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Tech Tips | March 2024 Tapping the Potential of Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom
The author explores the advantages and disadvantages of AI in education. He highlights practical applications while encouraging a balanced perspective, thereby leveraging the potential while addressing risks.
In My Element | March 2024 Balancing the Pursuit of Higher Education while Teaching
In this article, a veteran teacher shares her experience of being a doctoral student while also teaching high school chemistry full time. She details the challenges of balancing multiple responsibilities during her academic journey.
Nuts & Bolts | March 2024 Teaching Chemical Kinetics: Traditional or Non-Traditional?
This author describes an alternative sequence for teaching reaction mechanisms. She shares ideas and resources for the classroom, and why her method may benefit student learning.
Advice Column | March 2024 Dear Labby: Irritated with Infrastructure
A teacher asks how to engage students with limited lab utilities.
Classroom Commentary | March 2024 Experimenting with Standards-Based Grading in High School Chemistry
Two chemistry teachers describe their experiment with standards-based grading, sharing their reasons, methods, and challenges faced over the last two years. They hope to encourage teachers to use this practice themselves, and share their experiences.
Classroom Commentary | November 2023 Preparing Students for the International Science and Engineering Fair
In this article, the author describes her efforts to prepare students for the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) for the first time. She also shares the experience of two students who reached the regional and state levels.
Nuts & Bolts | November 2023 A Self-Paced, Mastery-Based Chemistry Classroom
The author uses three elements in her classroom: blended instruction, self-paced learning, and mastery-based grading. These components foster students’ ownership of their own learning, helping them find joy in mastering challenging topics and gain confidence in their abilities.
Classroom Commentary | November 2023 Student Mental Health Matters... and so Does Yours!
Student mental health has gained greater focus over recent years, yet many teachers have not applied that knowledge to themselves. A discussion at ChemEd 2023, led by the author, introduced techniques for teachers to prioritize their own well-being.
Advice Column | November 2023 Dear Labby: Frustrated with Flames
A teacher asks how to create a brighter green flame as part of the "Flame Test" lab.
Editorial | November 2023 Engaging Students Through Chemistry Research
AACT Governing Board SOCED Representative Don Warner explains how his career began with scientific research that changed his life. He implores educators to introduce their students to research opportunities and incorporate course-based research experiences into their classes.
In My Element | November 2023 An Unexpected Journey from Medical Aspirations to Becoming a Teacher in the UAE
In this article, the author describes lessons learned in her journey to becoming a teacher in both a foreign language and country. She also describes the challenges faced during her first years as a chemistry teacher.
Classroom Commentary | September 2023 The Impact of Mentorship
The author describes the sizable gap in academic performance in STEM that existed between the White and Hispanic students at the high school where she teaches. Creating a club for her school’s Hispanic students to provide STEM mentorship helped address the issue successfully.
Advice Column | September 2023 Dear Labby: Puzzled With Precipitates
A teacher from Texas asks about precipitates and Labby answers.
Editorial | September 2023 Connect, Collaborate, and Contribute
As teachers embark on the new school year, the 2023-24 AACT Governing Board President, Michael Farabaugh, encourages educators to embrace what he calls the “three C’s.”
Classroom Commentary | September 2023 Empowering Preservice Teachers Through Mentoring
In this article, the author reflects on her experience as a mentor of preservice teachers and the valuable impact it has on their personal and professional growth.
Tech Tips | September 2023 Making the Instructional Videos I Wish I’d Had as a Teacher
A former chemistry teacher shares about the challenges she faced in the past when incorporating videos into her teaching, and how she now uses that perspective in her work as a science video content creator.
Nuts & Bolts | September 2023 ChatGPT in the Chemistry Classroom

Learn how two co-teachers plan to explore and integrate artificial intelligence (AI), specifically ChatGPT, in their science classroom. This article emphasizes that AI should not replace teachers, but rather be used to enhance the learning experience.
Resource Feature | September 2023 Developing Chemistry Lessons with Student Interest in Mind
The author shares an overview of example chemistry lessons designed to engage low performing students by connecting content with relevant life experiences. Connections to NGSS standards, as well as attention to reading, writing, and mathematics are described as well.
Resource Feature | May 2023 Exploring Social Justice Through a Chemistry Lens
This article details a project that introduces students to the intersection of social justice and chemistry. Over the course of a semester, students study the Flint, Michigan water crisis and discuss the social aspects while exploring the solution chemistry underlying the events.
Nuts & Bolts | May 2023 Using Notetaking to Help Students Take More Meaningful Notes
In this article the author discusses her journey to transform traditional notetaking in her classroom to a more active, engaging activity for students. She describes several successful strategies that she uses in her middle school science classroom, including group notetaking, processing-based activities, like one-pagers, and combining colors, pictures and text through the sketchnoting approach.
Classroom Commentary | May 2023 5 Lessons I Wish I’d Learned Earlier in My Career

A veteran chemistry teacher shares five pearls of teaching wisdom from her teaching career. She hopes to inspire and support fellow chemistry teachers, especially those who are just starting out in the profession.
Editorial | May 2023 How Are You?
AACT President Matt Perekupka reflects on the school year and revisits the topic of teacher burnout. He hopes that other teachers have shared his feeling of revitalization this school year and credits the importance of building connections for combatting his battle with burnout.
In My Element | May 2023 Embracing a Challenging Opportunity
In this article, a teacher shares his story about moving from the Philippines to Orlando, Florida to accept a chemistry teaching position at an inner city, Title I high school. He highlights an unanticipated challenge that he encountered, his successful journey to overcome it, and some adjustments he needed to make in order to succeed. He shares several strategies and examples that helped him along the way, ultimately motivating him to remain true to his calling as a teacher.
Editorial | March 2023 They Need Care: Rebuilding with Connections
In this editorial, AACT Governing Board DivCHED Representative Michael Mury discusses the importance of teacher-student relationships. He encourages teachers to continue to build essential connections with students in their classrooms, and provides several suggestions for doing so. It’s never too late, he reminds teachers, to get to know your students!
Resource Feature | March 2023 Restoring the Passion for Chemistry: How Collaborating on a Research Project can Inspire both Students and Teachers
In this article, the author shares about her struggle to balance curriculum requirements and pacing with the opportunity to provide real lab experiences for students. Recently, she has experienced science classes dwindling in popularity, particularly since the pandemic. When she had the opportunity to end a particularly difficult school year with a student-led research project, she helped both herself and her students regain a love of learning.