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Science lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 30 minutes

The reactivity series and displacement

Chemical reactions, acids and bases

CCSS NGSS.HS-PS1-2England: KS3 Chemistry: Chemical reactionsEngland: KS4 Combined Science: Chemical changes

Objective and success criteria

Students will: The reactivity series and displacement.

  • 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: Neutralisation and naming salts

Leads to: Predict the products of electrolysis; How metals are extracted from their ores; Oxidation, reduction and half-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 (Neutralisation and naming salts). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Name the salt: zinc + nitric acid → ___ + hydrogen (zinc sulfate / zinc nitrate / zinc oxide / zinc chloride) → zinc nitratePrompt: The first part of the salt's name comes from the metal.
  2. What are the products when an acid neutralises an alkali? (a salt and water / oxygen and water / a salt and hydrogen / an acid and a base) → a salt and waterPrompt: acid + alkali → … + …
  3. 20 cm³ of an acid starts at pH 1. An alkali is added 10 cm³ at a time. The pH readings are 1, 4, 7. What total volume of alkali made the solution neutral, in cm³? → 20 cm³Prompt: Neutral means pH 7.

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: The reactivity series and displacement. 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: Reactivity series (most reactive first): potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium (aluminum), zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold. If calcium is added to a solution of iron sulfate, will a displacement reaction happen?
  • Step 1: calcium is more reactive than iron, so it displaces it.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: yes
  • Answer: yes
  • 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. Reactivity series (most reactive first): potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium (aluminum), zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold. If calcium is added to a solution of zinc sulfate, will a displacement reaction happen? (yes / no) → yesPrompt: A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compound.
  2. What does "oxidation" mean in terms of oxygen? (gain of oxygen / melting / loss of oxygen / gain of hydrogen) → gain of oxygenPrompt: Rusting iron gains something from the air.

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. Reactivity series (most reactive first): potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium (aluminum), zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold. If aluminium (aluminum) is added to a solution of zinc sulfate, will a displacement reaction happen? (yes / no) → yesPrompt: A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compound.
  2. Why is gold found as the pure metal in the ground? (It is very unreactive / It is magnetic / It is very reactive / It is a non-metal) → It is very unreactivePrompt: Where is gold in the reactivity series?

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: Neutralisation and naming salts.
  • 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: Predict the products of electrolysis; How metals are extracted from their ores; Oxidation, reduction and half-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-9.

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

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The reactivity series and displacement

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Reactivity series (most reactive first): potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium (aluminum), zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold. If copper is added to a solution of iron sulfate, will a displacement reaction happen?

    • A. yes
    • B. no

  2. Question 2

    Iron is extracted from iron oxide by heating it with carbon. Why does this work?

    • A. Heat alone splits iron oxide
    • B. Carbon is more reactive than iron, so it removes the oxygen
    • C. Carbon is a metal
    • D. Iron is more reactive than carbon

  3. Question 3

    Reactivity series (most reactive first): potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium (aluminum), zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold. If magnesium is added to a solution of aluminium (aluminum) sulfate, will a displacement reaction happen?

    • A. yes
    • B. no

  4. Question 4

    Why is gold found as the pure metal in the ground?

    • A. It is a non-metal
    • B. It is very unreactive
    • C. It is magnetic
    • D. It is very reactive

  5. Question 5

    Reactivity series (most reactive first): potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium (aluminum), zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold. If calcium is added to a solution of silver sulfate, will a displacement reaction happen?

    • A. yes
    • B. no

  6. Question 6

    What does "oxidation" mean in terms of oxygen?

    • A. loss of oxygen
    • B. melting
    • C. gain of oxygen
    • D. gain of hydrogen

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Answer key: The reactivity series and displacement

  1. 1. B. no

  2. 2. B. Carbon is more reactive than iron, so it removes the oxygen

  3. 3. A. yes

  4. 4. B. It is very unreactive

  5. 5. A. yes

  6. 6. C. gain of oxygen