Consult the curriculum requirements for chemistry instruction. Review both state and local requirements, which should be provided by your school or school district. This information is also usually readily available on your state's Department of Education or Department of Public Instruction website. Ascertain the standards of education and the particular lessons and units that should be addressed at each grade level.
Introduce students to the topic of matter. Define matter and and explain its three different states -- solids, liquids and gases. Provide examples of the states of matter to help students understand the concept. Explain that matter changes states, and illustrate this concept with a basic chemistry experiment, such as converting water into steam or freezing water into ice cubes. For more advanced students, explore a topic such as changes in density that correspond with changes in matter states.
Introduce students to the periodic table, the tabular display of all known chemical elements. Reference the table to explain the chemistry concepts of ionic bonding, atomic structure, atomic numbers, protons, metals and noble gases. Display a periodic table in the classroom to reinforce the material, as well as for students to consult in conjunction with different assignments.
Explain the process of scientific inquiry, or, if students have already been introduced to the scientific method, show how it applies to chemistry experiments. For instance, use the scientific method to complete a classroom experiment. Apply the following steps: research; hypothesize; test hypothesis; analyze data; interpret data; and publish results. Encourage students to keep a lab journal for recording each step.
Demonstrate other chemistry concepts, such as chemical reaction and chemical change, and define important terms, such as precipitate, catalyst, rate of reaction, polar molecule and surface tension. Reinforce these terms and concepts with in-class experiments that are suited to your students' grade level.