Experience Chemistry® – High School Chemistry
Experience Chemistry® is a multi-award-winning high school chemistry curriculum program that makes chemistry meaningful, hands-on, and easier to teach. Now with even more student practice, teacher support, and built-in three-dimensional learning, it’s designed to meet HQIM and EdReports criteria while helping every student succeed.
- Phenomena-based and problem-driven
- Hands-on Flinn labs and engineering projects
- NGSS-designed and 3D learning-aligned
- More practice for math and chemistry skills
- Differentiation support for all learners
High School Chemistry Curriculum with Digital Resources
Phenomena- and Problem-Driven Learning
Experience Chemistry® starts with phenomena or engineering problems that students recognize and care about. It gives purpose to their learning and connects directly to the 3D framework of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
True Inquiry Experience
Our exclusive partnership with Flinn Scientific® means students get access to engaging hands-on labs and engineering design challenges that support active, differentiated learning. Clear instructional guidance supports every teacher.
Active Learning with More Practice
Students don’t just study chemistry—they do chemistry. Each storyline or unit features more practice and application through data analysis, calculations, performance tasks, and lab-based evidence gathering, so learners build skills through real science.
College, Career, and Classroom Ready
Students learn to model, explain, and argue from evidence like real scientists. Teachers get embedded supports—editable planners, pacing tools, and multilingual learner strategies—right where they need them.
See What’s New in Experience Chemistry®
Now with expanded practice for students, built-in teacher tools, and hands-on learning that makes science work for you.
High School Chemistry Teaching Tools and Solutions
Access ready-to-use chemistry resources that save you time, support EVERY learner, and make hands-on science easy to teach.
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Chemistry Educator Resources
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Student Resources
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Flinn Scientific Lab Resources
Chemistry Educator Resources
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Time-Saving Teaching ToolsGet time back with ready-to-use print and digital resources that make planning easier, lessons smoother, and differentiation doable. From editable planners to built-in teaching strategies, everything’s designed to save you time and support how you teach every day.
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Built-In Teacher Guidance
You don’t have to plan it all from scratch. This program includes built-in support like Tools for Teaching Success, Phenomenon Connections, and NGSS Progression right where you need them. Plus, home-to-school letters and scaffolds help you reach every student and keep families in the loop.
Student Resources
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Engage Students in Real Science
Experience Chemistry gives students multiple ways to ask questions, explain ideas, and show what they know—through modeling, hands-on labs, writing, data analysis, and peer-to-peer discussion. Built from the ground up for the NGSS, the program helps teachers guide student-driven learning without the guesswork. Its clear structure, ready-to-use tools, and real-world phenomena and engineering problems make teaching engaging and stress-free, allowing you to focus on helping students make sense of chemistry.
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More Math and Skills Practice
Chemistry teachers asked for more foundational practice—and now it’s here. Experience Chemistry includes 3x more online practice for every Sample Problem, giving students extra support with math, modeling, and problem-solving. This extra support is built-in and ready to assign for reinforcement, review, or extension—no extra prep required. If you’ve ever had to search for extra practice or build it yourself, this program already has what you need.
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Differentiation That Works
Built to meet students where they are, the program includes embedded accommodations, multilingual learner strategies informed by ELSF, and point-of-need, evidence-based supports throughout the Teacher’s Guide. Whether students need more scaffolding or a greater challenge, you’ll have what you need to empower every learner.
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College and Career Ready Science
Experience Chemistry helps all students see where science can take them—whether it’s college, a STEM career, or a skills-based path. With Hook & Inspire Careers, STEM biographies, real-world applications, and OpenEd resources, students actively connect classroom learning to their future goals. Plus, Pathmaker and Outlier offer options for advanced students to explore career-aligned learning or earn college credits.
Flinn Scientific Lab Resources
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Built for 3D Learning
Give your students hands-on, standards-aligned experiences designed to build critical thinking and essential science skills. Explore ready-to-use Flinn labs, engineering projects, demo and safety videos, performance-based assessments, and more—each aligned to the SEPs, CCCs, and DCIs. Everything’s designed to help students build understanding and apply their knowledge through meaningful, three-dimensional learning.
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Differentiated, Ready-to-Go Labs
Experience hands-on labs for every class! Powered by our exclusive partnership with Flinn Scientific, Experience Chemistry includes materials kits that support all 71 Experience Labs and 17 Engineering Design Challenges. Each lab comes in four versions (Open-Ended, Guided, Short, and Advanced), giving you flexible options for every student and every schedule. With built-in teacher support and real materials in hand, experiential learning becomes easier to teach and more impactful for students.
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Essentials Materials Kits
Our most popular lab kit offers a ready-to-use selection of 30 hands-on labs and activities across key Investigations—perfect for giving all students an engaging lab experience. Prepared by Flinn Scientific, the Essentials Kit is designed for simplicity: just open, set up, and go. It’s cost-effective, time-saving, and easy to manage with consumable refill kits available each year. With a multi-year program subscription and kit purchase, you’ll get automatic refills shipped annually.
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Assessment Materials Kits
Designed to support all 18 Performance-Based Assessments, this kit gives you the hands-on materials you need to run each task smoothly. It’s a simple way to bring real-world applications into your assessments, giving students meaningful ways to demonstrate their learning. Prepared by Flinn Scientific, this kit is designed for simplicity: just open, set up, and go. It’s cost-effective, time-saving, and easy to manage with consumable refill kits available each year. Plus, with a multi-year program subscription and kit purchase, you’ll get automatic refills shipped annually.
New Digital Technologies for K-12 Ecosystem
Savvas Realize brings our award-winning content to life in an exciting digital experience that students love. For teachers and admins, it includes valuable classroom-management tools like auto-rostering, single-sign-on, and available integrations with many top K-12 LMSs.
A next-generation learning solution that provides an all-inclusive, one-year digital license to our most popular Math, Literacy, Science, and Social Studies national K–12 programs.
Experience Chemistry Frequently Asked Questions
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What makes Experience Chemistry different from other high school chemistry curriculum?
Experience Chemistry is a next-generation, phenomena- and problem-driven chemistry curriculum built around how students learn best—by doing science. Students explore real-world scenarios through hands-on labs, virtual simulations, data analysis, and evidence-based writing. The 2026 edition includes more practice, more support for teachers, and built-in differentiation tools—all aligned to NGSS and HQIM criteria.
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What are the components of Experience Chemistry?
Experience Chemistry is a next generation high school chemistry program that puts the focus on the student experience. This modern program implements a learning model that organizes learning around phenomena giving students an authentic, real-world experience.
Experience Chemistry includes a variety of hands-on and digital activities designed to reach every learner. Students complete hands-on inquiry labs, virtual labs, simulations, data analysis, claim-evidence reasoning exercises and more on their sensemaking journey. An assessment package with formative, summative, performance-based assessments provide opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding three dimensionally. Instructors have access to a robust support package with print and digital resources designed to streamline classroom management.
Take an interactive tour of Experience Chemistry.
The program components includes:
Experience Chemistry digital courseware on Savvas Realize™ includes robust digital tools that give teachers flexibility to use a digital, print, or blended format in their classrooms. Teachers can customize the program to rearrange content, upload their own content, add links to online media, and edit resources and assessments. Program-specific resources, flexible agnostic resources, and assessments are available in one location for easy lesson planning and presentation.
- Teacher Guide - Available in digital and print, the Teacher Guide provides robust lesson planners based on the 5E learning model, explicit directions and explanations for introducing phenomena, instructional strategies support students as they make sense of the phenomena, and classroom modifications to adjust instruction based on the diverse student needs, skills, and interests in their classroom.
- Student Edition or Handbook (hardcover) -. With Experience Chemistry, students DO chemistry first, by interacting with phenomena and engineering problems and completing hands-on and virtual inquiry activities. Then students complete readings, formative assessments, and math practice from their handbook.
- Flinn Scientific Lab Kits - Flinn Scientific is our partner for the Experience Chemistry curriculum. Optional lab kits are available for each program. Every Flinn Scientific kit supports a classroom of up to 40 students. Refill kits are also available.
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How does Experience Chemistry incorporate science phenomena?
Making sense of phenomena drives student learning throughout Experience Chemistry. This program engages students directly in different examples of phenomena that relate to authentic real-world scenarios.
Every Storyline (the unit of instruction) begins with an Anchoring Phenomenon or Engineering Problem — a real-world science event that sparks curiosity as students make observations and ask questions. The anchoring phenomenon gives students purpose as they engage in activities to make sense of this phenomenon and connect the chemistry concepts through a unique, unifying occurrence. Throughout the Storyline, students repeatedly revisit the anchoring phenomenon question and discuss the real-world impact of the problem as they propose solutions – thus building understanding over time. By the end of the storyline, students are able to explain the anchoring phenomenon. Additionally, in each Storyline there are two opportunities for students to be involved in designing solutions to problems. At the Storyline level there is a Problem-based Learning Experience that spans several Investigations.
A real-world Investigative Phenomenon video launches every Investigation (chapter level organization). The Investigative Phenomenon or Engineering Problem opens different lines of inquiry related to the Anchoring Phenomenon. Students again ask questions, make observations, and track their developing understanding of the phenomenon in Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) or Modeling exercises. At the end of each Experience students revisit their CER worksheet in a sense-making exercise to review, revise or add to their explanation of how the phenomenon occurs – thus building understanding over time. At the end of the Investigation, students once again revisit and make sense of the phenomena by drawing connections.
The lessons, called Experiences, are where students connect science to everyday life through Flinn Scientific Inquiry Labs, virtual simulations, digital interactivities, videos, animations, Engineering Design Challenges, teacher demonstrations, modeling activities, performance-based assessments, data analysis activities, Hook & Inspire OER and Career activities and more. This wide variety of real-world experiences builds student understanding using DCIs, CCCs, and SEPs by interacting with phenomena over time.
Learn More about How to Differentiate for Success in the Science Classroom.
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Is the Experience Chemistry instruction research based?
Yes. Experience Chemistry is grounded in the BSCS 5E Model and research from Instructional Leadership for Science Practices (ILSP). The program seamlessly integrates the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), supports the three dimensions of NGSS, and provides students with authentic opportunities to investigate, explain, and evaluate real-world phenomena and engineering problems..
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What kind of math practice is included in Experience Chemistry?
Math is deeply embedded in the program—not added on. Students apply key math skills in stoichiometry, gas laws, pH calculations, graphing data, and interpreting chemical reactions. These tasks are integrated into labs, notebook prompts, and performance assessments, helping students strengthen both their math and science reasoning.
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How does Experience Chemistry support diverse learners and multilingual students?
Differentiation is built into every unit. The program includes evidence-based supports for multilingual learners, leveled lab options, visual vocabulary tools, and customizable digital content via Savvas Realize®. Teachers also get guidance for adjusting instruction based on student readiness and language proficiency.
Learn more 5 Activities to Promote Student Agency in the Classroom.
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How do I sign up for an Experience Chemistry digital demo?
Experience Chemistry digital courseware on the award-winning platform, Savvas Realize™, and includes robust digital tools that give teachers flexibility to use a digital, print, or blended format in their classrooms. Our platform integrates seamlessly with your LMS, including Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, and so many more. Teachers can customize the program to rearrange content, upload their own content, add links to online media, and edit resources and assessments.
Program-specific resources, flexible agnostic resources, and assessments are available in one location for easy lesson planning and presentation. Click here to sign up for a demo of Experience Chemistry.
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What types of science material kits does Savvas provide?
Flinn Scientific is our partner for the Experience Chemistry curriculum. Optional lab kits are available for each program. Every Flinn Scientific kit supports a classroom of up to 30 students. Refill kits are also available.
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Who are the authors of Experience Chemistry and how do they support classroom success?
Our authors are science education leaders committed to equity, access, and meaningful instruction. They’ve built a curriculum that reflects authentic scientific practices and ensures that all students have the opportunity to succeed. Watch our short video to hear directly from them.
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Table of Contents
Storyline 1: Atoms, Elements, and Molecules
Investigation 1: Atomic Structure
Experience 1.1 The Particle Nature of Matter
Experience 1.2 Modeling Atoms
Experience 1.3 Atomic Emission Spectra and the Bohr Model
Experience 1.4 Modern Atomic Theory
Experience 1.5 Electrons in Atoms
Investigation 2: The Periodic Table
Experience 2.1 The Periodic Table: An Overview
Experience 2.2 The Periodic Table and Atomic Structure
Experience 2.3 Periodic Trends
Investigation 3: Chemical Bonding
Experience 3.1 Ionic Bonds
Experience 3.2 Metallic Bonds
Experience 3.3 Covalent Bonds
Experience 3.4 Intermolecular Attractions
Experience 3.5 Names and Formulas of CompoundsInvestigation 4: Physical Properties of Materials
Experience 4.1 States of Matter
Experience 4.2 Modeling Phase Changes
Experience 4.3 Comparing Ionic and Molecular Compounds
Experience 4.4 Comparing Metals and Nonmetals
Experience 4.5 Water and Aqueous Systems
Experience 4.6 Properties of SolutionsStoryline 2: Understanding Chemical Reactions
Investigation 5: Chemical Quantities
Experience 5.1 The Mole Concept
Experience 5.2 Molar Relationships
Experience 5.3 Percent Composition and Empirical Formula
Experience 5.4 Concentrations of SolutionsInvestigation 6: Chemical Reactions
Experience 6.1 Modeling Chemical Reactions
Experience 6.2 Predicting Outcomes of Reactions
Experience 6.3 Reactions in Aqueous SolutionInvestigation 7: Stoichiometry
Experience 7.1 Quantifying Reactants and Products
Experience 7.2 Chemical Calculations
Experience 7.3 Limiting Reagent and Percent YieldInvestigation 8: Thermochemistry
Experience 8.1 Energy in Chemical Bonds
Experience 8.2 Heats of Formation and Reaction
Experience 8.3 Heat in Changes of StateStoryline 3: The Chemistry of Climate Change
(This storyline should be included as needed to meet your local curriculum requirements and may require excluding other materials.)
Investigation 9: The Behavior of Gases
Experience 9.1 Properties of Gases
Experience 9.2 The Gas Laws
Experience 9.3 Ideal Gases
Experience 9.4 Gases in Earth's AtmosphereInvestigation 10: Weather and Climate
Experience 10.1 Earth's Surface Systems
Experience 10.2 Water and Energy in the Atmosphere
Experience 10.3 Atmospheric System Feedbacks
Experience 10.4 Long-Term Climate Factors
Experience 10.5 Short-Term Climate FactorsInvestigation 11: Global Climate Change
Experience 11.1 The Chemistry of Earth's Atmosphere
Experience 11.2 Evidence of Climate Change
Experience 11.3 Anthropogenic Carbon Emissions
Experience 11.4 Climate Models
Experience 11.5 Consequences of Climate Change
Experience 11.6 Response to Climate ChangeStoryline 4: The Dynamics of Chemical Reactions and Ocean Acidification
Investigation 12: Reaction Rates and Equilibrium
Experience 12.1 Rates of Reaction
Experience 12.2 The Progress of Chemical Reactions
Experience 12.3 Reversible Reactions and Equilibrium
Experience 12.4 Free Energy and EntropyInvestigation 13: Acids-Base Equilibria
Experience 13.1 Acids, Bases, and Salts
Experience 13.2 Strong and Weak Acids and Bases
Experience 13.3 Reactions of Acids and Bases
Experience 13.4 Buffered SolutionsInvestigation 14: Ocean Acidification
Experience 14.1 Ocean pH Levels
Experience 14.2 Earth's Ocean as a Carbon Sink
Experience 14.3 Oceans and Climate Change
Experience 14.4 Consequences of Ocean AcidificationStoryline 5: Industrial Applications
Investigation 15: Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
Experience 15.1 Oxidation vs. Reduction
Experience 15.2 Modeling and Predicting Outcomes of Redox Reactions
Experience 15.3 Electrochemical CellsInvestigation 16: Organic Chemistry
Experience 16.1 Hydrocarbons
Experience 16.2 Functional Groups
Experience 16.3 PolymersInvestigation 17: Nuclear Processes
Experience 17.1 Radioactivity and Half-Life
Experience 17.2 Fission and Fusion
Experience 17.3 Nuclear TechnologiesInvestigation 18: Green Chemistry
Experience 18.1 Industrial Chemicals
Experience 18.2 Principles of Green Chemistry
Experience 18.3 Designing Sustainable Processes
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