What to do with chemicals?

Question

I'm new to teaching chemistry and have a lab with NO manuals or books, but tons of chemicals and other materials.. Thinngs like magnesium sulfate, copper sulfate, citric acid, calcium chloride, copper sulfate solution, etc. The list goes on and on. There are literally 100's of bottles, vials, etc. in the lab. I've obviously done experiments in HS and college . . . but where do I find experiments using chemicals like these, with 7th and 8th graders. I was thinking of copper plating and things like that. But other than that, what can I do to show chemical reactions with these materials? BTW: I was a Bio major and most classes I teach are Bio. I have 2 chem classes. One 7th/ one 8th.

** Based upon the last answer posted . . . perhaps I misrepresented myself, unintentionally. This is not an issue of an unqualified teacher giving instruction. I am more than qualified; especially to teach 7th/8th grade Science. It is simply that an unused lab, neglected for a long time, is now going to be used in a very limited way, with 11 - 13 year olds. Their texts obviously meet the NYS standards. However, there are units on Chemistry that I would like to do. There are a myriad of materials in the lab with no lab manuals that match the materials. Additionally, the previous teacher destroyed most of what was there to begin with and left a complete mess. I have no idea what the original intent was for these chemicals and materials. However, since I have already done a lot of "Kitchen Science" activities successfully with the classes, I thought we might bump it up a notch. There was no reason to be insulting or rude.

Answer 1

With that age it is best to try to stick with household chemicals so that they can relate. I did demos with the other chemicals. An interesting Christmas demo is to cut out of copper a Christmas tree and submerge it in silver nitrate. The copper replaces the silver in the solution and the silver precipitates on the tree like snow.

Answer 2

I'm not just a little concerned that you're teaching Chemistry, yet have no idea what to do. Assuming that you're in the USA and in a public school (why else wouldn't you have any books, which, all kidding aside, I find very hard to believe), you *must* follow State and Federal guidelines, so that the students can pass their State and National tests, and be accepted into college. Chemistry is, potentially, far more dangerous than your Biology major, and kids will be quick to pick up on the fact that you don't know what you're doing, and give you a VERY hard time (and, BTW, why are you asking this, now, well after most of the world's students have returned to school???). I am fully aware that some school districts are hard-pressed to find qualified teachers, whether in distant, rural schools, or in crime-ridden, urban schools, but, asking total strangers for help instead of consulting with fellow teachers and/or the district Board of Education, borders on being criminally irresponsible. Do your own "homework", dude!!!!

Answer 3

YOu can use these solutions for the discussions of reactivity of some common metals.

Together with commonly available metals like Copper, Magnesium, Aluminum or Iron you can show to them the possibility of reactions.
Like
Al + CuSO4 = Cu + Al2(SO4)3 (reaction occurs)
blue solution to colorless

Al + CaCl2 = no reaction

From there you can start show to them the reactivity series of metals.

Plating also is very good as what you have mentioned.

What about making a voltaic cell? Using CuSO4 solution, You can use Aluminum foil and copper as electrodes to light up a LEAD bulb.
They will surely amaze and get excited on the lesson.

Qualitative analysis of metals also. With the aid of a bunsen burner and nichrome wire, you can show to them the different colors of light they emited and be able to identify them.
There you can give them info how different beautiful colors of firecrackers are made.

Hope these will help.. Good Luck... :)