High School Chemistry: Resources for Students, Teachers and Parents
Chemistry class gets down to the nitty-gritty—moles of atoms and molecules that come together in covalent and ionic bonds. You’ll learn what’s going on around you even when you can’t see it, and that the smallest of changes can make a big difference. In this Web guide, students and parents can find homework help, test prep and online references, while teachers can find lesson plans, worksheets and other classroom tools.
Expand All Guide SectionsChemistry Resources for Students
Chemistry opens up a whole new world for students, and it can be an amazing and interesting one. The Web sites in this guide can help you get your homework done, prepare for tests and get to know all those elements in the periodic table. Don’t forget to try the practice problems designed to help you hone your understanding.
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- If you’re using a textbook, check the publisher’s Web site for activities and resources that relate directly to the chapter you’re working on. Prentice Hall has articles about chemistry today. McDougal Littell offers supplemental materials that take the chapters a step further.
- There are sites that offer expert advice and answers to chemistry questions for a fee. Check the credentials of any expert before you get advice (check the “About Us” section of the site), ask your parents before spending money and don’t give out any personal information online.
Dulcinea's Picks
For chemistry formulas, calculators and references …
ChemiCool
is a searchable periodic table of the elements. Click on the element you want to learn more about and you’ll get everything you wanted to know—name, symbol, atomic weight, melting point, specific heat, appearance and more.
ChemicalElements.com
has information on all of the elements in the periodic table, from Helium to Ununbium with the basics (boiling point, atomic number, density) and a drawing of the atomic structure of each so you can see how the electrons are clustered around the nucleus.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology Chemistry WebBook
has data on more than 7,000 organic and inorganic compounds. Type in the chemical formula (for example, CH4) or name (methane) and you’ll get the molecular weight, chemical structure and more.
For chemistry homework help and review …
The Chemistry Virtual Textbook
is a full chemistry course online produced by Stephen Lower, a former professor of chemistry. Browse the chapters to review and get thorough explanations of the material that’s covered in class.
Tanner’s General Chemistry
covers aqueous solutions, matter, atoms and more. See the “Animated Atoms” section for diagrams of various molecule structures.
My Chemistry Tutor
has lesson overviews, tutorials, videos and an online forum where you can ask peers or tutors questions. The site’s search engine only searches chemistry sites.
For test prep ...
The ProtonDon game
at FunBrain tests your knowledge of the periodic table elements and their symbols. Use the game to improve your skills and prepare for tests.
Widener University Department of Chemistry
Web site has online quizzes that test your ability to calculate significant figures, do conversions, balance equations, evaluate mass and moles, and more.
General Chemistry Online
, a site from Frostburg State University, helps you learn the material and tests your knowledge with exam guides and practice tests. Search the Common Compound Library for 3-D images of molecules and compounds, or see if your question is part of the site’s FAQ section.
Teaching Resources for High School Chemistry
Even though we’re dealing with atoms and tiny molecules, chemistry is best learned through experience and real-world examples. In this section, we spotlight the best Web sites that can help you drive home the chemistry concepts in class, and reinforce lessons with worksheets, test prep and even humor.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Working from a textbook? Check the publisher’s Web site to find additional materials online, and ways to differentiate the material for students who are below level, above level or English Language Learners. Textbook publishers with enhanced online content include McDougal Littell, and Pearson Prentice Hall. Prentice Hall’s chemistry page has a section with related articles from Science News Online for various chemistry concepts.
- We usually avoid recommending sites that are mere directories of links to outside sources. In our education guides, we make exceptions to this rule for lesson plans and student activities to provide you with as much helpful content as possible. Make sure to approach every directory with caution and evaluate the links before using a tool in the classroom.
- There are tons of great free online resources, so don’t be fooled into paying for something. We’ll show you where to find the best Web resources that don’t cost a cent.
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For chemistry worksheets and classroom tools...
Chemtutor
has information and references for the periodic table of the elements, moles, reactions and more. Use problems from the site in class as a review or to challenge students who excel in chemistry.
The Chemistry Virtual Textbook
has a teacher section with links to tests and quizzes, online media, podcasts, tutorials and even chemistry-related humor. Use it as a reference when planning a unit, and for specifics (such as tests or jokes) throughout the year.
Amazing Chemistry Teacher Resources
, a Web site by high school chemistry teacher Nancy Clark, has links to experiments, worksheets, tutorials, videos and more. Look for resources on topics like the atom, forensics, nuclear chemistry, gas laws and others.
For chemistry lesson plans...
The Illinois Institute of Technology
’s Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE) project has nearly 200 chemistry lessons in its Chemistry lesson index. Posted by teachers in the IIT education programs, the lessons are aimed at various levels, so some searching is required.
The Science Spot
has chemistry lesson plans complete with worksheets. Scroll down to find links to Internet lessons and activities, as well as chemistry trivia to incorporate into lessons and tests.
TeAch-nology
has chemistry lessons, labs and more for your class. Don’t be fooled by the Google ads near the top of the page; scroll down for the good stuff.
For other resources…
The Molecule of the Month
site has information about molecules updated monthly, a good way to introduce molecules one at a time.
The Particle Adventure
, produced in part by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, provides an overview and classroom activities about quarks, dark matter, antimatter, neutrinos and more.
ThinkQuest
’s Hi! Hydrogen has online tutorials, games and experiments all about hydrogen. Students can do experiments with hydrogen online at the Experimental Lab.
High School Chemistry Resources for Parents
If you’ve forgotten the atomic structure of magnesium or that a mole is not just an animal, it will come as no surprise that what your child is learning in chemistry class may stump you. Use these Web sites to get up to speed on what your child is learning, and help him or her with the study of matter—in all its forms.
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- Chemistry organizations like the American Chemical Society have information about careers in chemistry, blogs, updates on the latest research and more information that can help take your child’s interest in chemistry to new levels.
- There are chemistry tutorial sites online that offer products, like the CD-ROM series from Chemistry Tutor Software, and sites that offer live online tutoring, like Tutor-Homework.com but these sites often aren’t free. If you’re ordering products or tutoring online, be sure to check credentials; a master’s degree in chemistry is essential, a PhD is ideal.
- For ideas about bringing chemistry (and other subjects) into the home, visit the findingDulcinea Homeschooling Web Guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
For chemistry standards…
SCORE
(Schools of California Online Resources for Education) provides an overview of chemistry standards in California. The California standards provide an idea of what’s covered at the high school level, and can be adapted to your district.
FunBrain
’s “Standards Finder” has information about what your child should be learning according to class and grade. Get an idea of what your child’s tests will cover, and what to look for in terms of resources.
For chemistry resources…
Chem4Kids.com
has basic information about chemistry, the periodic table of the elements, and information that can help your child review for a test or quiz.
The Chemistry Hypermedia Project
has an alphabetical glossary of chemistry terms and a valuable overview of general chemistry concepts.
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