Chemistry Investigations STEM Activities for Beginners – 50 Hands-On Missions for Grades 6–8

Chemistry Investigations STEM Activities for Beginners turns middle-school curiosity into real chemistry skills. Built for Grades 6–8 (ages 11–13), it offers 50 two-page missions where students investigate, measure, analyze and explain — “Observe, Measure, Explain Like a Chemist.”

Why this book works

What’s inside Chemistry Investigations STEM Activities

• 50 two-page STEM missions for Grades 6–8 (ages 11–13)
• 7 sections, from Matter & the Particle Model to Reaction Rate, Density & Design
• Look & STEM Idea and Try & Draw pages with a mission goal, time, difficulty and materials list
• Key chemistry words: Matter, Particle, Element, Mixture, Reaction and Solution
• For Grown-Ups notes and a Certificate of Discovery
• Printable 124-page PDF — Level D “Innovators” of the Mathfa STEM series

Inside the sections

The book moves through seven sections: Matter & the Particle Model (8 missions, from What Is Matter? to Design: A Density Investigation), States & Changes of Matter (7 missions, from Melting and Freezing to Design: Keep Ice Frozen), Atoms, Elements & the Periodic Table (7 missions, from Inside the Atom to Design: Build a Periodic Puzzle), Molecules, Compounds & Mixtures (7 missions, from Building Molecules to Design: Purify Dirty Water), Reactions & Mass Conservation (7 missions, from Physical or Chemical? to Design: A Safe Reaction Rocket), Acids, Bases & Solutions (7 missions, from The pH Scale to Design: Grow a Crystal) and Reaction Rate, Density & Design (7 missions, from What Is Reaction Rate? to Present a Chemistry Study). Every section opens with a mission plan, and the book ends with For Grown-Ups notes and a Certificate of Discovery for finishing all 50 missions.

Who it’s for

Middle-school students who want hands-on chemistry, parents looking for purposeful STEM projects at home, and grade 6–8 teachers, homeschool families and STEM clubs who need ready-to-use missions with clear goals and materials lists.

How to use it

Work one two-page mission at a time. Start with the Look & STEM Idea page: study the image, answer the look-closely question and read the idea. Then turn to Try & Draw: check the time and difficulty, gather the listed materials, follow the steps and record your results. Finish each section before moving on, and save the design challenges for when the core ideas feel solid.

Useful links before you start

For background on middle-school science and engineering practices, see the Next Generation Science Standards; for national education guidance, visit the U.S. Department of Education. On Mathfa, explore the Mathfa STEM hub, try Engineering Design STEM Activities for Beginners, or browse the full Mathfa library.

Frequently asked questions