Mississippi Science CHE.9.3

ScienceGrades 9–12Chemistry

The Standard

CHE.9: Enrichment: Students will understand the nature and properties of acids, bases, and salt solutions.

Enrichment: Plan and conduct investigations using the pH scale to classify acid and base solutions.

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Acids and Bases (Enrichment)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students plan how to test several safe solutions with pH strips. They record the readings and use them to identify acids, bases, and neutral solutions.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students plan to use a fresh strip for each sample and follow the strip's timing directions. They match each strip to the color chart and record its pH. They label pH 3 acidic, pH 7 neutral, and pH 10 basic.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think a higher pH means a solution is more acidic, or that pH 7 is a weak acid. They may guess from the strip's color without checking the chart, or reuse one strip across samples.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Give pH readings of 3, 7, and 10. Have students classify each and name one step that keeps the samples from mixing during testing.

Lesson moves

Wearing goggles, pairs plan and run pH strip tests on vinegar, water, and baking soda solution, recording readings and classifying each.
Ask, 'Two clear liquids read pH 3 and pH 10. Which is acidic, and how do the readings support your answer?'
Give groups pH cards numbered 1 to 14 and have them race to sort cards into acidic, neutral, and basic piles.
Give students a pool chart showing pH 7.5 and a target range of 7.2 to 7.8; ask them to classify the water and check the range.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CHE.9.3, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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