Chemistry Launch (Grades 8-12)

This curiosity-building chemistry homeschool curriculum bundle of nine Launch-level Science Unlocked kits will engage your student in hands-on learning for an entire school year. This full-year science high school chemistry curriculum includes:

• Full-colored student workbook
• Student assessments
• Supplies and equipment needed for experiments
• Real-world application

No prior teaching or science experience is needed! Teachers and parents, you will be well-equipped. Science Unlocked detailed teacher guides will help guide you through assisting with chemistry high school hands-on learning experiences with:

• Context and answers to student questions
• Options for including children of different ages and abilities
• Step-by-step experiment instructions
• Lesson planning timeline

The Chemistry Launch (Grades 8-12) Science Unlocked chemistry homeschool bundle meets all 12 NGSS HS-PS standards plus 19 additional HST science goals to fill chemistry gaps we see in NGSS. It includes the following kits:

Unit 1: Chemical Reactions (3 Kits)

Rate of Reaction

The Speed of Chemical Change

Discover what affects the speed of chemical reactions by changing factors to make reactants become products faster or slower.

Naturally Nuclear

Radioactivity, Reactors, and Reactions

Make hand warmers to compare energy released by chemical and nuclear reactions and learn about natural and human-made nuclear reactors.

Reaction Rainbow

Acids, Bases, and Chemical Change

Make a reaction rainbow to study reactions of acids and bases, and solve problems related to pH of solutions.

Unit 2: Properties Based on Particles (3 Kits)

Super Cool

Crystalline Structures and Phase Changes

Discover the relationship between crystalline structure and phase changes through memorable chemistry activities.

The Material World

Chemical Structures and Physical Properties

Get up close with some interesting materials to learn how their physical properties are determined by particle-level chemical structures.

Salty States

Phase Changes and Particle Interactions

Investigate to determine the effect of salt on phase changes and observe interactions between molecules.

Unit 3: Structures of Atoms and Molecules (3 Kits)

Good to Glow

Atomic Structure and Chemical Reactions

Experiment with chemicals, fire, and light to explore the connection between elemental properties, chemical bonding, and chemical reactions.

The Mighty Mole

Mass Relationships You Can Count On

Inflate balloons, hydrate silica, and chew bubblegum to convert between moles, mass, and particles with ease!

Atoms and Angles

Electrical Attraction and Repulsion in Molecules

You won’t be repulsed by this active exploration of the forces within and among molecules that determine structure and chemical behavior.

More information about the learning objectives in each kit can be found in the contents section below. This NAPPA award winning chemistry homeschool curriculum is based on NGSS science standards for 8th through 12th grade science education. Read below in the contents section to learn more about the standards met in each kit. 

More Information

• Rate of Reaction Safety Information (SDS)
• Naturally Nuclear Safety Information (SDS)
• Reaction Rainbow Safety Information (SDS)
• Super Cool Safety Information (SDS)
• The Material World Safety Information (SDS)
• Salty States Safety Information (SDS)
• Good to Glow Safety Information (SDS)
• The Mighty Mole Safety Information (SDS)
• Atoms and Angles Safety Information (SDS)

This Launch level Science Unlocked bundle includes:

• Rate of Reaction
• Naturally Nuclear
• Reaction Rainbow
• Super Cool
• The Material World
• Salty States
• Good to Glow
• The Mighty Mole
• Atoms and Angles

• Rate of Reaction
  • Learning outcome: Fast, slow, in-between – chemical reactions happen at many different speeds! Change several factors to make reactants become products faster or slower.
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS1-5 Apply scientific principles and evidence to provide an explanation about the effects of changing the temperature or concentration of the reacting particles on the rate at which a reaction occurs.
    • HS-PS1-6 Refine the design of a chemical system by specifying a change in conditions that would produce increased amounts of products at equilibrium.
  • Additional science standards alignment
    • Develop a model of enzyme action to show that enzymes are biological catalysts, specific to their substrates, and restored after their action.
• Naturally Nuclear
  • Learning outcome: Make hand warmers to compare energy released by chemical and nuclear reactions, and use models of radioactive decay to learn about natural and human-made nuclear reactors
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS1-4 Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.
    • HS-PS1-8 Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.
• Reaction Rainbow
  • Learning outcome: Make a reaction rainbow to study reactions of acids and bases, and solve problems related to pH of solutions.
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS1-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
  • Additional science standards alignment
    • Describe the formation, properties, and behaviors of solutions at the bulk scale and explain them using the microscopic scale.
    • Use models to show how acids and bases behave at a particle level and affect the pH of a solution.
    • Develop a model to describe the major patterns of chemical reactions and predict the products when the reactants are known.
• Super Cool
  • Learning outcome: Discover the relationship between crystalline structure and phase changes with Super Cool!
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS3-4 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).
  • Additional science standards alignment
    • Use evidence to determine the relationships between volume, pressure, and temperature for an ideal gas.
    • Use visual, graphical, and mathematical representations to explain the relationship between state of matter and temperature for various substances.
    • Gather information about the production and use of materials used in nanotechnology applications to explain how their nanoscale structures (including crystal structures) determine their properties.
• The Material World
  • Learning outcome: Get up close with some interesting materials to learn how their physical properties are determined by particle-level chemical structures.
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS2-6 Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
  • Additional science standards alignment
    • Describe the role of dopants in semiconductors at a particle level, and explain how they can be selected to suit the requirements of electronic devices.
• Salty States
  • Learning outcome: Investigate to determine the effect of salt on phase changes and observe interactions between molecules
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS1-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
  • Additional science standards alignment
    • Describe the formation, properties, and behaviors of solutions at the bulk scale and explain them using the microscopic scale.
    • Use visual, graphical, and mathematical representations to explain the relationship between state of matter and temperature for various substances.
• Good to Glow
  • Learning outcome: Perform several hands-on experiments (with chemicals, fire, and light) to explore the connections between the properties of unique elements, chemical bonding, and chemical reactions.
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS1-1 Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.
    • HS-PS1-2 Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
  • Additional science standards alignment
    • Use evidence to argue that chemical bonding is the result of the arrangement of electrons in atoms and ions, and that this arrangement can be described by a predictable model.
    • Use a model of the structure of the atom to predict the properties of atoms, ions, and isotopes, and explain how this atomic model has changed over time.
    • Describe the formation, properties, and behaviors of solutions at the bulk scale and explain them using the microscopic scale.
    • Develop a model to describe the major patterns of chemical reactions and predict the products when the reactants are known.
• The Mighty Mole
  • Learning outcome: Inflate balloons, hydrate silica, and chew bubblegum to go from not even being able to pronounce stoichiometry to converting between moles, mass, and particles with ease!
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS1-7 Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.
  • Additional science standards alignment
    • Determine the formulas of compounds using information about mass ratios, valence electrons, charge, and bulk scale interactions.
    • Use a model to determine the number of atoms of elements in molecules and ions and balance simple chemical equations.
    • Use mathematical representations to perform multi-step stoichiometrical calculations involving moles, number of particles, mass, volume, and concentration of compounds.
• Atoms and Angles
  • Learning outcome: You won’t be repulsed by this active exploration of the forces within and among molecules that determine structure and chemical behavior.
  • NGSS science standards alignment
    • HS-PS1-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
  • Additional science standards alignment
    • Develop a model to describe the three-dimensional arrangements of atoms in molecules and explain the relationship between molecular geometry and the repulsion between electrons.
    • Use models to name and describe the major types of organic molecules, and determine their roles in society.