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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: water boiling? (physical change / chemical change) → physical changePrompt: Is a new substance made?
  2. Why is boiling water a physical change? (The steam is still water, just in a different state / Bubbles always mean a chemical change / It cannot be reversed / Water turns into hydrogen and oxygen) → The steam is still water, just in a different statePrompt: What are the bubbles made of?
  3. Physical and chemical changes: which statement is NOT true? (Melting is a chemical change. / Rusting needs both oxygen and water. / 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: magnesium + oxygen → ___ (magnesium oxide / magnesium carbonate / magnesium chloride / copper oxide) → magnesium oxidePrompt: A metal reacting with oxygen makes a metal oxide.
  2. What is needed for fuels to burn? (nitrogen only / carbon dioxide / water and light / oxygen and enough heat) → oxygen and enough heatPrompt: Think of the fire triangle: fuel, heat and…

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. In the reaction "iron + sulfur → iron sulfide", what are the reactants? (sulfur and iron sulfide / iron only / iron and sulfur / iron sulfide) → iron and sulfurPrompt: Reactants are on the left of the arrow.
  2. Complete the word equation: calcium + oxygen → ___ (calcium chloride / calcium oxide / iron oxide / calcium carbonate) → calcium 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

    Complete the word equation: iron + oxygen → ___

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

  2. Question 2

    Word equations: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Thermal decomposition breaks a substance down using heat.
    • B. Products are the substances you start with.
    • C. Combustion is a reaction with oxygen.
    • D. Incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas.

  3. Question 3

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

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

  4. Question 4

    Complete the word equation: zinc + oxygen → ___

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

  5. Question 5

    What is needed for fuels to burn?

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

  6. Question 6

    Complete the word equation: magnesium + oxygen → ___

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

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Answer key: Reactants, products and word equations

  1. 1. A. iron oxide

  2. 2. B. Products are the substances you start with.

  3. 3. D. carbon dioxide

  4. 4. C. zinc oxide

  5. 5. B. oxygen and enough heat

  6. 6. A. magnesium oxide