Three- Part Lesson Plan

Grade and Course: Grade 12, Chemistry
Topic: Enthalpy, Endothermic/ Exothermic Reactions
Learning Goals: Use appropriate terminology related to energy changes and rates of
reaction (enthalpy, activation energy, endo/exothermic, potential energy)
Inquire to determine how various factors (change in temperature, catalyst) affect the rate of a
chemical reaction
Compare the energy change from a reaction in which bonds are formed or broken and explain
these changes in terms of endo- and exothermic reactions.
Lesson Materials: Hydrogen Peroxide, liquid dish soap, catalyst (yeast or potassium
iodide if available), food coloring, large graduated cylinder, large plastic bin
Unit: Energy Changes and Rates of Reaction
Day in Unit: 2
Success Criteria: Understand the difference between endo- and exothermic reactions and
how to identify them using enthalpy
Draw endo- and exothermic progress of reaction on a potential energy diagram
Identify the activation energy on potential energy diagram and understand how it is affected by
a catalyst
Safety: PPE—eye protection, closed-toe shoes, gloves, making sure the first row of students
have some space and out of the potential splash zone. Use appropriate amount of hydrogen
peroxide (depending on ceiling height). Demo not toxic

Lesson Sequence:

Time Topic Teacher Students Resources

Minds-On Introduce the ‘Elephant’s toothpaste’ demonstration, explain the Predict, Observe, Explain the demonstration https://chemdemos.uoregon.
materials and steps of the demo and have the students P-O-E what they Come up and touch the bubbles, the cylinder, edu/demos/Elephants-
Activity Toothpaste
think is happening (an exothermic reaction with the use of a catalyst). make notes about the temperature, the type of
Write down and remember key words and observations, revisit the demo reaction that is occurring. https://www.youtube.
10-15min to consolidate the lesson at the end. com/watch?v=p1eG2y2mn54
Main Lesson Introduce potential energy diagrams, terms: exo/endothermic, enthalpy, Think-Pair-Share examples of endothermic and https://chem.libretexts.org
Think-Pair-Share examples of exo/endothermic reactions in the real exothermic reactions and why they classified the /Bookshelves/Introductory
Teaching the _Chemistry/Book%3A_
world + draw onto potential E diagram as class then in pairs. reaction as endo/exo. Draw what you (student)
Concept/Strateg Ask students about changing states of matter and if they are exo- or think the different reactions look like on a
Introductory_Chemistry_ (CK-
12)/18%3A_Kinetics
y endothermic reactions. Start with the potential E of Reactants and potential E diagram. Think critically when going /18.4%3A_Potential_
Products (where the reaction starts/ends). Ask what the stage in between through the transition stage, how high should the Energy_Diagrams
the Reactants and Products would look like. Ask students to explain their activation energy bump be? Does the reaction
Actively Solving
thinking. (Prompt: why would the potential E not just drop during occur spontaneously or is it stable and require a https://www.youtube.
the Problem transition stage? Why does it go up first?) What does the size of the lot of energy to get it going?
com/watch?v=JRIm_
a2LDPM
‘bump’/ activation energy mean for the reaction?
30-40min Is there anyway to manipulate the activation energy? What does making
it smaller/bigger do to the reaction?
Consolidation Go back to the elephant’s toothpaste demonstration and draw the Draw a potential E diagram for the decomposition
reaction on the potential E diagram with class. of hydrogen peroxide and then modify the
Practice by
Write the decomposition equation and discuss if the reaction is exo- or diagram to what they think would happen to the
Students endothermic, mark reactants and products on potential E diagram, talk activation energy with the addition of the catalyst.
about the transition stage ask class about the effects of a catalyst on the Explain why you increased/ decreased the
20-30min transition stage. activation energy when a catalyst was added.
Other Exit Card: Use for immediate feedback to see if the students understood Submit an exit card with
the material. If not, review and change the approach 1. the Potential E diagram for the
decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide
with and without a catalyst
2. a Potential E diagram of an
exo/endothermic reaction of the
student’s choice
Assessment FOR/AS Learning: Accommodations: Ensure students who need extra assistance are paired with a partner who
The discussion between student-teacher and student-student in mini-activities has a good understanding in the class. Making sure diagrams are properly sized and labelled for
Exit Cards, to assess if students understand the day’s lesson or if the material needs to be anyone with visual impairments.
presented in a different way with different questions

Assessment OF Learning: Reflection / Preparation for Next Class:

Unit Test material:
Identifying exo/endothermic reactions and using enthalpy to describe them
Potential energy diagrams and the effects of a catalyst on a reaction
Lab:
Performing a lab where a catalyst is used to speed up the rate of reaction