Science lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 30 minutes
What acids make with metals and carbonates
Chemical reactions, acids and bases
CCSS NGSS.MS-PS1-2England: KS3 Chemistry: Acids and alkalisEngland: GCSE Combined Science: Chemical changes
Objective and success criteria
Students will: What acids make with metals and carbonates.
- 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: Acids, alkalis (bases) and the pH scale; Reactants, products and word equations
Leads to: Identify gases with laboratory tests
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 (Acids, alkalis (bases) and the pH scale; Reactants, products and word equations). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Complete the word equation: copper + oxygen → ___ (carbon dioxide / copper carbonate / copper oxide / iron oxide) → copper oxidePrompt: A metal reacting with oxygen makes a metal oxide.
- What happens to blue litmus paper in an acid? (It stays blue / It turns purple / It turns red / It turns green) → It turns redPrompt: Litmus has only two colours.
- Complete the word equation: zinc + oxygen → ___ (carbon dioxide / zinc carbonate / zinc oxide / zinc chloride) → zinc oxidePrompt: A metal reacting with oxygen makes a metal oxide.
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: What acids make with metals and carbonates. 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: Zinc reacts with sulfuric acid. What are the products?
- Step 1: sulfuric acid makes sulfate salts.
- Step 2: So the answer is: zinc sulfate + hydrogen
- Answer: zinc sulfate + hydrogen
- 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.
- Calcium reacts with hydrochloric acid. What are the products? (calcium nitrate + hydrogen / calcium sulfate + hydrogen / calcium chloride + water / calcium chloride + hydrogen) → calcium chloride + hydrogenPrompt: acid + metal → salt + hydrogen
- Copper carbonate reacts with sulfuric acid. What are the products? (copper carbonate + water / copper sulfate + water + carbon dioxide / copper sulfate + water / copper sulfate + hydrogen) → copper sulfate + water + carbon dioxidePrompt: Carbonates fizz with acids. Which gas turns limewater cloudy?
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.
- Which metal would NOT fizz when placed in dilute hydrochloric acid? (iron / zinc / copper / magnesium) → copperPrompt: Metals below hydrogen in the reactivity series do not react with dilute acids.
- Sodium carbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid. What are the products? (sodium oxide + carbon dioxide / sodium chloride + hydrogen / sodium chloride + water + carbon dioxide / sodium carbonate + water) → sodium chloride + water + carbon dioxidePrompt: Carbonates fizz with acids. Which gas turns limewater cloudy?
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: Acids, alkalis (bases) and the pH scale.
- 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: Identify gases with laboratory tests.
- 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-8.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder