Category: Chemistry

Chemistry

An Introduction to Chemistry EBOOK

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An Introduction to Chemistry by Mark Bishop, is a textbook intended for use in beginning chemistry courses with no chemistry prerequisite, and was designed by the author’s experience of teaching introductory chemistry for over 30 years at Monterey Peninsula College, CA. This textbook has garnered praise and classroom adoptions nationwide for its accessible presentation and student-friendly features. The text was written for students who want to prepare themselves for general college chemistry, for students seeking to satisfy a science requirement for graduation, and for students in health-related or other programs that require an introduction to general chemistry.

The textbook is available in two versions to meet all teaching preferences:

  • The Chemistry-First version covers chemical reactions early and postpones math-related topics until slightly later in the book.
  • The Atoms-First version provides a more complete description of atomic theory and bonding early and describes chemical reactions later and presents the math-related topics earlier.

The PDF and ebook versions of the textbook are available for free downloading from the website, along with supplementary animations and other resources. The author does request a donation if you like the text and use the materials for a complete chemistry course, but it is not required.

CLICK HERE to go to the site!

Chemistry

Compound Interest

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Compound Interest (created by Andy Brunning, a UK based chemistry teacher) is a site that aims to take a closer look at the chemical compounds we come across on a day-to-day basis, explaining them with easy-to-understand graphics.

The infographics and accompanying texts are fascinating looks at the chemistry that affects our lives, albeit usually behind the scenes. They are sorted by type of chemistry: atmospheric, aroma, biochemistry, colors, chemical warfare, food, poisons, and many more. Most (but not all) are suitable for homeschool use, especially for Jr. High – High School ages. You’ll want to browse the site to find topics that interest your student, or fit in with your other studies.

Click here to go to the site

Here are a few of our favorites you might wish to check out:

The Smell of New Books vs. Old Books

The Chemistry of Thunderstorms

What Temperature Does Water Boil At?

 

 

 

Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Classic Picture books, Critical Thinking, Lesson Plans, Living Books, Math, Physics, Science

Using Children’s Literature to Teach Science

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Using Children’s Literature to Teach Science by Patricia Bishop McKean (PDF ebook with multiple PDF files)

Patricia Bishop McKean compiled this wonderful ebook that pairs great picture books / young reader books (including such classics as Stellaluna, Follow the Drinking Court, Swimmy, Curious George, Morris’s Disappearing Bag and many more) with hands-on activities that demonstrate basic science concepts to young students. Subjects covered in the activities include earth science, astronomy, math, ecology, physics, chemistry, and process skills. It’s a great approach that makes both the stories AND the science lessons much more memorable.

From her introduction:

Each children’s picture book is linked to a simple, basic science activity. By showing teachers how to “hook” their students by reading a familiar or new story and then doing a related hands-on, minds-on science activity, I have helped teachers feel more comfortable with teaching science.  Sometimes the story comes before the activity, and sometimes it comes after the activity. The activity will stand alone, as will the reading of the story, but if the hook captivates the mind of the student, the memory of the science concept should last in the student’s mind.

About the format:

Each book & accompanying science activity has its own PDF file, so there’s lots of PDFs to download here, making it a little more complicated than just downloading a single PDF file. But it is worth the effort. Check it out and see if you don’t agree. Use the menu on the site to navigate between sections of the collection.

CLICK HERE to go to the website!

Chemistry, Comic Books

The Comic Book Periodic Table of the Elements

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If you’ve got super hero fans in your homeschool, they will really enjoy this totally unique Periodic Table of the Elements, compiled by two professors at the University of Kentucky Chemistry Department! Each element has links to comic book pages where that element was featured as a part of the story. Just click on an element to see a list of comic book pages involving that element. It’s a great way to learn more about specific elements – and loads of fun for comic book fans!

CLICK HERE to go to the website!