Establishing the Background

• Relate the chemistry you will explore in your experiments to everyday situations, as this gives your elementary students a peg upon which to hang the lessons they are learning. For example, carry out an experiment to make a red cabbage solution as a pH indicator. Print out a large pH scale and pin it to the classroom notice board so students can see the different colors and the 1-to-14 scale. Call out the names of different household substances, such as vinegar, lemonade, water and bleach, and ask students to raise their hands if the substance is acidic or alkaline. Ask them to guess the pH of each substance.