Articles

Filter by:

51 – 75 of 389 Articles

In My Element | September 2024 From Lab Coats to Lesson Plans
The author shares his career transition from work as a pharmaceutical chemist to teaching high school chemistry. During his 1,000-mile journey, he discovered a passion for education and positively impacting students’ lives.
Editorial | September 2024 Extending Collaboration Beyond Chemistry
AACT President Martin Palermo emphasizes the importance of collaboration outside chemistry educators. Interacting with teachers from other disciplines can enrich one’s teaching practices, reduce isolation, support professional growth, and enhance student learning experiences.
Chemistry Fun | September 2024 Laboratory Equipment Scramble
In this activity, students will be challenged to solve a set of scrambled word puzzles. Each scrambled word corresponds to the name of a common piece of chemistry laboratory equipment. After solving each puzzle, students will use designated letters from each word to solve a riddle.
Nuts & Bolts | May 2024 Reflecting on ChatGPT in our Chemistry Classroom
In a follow-up to their September 2023 article, two high school chemistry teachers explore the integration of ChatGPT (a tool for artificial intelligence, or AI) in their classroom. While AI has helped the authors with instructional planning, they have also found challenges with its accuracy and the ways students use it.
Nuts & Bolts | May 2024 It Takes Two: Partner Work in the Chemistry Classroom
A chemistry teacher reflects on his transition from individual to partner worksheets. He shares his journey adopting the “Pass the Paper” and “Turn + Talk” protocols to enhance student collaboration and accountability in his classroom.
Tech Tips | May 2024 Technology Tools that have Reshaped how I Teach Chemistry
A high school chemistry teacher discusses how technology tools have transformed his teaching, enhancing effectiveness and student engagement. He shares how he uses Pear Assessment, Notability, Explain Everything, Google Sheets, ChemQuiz, and Gimkit in his classroom.
Advice Column | May 2024 Dear Labby: Seeking a Segue
A teacher asks how old is too old to begin to teach?
Editorial | May 2024 Reflecting on the Three Cs
AACT President Michael Farabaugh reflects on the end of the school year, balancing emotions, and setting goals. He encourages his peers to continue embracing connection, collaboration, and contribution to enhance teaching and community engagement.
Classroom Commentary | May 2024 From High School Chemistry to Upper Elementary Science
This author reflects on her unique teaching experience, transitioning to elementary science after 17 years in the high school chemistry classroom. She compares her experiences and shares the challenges and successes of teaching across levels.
Chemistry Fun | May 2024 ChemConnections
In this activity, students will complete a series of chemistry-themed word puzzles. Each puzzle provides 16 words which students must categorize into four groups of four items that share something in common without knowing what the categories are.
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.
Advice Column | March 2024 Dear Labby: Irritated with Infrastructure
A teacher asks how to engage students with limited lab utilities.
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.
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.
Editorial | March 2024 Teacher Leadership in Science and Chemistry
AACT President-Elect Martin Palermo discusses the concerning trend of STEM educator retention, particularly in chemistry. He highlights the benefits of engaging in teacher leadership and the role of organizations like AACT in supporting chemistry educators.
Chemistry Fun | March 2024 Chemistry Emoji Pictionary
In this activity, students will try to determine the correct chemistry related term, phrase, or item based on a provided set of emojis.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Chemistry Fun | November 2023 Chemistry Pyramids
In this activity, students will use the periodic table, combined with math and logic to solve several chemistry themed pyramid puzzles. In a traditional pyramid puzzle, there is a relationship between the numbers, which is used to determine the missing numbers. In all of these chemistry pyramids, each element symbol is determined by the sum of the two atomic numbers of the elements directly below it. Students are challenged with determining the missing element symbols in each puzzle, but first must use a periodic table to find the atomic number for each element symbol appearing in the puzzle. This activity is a fun challenge for students and provides the opportunity to strengthen logic and reasoning skills.
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.