Chemistry is a topic that not many homeschool moms like to tackle in elementary school. But, with the resources listed below, you too can teach your kids some general chemistry principles and have fun at the same time. I will be writing a 6 - 9 week unit for this topic in the near future and will add it to my website when it is done.

• Kitchen Chemistry. This is really great! Your Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic learners will all love this product. By watching Derek the kid-friendly chemist, doing experiments along with him, and then completing a review game to reinforce the concepts learned, your kids will learn about ph, gases, surface tension, chemical reaction, solubility, density, colloids and suspensions, polymers, water molecules, and steam. They learn about surface tension while playing battleship with paper clips, create a chemical reaction with Little Miss Muffet's curds and whey, crush a soda pop can with no hands, and make a water molecule model out of marshmallows and toothpicks. The supplies needed are REALLY easy to find - in your kitchen or at the local grocery store. Derek also sneaks in a few historical facts here and then such as how soap was first discovered in Rome after a volcano eruption. Interest level is K-5th grade (depending on the child up to 8th grade). Derek Crawford has a Masters degree in Polymer Engineering, has a gift of teaching, and is thoroughly enjoyable to watch.

• AN INTERACTIVE GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING CHEMISTRY: http://library.thinkquest.org/3659/
  Highschool students can interact with the Periodic Table of Elements or bond with the Atomic Structures.

• The Elements coloring book and flash cards. A great way to introduce your children to the periodic table and the elements: http://www.edgeucationpublishing.com/EdgePub.htm

• Elements song: http://www.privatehand.com/flash/elements.html

More resources coming. This is a work IN PROGRESS - please check back.

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