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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: iron rusting? (physical change / chemical change) → chemical changePrompt: Is a new substance made?
  2. Which is a chemical change you might see in a kitchen? (melting butter / toasting bread / chopping carrots / freezing juice) → toasting breadPrompt: Which one makes a new substance with a new colour and smell?
  3. Physical and chemical changes: which statement is NOT true? (Dissolving is a physical change. / Rusting needs both oxygen and water. / All bubbles mean a chemical reaction. / 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: copper + oxygen → ___ (zinc oxide / copper oxide / copper chloride / copper carbonate) → copper oxidePrompt: A metal reacting with oxygen makes a metal oxide.
  2. In the reaction "iron + sulfur → iron sulfide", what are the reactants? (iron sulfide / iron only / iron and sulfur / sulfur and iron sulfide) → 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. Calcium carbonate is heated strongly: calcium carbonate → calcium oxide + ___ (carbon dioxide / hydrogen / water / oxygen) → carbon dioxidePrompt: What is left when you take CaO away from CaCO₃?
  2. Complete the word equation: zinc + oxygen → ___ (calcium oxide / zinc chloride / carbon dioxide / zinc oxide) → zinc 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 chloride
    • B. iron oxide
    • C. carbon dioxide
    • D. magnesium oxide

  2. Question 2

    Word equations: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Reactants are written on the left of the arrow.
    • B. Thermal decomposition breaks a substance down using heat.
    • C. Incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas.
    • D. Products are the substances you start with.

  3. Question 3

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

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

  4. Question 4

    Complete the word equation: zinc + oxygen → ___

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

  5. Question 5

    Why does a candle under a glass jar go out?

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

  6. Question 6

    Complete the word equation: calcium + oxygen → ___

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

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Answer key: Reactants, products and word equations

  1. 1. B. iron oxide

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

  3. 3. A. water

  4. 4. C. zinc oxide

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

  6. 6. A. calcium oxide