AACT is excited to offer a lesson plan contest for K–12 teachers of chemistry to create exciting and unique lesson plans related to the 2026 National Chemistry Week (NCW) theme, “Chemistry Under Construction." Use your creativity to design a lesson plan and submit by August 31st for a chance to win $200. Submission ideas will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

What to know:

• This lesson plan contest is open to all AACT members.
• Complete this brief submission form by August 31st, 2026 with an outline or overview of your idea for an activity, lab, lesson plan, demonstration, or project related to the construction theme. Check out our Classroom Resource Library to make sure it doesn't already exist.
• If your idea is selected, upon completion of the resource creation and submission process, you will earn a $200 gift card and NCW goody bag, and your resource will be published in the AACT Classroom Resource Library and featured on social media.

See Guidelines and Submit an Idea

Teachers can submit an original classroom resource idea for consideration at any time!

What to know: 

• AACT classroom resources take the form of activities, demonstrations, labs, lessons, or projects. Check out our Classroom Resource Library for examples.
• Complete this brief submission form form with a description of your original resource idea.
  
• If your idea is selected, upon completion of the resource creation and submission process, you will earn a $200 gift card and your resource will be published in the AACT Classroom Resource Library.

See Guidelines and Submit an Idea 

We invite teachers to submit an original AP chemistry teaching resource idea that you have designed for publishing in the AACT Classroom Resource Library. Teachers can submit an idea for an AP level activity, demonstration, lab, lesson, or project related to one of the following Learning Objectives:

• Topic 2.4 Structure of Metals and Alloys
  
  • 2.4.A. Represent a metallic solid and/or alloy using a model to show essential characteristics of the structure and interactions present in the substance.
• Topic 3.5 Kinetic Molecular Theory
  
  • 3.5.A. Explain the relationship between the motion of particles and the macroscopic properties of gases with: a. The kinetic molecular theory (KMT). b. A particulate model. c. A graphical representation. 
• Topic 3.6 Deviation from Ideal Gas Law
  
  • 3.6.A. Explain the relationship among non-ideal behaviors of gases, interparticle forces and/or volumes.
• Topic 3.8 Representations of Solutions
  
  • 3.8.A Using particulate models for mixtures: a. Represent interactions between components. b. Represent concentrations of components.
    
• Topic 6.2 Energy Diagrams
  
  • 6.2.A. Represent a chemical or physical transformation with an energy diagram.
    
• Topic 6.3 Heat Transfer and Thermal Equilibrium
  
  • 6.3.A. Explain the relationship between the transfer of thermal energy and molecular collisions.
    
• Topic 6.5 Energy of Phase Changes
  
  • 6.5.A. Explain changes in the heat q absorbed or released by a system undergoing a phase transition based on the amount of the substance in moles and the molar enthalpy of the phase transition.
• Topic 6.7 Bond Enthalpies
  
  • 6.7.A. Calculate the enthalpy change of a reaction based on the average bond energies of bonds broken and formed in the reaction.
• Topic 6.8 Enthalpy of Formation
  
  • 6.8.A. Calculate the enthalpy change for a chemical or physical process based on the standard enthalpies of formation.
    
• Topic 7.11 Introduction to Solubility Equilibria
  
  • 7.11.A. Calculate the solubility of a salt based on the value of K_sp for the salt.
    
• Topic 7.12 Common-Ion Effect
  • 7.12.A. Identify the solubility of a salt, and/or the value of K_sp for the salt, based on the concentration of a common ion already present in solution.
• Topic 8.1 Introduction to Acids and Bases
  
  • 8.1.A. Calculate the values of pH and pOH, based on K_w and the concentration of all species present in a neutral solution of water.
• Topic 8.6 Molecular Structure of Acids and Bases
  
  • 8.6.A. Explain the relationship between the strength of an acid or base and the structure of the molecule or ion.
• Topic 9.2 Absolute Entropy and Entropy Change
  
  • 9.2.A. Calculate the entropy change for a chemical or physical process based on the absolute entropies of the species involved in the process.
    
• Topic 9.6 Free Energy of Dissolution
  
  • 9.6.A. Explain the relationship between the solubility of a salt and changes in the enthalpy and entropy that occur in the dissolution process.

Submission ideas will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and a select number of teaching resources will be accepted. Any teacher that submits an idea that is accepted will earn a $200 gift card and the resource will be published in the AACT Classroom Resource Library.

Submit an AP Lesson Idea