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It may not be a national holiday (yet), but for chemistry teachers, Mole Day is a momentous annual occasion! This science celebration falls on October 23rd to reflect Avogadro’s number (6.02 x 10²³) and is a welcome opportunity to reinforce this important unit of measurement.

Bring a selection of fun and educational mole projects for Mole Day into your classroom this year to mark the occasion. The National Mole Day Foundation, Inc. sets a theme each year that you could follow, or you can come up with your own activities. From making their own pet moles to solving mole conversions in a class scavenger hunt, students use this once-a-year event to make the connection between a mole and large quantities of very small particles.

Play-on-Words Mole Projects for Mole Day

By the time Mole Day comes around, you’ve had around two months of comprehensive chemistry education with your high school students. Take a break and infuse some science-related fun into chemistry class with these entertaining Mole Day activities!

Decorate the class with adorable moles

The periodic table doesn’t have to be the only decoration in your chemistry classroom. Have students create or color their own mole posters to hang in anticipation of Mole Day, or decorate the hallway of the science wing to inspire their fellow science students.

Mol Day | Mole Day Activity: Decorate Your Own Mole
By Run Play Explore
Grades: 9th-12th

Bring the spirit of Mole Day to life with a fun coloring assignment! High schoolers enjoy a laid-back Mole Day activity that includes a cute mole printable coloring sheet. The resource includes several examples to inspire students to color and design their own moles.

Create a pet mole

Mole day is the perfect time to bring art to chemistry class for a cross-curricular lesson. Using quick-dry clay, fabric and thread, or found materials such as cardboard and tape, students can create a desktop mole to remind them of the basics of the mole. Have classmates vote on the best mole design, and award bonus points if they can find a creative way to include Avogadro’s number in their pet mole!

Host a Mole Day fiesta

A mole isn’t just a chemical unit of measurement or a furry underground critter; mole (pronounced “moh-lay” in Spanish) is also a type of sauce in Mexican cuisine. Host a Mole Day fiesta with Mexican food, desserts, and of course, a selection of mole poblano. Students can also bring innovative Mole Day foods like “mole-asses cookies” or “Avogadro dip” for chips. Make the party an incentive for finishing your mole conversion lessons right in time for October 23rd! 

Make a mole song masterpiece

Let students use their favorite playlists and songs to celebrate Mole Day this year! Work with the ELA department to create an interdisciplinary assignment involving song parodies with the word “mole.” Assign the project the week before Mole Day and host a karaoke contest for students to debut their number one Mole Day hits!

Pin the mole on the mug

Sometimes moles can be as plain as the nose on your face, or at least, next to the nose on your face! Draw up a large face on your whiteboard and hand out small brown circles with tape or magnets. Then spin blindfolded students around and see where they can place their “mole” on the face. You can also hand out small moles for students to wear to celebrate Mole Day.

Lessons to Master Mole Fundamentals

If Mole Day aligns with your unit on stoichiometry or chemical quantities, use it to teach students the basics of moles. Use these NGSS-aligned Mole Day projects to teach the concept of the mole and get students thinking on a different level of scientific understanding.

Develop an understanding of what a mole really is

Most chemistry teachers have seen that perplexed look on a student’s face during a lesson on the mole. Clear up the confusion with clear lessons and labs that use real-world applications for students to grasp this advanced chemistry concept.

Dimensional Analysis Project – How Big is a Mole?
By Kelsey Chemistry
Grades: 9th-12th
Standards: NGSS HS-PS1-7

Can your students really tell how big a mole is? Use a dimensional analysis resource that incorporates real-world examples for size reference, as well as sample questions, a research prompt, and opportunities for creative demonstrations.

Lab: How Big is a Mole? Introduction to the Mole Concept
By Amy Brown Science
Grades: 9th-12th
Standards: CCSS RST.9-10.3, 11-12.3; NGSS HS-PS1-7

Aligned to CCSS for science and technical subjects, this hands-on lab resource teaches students to connect the concept of the mole to molecules and atoms in their experiment. All you need is water, salt, sugar, and chalk, plus the included lab sheets and handouts, for students to comprehend mole conversion and its connection to chemical reactions.

Cover mole conversions and how to use them

Once students understand the mole, help them apply their understanding to a lesson on mole conversions. Stretch the instruction over several days in anticipation of Mole Day, or use Mole Day as a springboard for a longer unit on mole conversions!

Chemistry: The Mole & Mole Conversions Complete Lesson Print & Digital
By Chemistry Corner
Grade: 9th-12th

A thorough chemistry resource takes high schoolers through the concept of the mole and mole conversions. With teacher demonstrations, a slideshow lesson, and a quick lab assignment, this resource fits well into a unit on atomic structure or when reinforcing dimensional analysis in your chemistry class.

Mole Conversion Practice Activity
By I Heart Teaching Science
Grade: 8th-11th

Get chemistry students up and moving with an exciting mole scavenger hunt activity! This no-prep lesson sends high schoolers to stations around the classroom to convert between grams, moles, and molecules. With a teacher guide, 18 rotation cards, answer sheets, and an answer key, this Mole Day activity includes everything you need for an unforgettable mole activity.

Moles Calculations and Conversions Maze Worksheet Activity in Digital and Print
By Science from the South
Grade: 9th-12th

Turn the fun of Mole Day into a constructive chemistry lesson with an engaging maze worksheet! Differentiated for various skill levels and available in both print and digital formats, this resource prompts students to answer mole-related questions correctly to complete the activity and reach the end of the maze.

More Ways to Celebrate Mole Day

Mole Day is the perfect fusion of fun and fundamentals. Find more ways to celebrate Avogadro’s number this October with these all-encompassing Mole Day projects.

• Challenge students to bring in a mole of an item they have at home, such as a mole of molecules of water (around 18 milliliters).
• Create Mole Day posters or digital slideshows that inspire and teach about moles and mole conversion.
• Conduct research on Amedeo Avogadro and the invention of Avogadro’s number.
• Demonstrate an experiment involving a certain amount of compound, about which students guess the number of atoms in moles.
• Host a game show in which you list two substances or objects and have students guess which one contains more atoms.

Make the most of Mole Day this year with TPT

This October 23rd, your chemistry lesson can be unforgettable for every student. Use more high school chemistry mole resources on this special science occasion and during National Chemistry Week (October 19-25), or find ways to incorporate them into high school science fair ideas for an upcoming science event.