As the holidays arrive, students tend to become distracted. Performing demonstrations and doing fun class activities can help keep their minds focused on important science concepts.
You can create a memorable learning experience out of this festive holiday with a discussion of chemistry topics such as redox reactions, indicators, polymers, properties of matter, and phase changes.
Try these engaging activities . . .
Borax snowflakes
Shape pipe cleaners into snowflakes or other fun holiday shapes and watch the crystals form in this activity.
Topics covered: solutions, solubility, crystallization, crystal structure
Borax Snowflake
This lab activity will guarantee a snow day! Teach solutions and crystallization while making snowflake decorations for your classroom. Looking
Traffic light demonstration
Watch as a solution changes from green to red to yellow in this holiday color demonstration.
Topics covered: oxidation-reduction reactions, reversible reactions, indicators, rates of reactions
Color Change Chemical Reaction
Also known as the traffic light reaction, indigo carmine produces a colorful demonstration In this activity, a redox indicator (indigo
Marbled gift wrap
Drip food coloring on shaving cream and transfer the pattern to paper to create holiday gift wrap.
Topics covered: properties of water, polarity, properties of soap
Shaving Cream and Food Coloring Chemistry
Decorate wrapping paper or eggs while illustrating scientific concepts and making real-world connections. Foam shaving cream is primarily composed of
Silver decorations
Shape copper wire to create interesting designs and place the wire in an aqueous solution of silver nitrate. The single replacement reaction will create a beautiful silver ornament.
Topics covered: oxidation-reduction reactions, activity series
Single-replacement Reaction
Create silver decorations with chemistry In this activity students perform a redox reaction in which silver take the place of
Mirrored silver ornaments
Silver can be plated onto the interior surface of a glass vial via a redox reaction. Dextrose is oxidized to gluconic acid, and silver ions are reduced to metallic silver.
Topics covered: redox reactions, Lewis acids and bases, organic structures, complexes, and stoichiometry
Silvering Glass
Create Silver-Mirrored Christmas Ornaments with a Redox Reaction Create silver ornaments with your students using a chemical process similar to
Festive slime
Add festive food coloring, glitter, and even beads for a holiday spin on this student favorite.
Topics covered: polymers and properties of matter
How to Make Slime
An Introduction to Polymer Chemistry Whether you want to introduce students to polymers, engage them with a fun science demo,
Let it snow
Earth science meets physical science when you demonstrate snowflake formation to your class using dry ice and high humidity.
Topics covered: weather, precipitation, solutions, solubility, crystallization, crystal structure
Do-It-Yourself Snowflakes
Snow delights most students and frustrates most teachers. Please everyone when you create snowflakes in the comfort of your classroom.
Snow polymer
Hydrate sodium polyacrylate, snow polymer, to form dry fluffy “snow.” Challenge your students to design an experiment using the chemical. Teach students about super absorbent polymers, physical properties, and the scientific method.
Investigating Phenomena: How Can You Make Fake Snow?
Carolina Phenomenon Phenomena-driven science! Phenomena are observable, naturally occurring events that are everywhere and spark student questions and investigations. Ask
Holiday flame test
Explore different elements and their emission spectra with a flame test. For holiday flare, pick elements that match your holiday colors, or pick elements that match your school colors. Teach or enforce your students’ knowledge of atomic theory and the Bohr atomic model.
Flame Tests and Spectroscopy: Get Excited About Color
Have you ever wondered what makes fireworks sparkle with color, why decorative fireplace logs burn green or blue, or how
