. carbon dioxide
    • C. iron carbonate
    • D. iron oxide

  6. Question 6

    In the reaction "iron + sulfur → iron sulfide", what are the reactants?

    • A. iron only
    • B. iron sulfide
    • C. sulfur and iron sulfide
    • D. iron and sulfur

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Answer key: Reactants, products and word equations

  1. 1. C. carbon dioxide

  2. 2. A. copper oxide

  3. 3. C. Burning metal makes it lighter because mass is lost.

  4. 4. B. oxygen and enough heat

  5. 5. D. iron oxide

  6. 6. D. iron and sulfur