Balancing Equations: Class Survey

Make a classroom set of Balanced/Unbalanced placards - the word "Balanced" on one side and "Unbalanced" on the other side.  I printed the words in two different colors (you could print them in black on different colored paper) and slid the papers into plastic page protectors. 

Each student gets a placard.  You write a chemical equation on the board (or project it) and students need to determine if the equation is balanced or not.  On the count of 3, students hold up the appropriate side of their placard. 

By using two different colors, you can quickly survey the results.  A few rounds of this game and can tell you who understands what a balanced equation looks like and who's struggling.

Balancing Equations: Cupcake Chemical Equation

The importance of balancing chemical equations and the idea of limiting reagents can be difficult for young chemists to understand. To help them, provide students with a chemical equation that's more familiar and interesting to them:

1 box of cake mix + 3 eggs + 2 cups of water --> 24 cupcakes

Then follow up with questions:

How many eggs do I need if I have 2 boxes of cake mix?

How many cups of water do I need for 2 boxes of cake mix?

How many cupcakes will I get with 2 boxes of cake mix?

How many cupcakes will I get if I have 2 boxes of cake mix, 6 eggs, and 2 cups of water?

Take the questions as far as you wish...

when you make the move to "real" chemical equations and you see some eyes start to glaze over, remind them of the cupcakes!