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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: sugar dissolving in tea? (physical change / chemical change) → physical changePrompt: Is a new substance made?
  2. A nail left outside turns orange-brown and flaky. What has happened? (Iron reacted with oxygen and water to make rust / The nail dissolved / The nail melted / Paint fell on it) → 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? (Dissolving is a physical change. / All bubbles mean a chemical reaction. / Burning is a chemical change. / In a chemical reaction, atoms are rearranged to make new substances.) → All bubbles mean a chemical reaction.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: iron + oxygen → ___ (iron carbonate / carbon dioxide / iron chloride / iron oxide) → iron oxidePrompt: A metal reacting with oxygen makes a metal oxide.
  2. In the reaction "iron + sulfur → iron sulfide", what are the reactants? (iron sulfide / sulfur and iron sulfide / iron and sulfur / iron only) → iron and sulfurPrompt: Reactants are on the left of the arrow.

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? (Thermal decomposition breaks a substance down using heat. / Reactants are written on the left of the arrow. / Burning metal makes it lighter because mass is lost. / Incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas.) → Burning metal makes it lighter because mass is lost.Prompt: Which side of the arrow is which?
  2. Methane burns completely in air: methane + oxygen → carbon dioxide + ___ (nitrogen / water / hydrogen / carbon monoxide) → waterPrompt: Methane contains carbon and hydrogen. What does hydrogen become when it burns?

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

    Why does a candle under a glass jar go out?

    • A. The wax turns into water
    • B. Glass puts out flames
    • C. The jar gets too heavy
    • D. The oxygen inside is used up

  2. Question 2

    Word equations: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Thermal decomposition breaks a substance down using heat.
    • B. Incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas.
    • C. The arrow in a word equation means "equals".
    • D. Combustion is a reaction with oxygen.

  3. Question 3

    Complete the word equation: copper + oxygen → ___

    • A. copper oxide
    • B. copper chloride
    • C. carbon dioxide
    • D. magnesium oxide

  4. Question 4

    Methane burns completely in air: methane + oxygen → carbon dioxide + ___

    • A. hydrogen
    • B. carbon monoxide
    • C. water
    • D. nitrogen

  5. Question 5

    Complete the word equation: zinc + oxygen → ___

    • A. zinc oxide
    • B. calcium oxide
    • C. zinc carbonate
    • D. zinc chloride

  6. Question 6

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

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

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Answer key: Reactants, products and word equations

  1. 1. D. The oxygen inside is used up

  2. 2. C. The arrow in a word equation means "equals".

  3. 3. A. copper oxide

  4. 4. C. water

  5. 5. A. zinc oxide

  6. 6. D. iron and sulfur