Elements, Compounds, & Mixtures Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Make chemistry meaningful for your students with this engaging, ready-to-teach unit on elements, compounds, and mixtures.
This fully editable, multiday resource includes presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments—everything you need to deliver a hands-on, differentiated learning experience with minimal prep time.

With student-led and multimodal activities, this lesson helps middle school students explore key chemistry concepts while giving you time to focus on student success.

Essential Questions

• What elements mostly make up Earth, living matter, oceans, and atmosphere?

• What is the difference between an element and a compound?

Texas Teachers: This lesson aligns with the 2017 TEKS and will not be updated for the 2021 standards.

Why Teachers Love This Kesler Science Complete Lesson

• Differentiated materials to meet the needs of all learners

• Multimodal learning experiences to keep students interested and engaged

• Maximum flexibility – printable, digital, or both!

• Editable PowerPoints for easy customization

• Spanish translations for vocabulary, reading passages, and interactive notebook pages

This resource follows the **research-based 5E Instructional Model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate—**to promote inquiry, critical thinking, and mastery of science standards.

What’s Included in Each 5E Stage

Engage

Begin your unit with thought-provoking activities that spark curiosity and introduce key vocabulary:

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards in English and Spanish

• Teacher guide with discussion prompts, classroom activities, and notes on common misconceptions

Explore

Students investigate elements, compounds, and mixtures through a differentiated, student-led station lab that supports every learning style.
With nine interactive stations, students engage with content through hands-on exploration, reading, research, and visual learning.

Input Stations allow students to learn new information in multiple ways:

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment that connects content through real-world application

• Read It! – Short reading passage with comprehension questions (English and Spanish versions included)

• Research It! – Guided online exploration with structured questions

• Watch It! – Short, engaging video paired with discussion and reflection prompts

Output Stations allow students to demonstrate understanding in creative ways:

• Organize It! – Sort and categorize information using printable or digital tools

• Write It! – Respond to open-ended prompts in complete sentences

• Illustrate It! – Create drawings or models to reinforce understanding and retention

• Assess It! – Demonstrate mastery and apply vocabulary in context through formal questioning

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Extension activities designed for early finishers and advanced learners, including enrichment games, mini-projects, and problem-solving challenges.

Explain

Guide students to connect their exploration to scientific concepts with:

• Editable PowerPoints (standard and interactive versions) for flexible instruction

• Interactive Notebook Templates in both digital and printable formats (English and Spanish)

• Note-taking templates to help students organize and retain information

Elaborate

Encourage higher-level thinking with student-choice projects that allow learners to apply their understanding of elements, compounds, and mixtures creatively.
Projects can be completed in class or at home to extend learning.

Evaluate

Assess comprehension and reinforce key concepts with:

• STAAR 2.0–style assessment questions in both standard and modified versions

• Review worksheets for discussion, practice, or homework

Perfect for In-Class or Virtual Learning

This resource is designed for maximum flexibility and can be used in any instructional setting.
The station lab and interactive notebook materials are fully compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making it easy to engage students in person or online.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.