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Nuts & Bolts | September 2019 Systems-Thinking in the Chemistry Classroom
Recent critiques of chemistry curricula have pointed toward an overly reductionist approach to teaching and learning about the central science. Advocates of curriculum changes point out that many schools and textbooks fail to help students see chemistry’s impacts within larger and interconnected systems. A systems-thinking approach to chemistry curriculum development and implementation may help both students and teachers conceive and appreciate these complex relationships. Two tools that can help teachers design and implement a systems-approach to chemical education include Science Literacy Maps and Concept Maps.
Classroom Commentary | September 2019 Using the Challenge Cycle to Facilitate Learning
In this article, the author shares about her use of the Challenge Cycle in combination with the Middle School Chemistry curriculum, developed by ACS. The Challenge Cycle moves the responsibility for learning from teacher to student, and facilitates active learning as it serves as a guide for thinking and communicating.
Classroom Commentary | September 2019 Strategies for Fostering Community in High School Chemistry Classrooms
In this article, the author discusses how developing a strong classroom community can help students persevere in the face of challenging chemistry content. The author shares how she has developed a system for fostering individual student growth while developing strong classroom culture over time.
Nuts & Bolts | September 2019 Tips for Surviving and Thriving in Your First Years as a Chemistry Teacher
This article provides tips for finding success as a new chemistry teacher. Tips include helpful organizational advice and lab logistics for teachers who are navigating their first few years of teaching.
Classroom Commentary | May 2019 Hands-On Science for K-8 Students
This article describes outreach efforts to bring hands-on science experiments to K-8 classes. The author shares her experience involving college students in these efforts, and provides examples of some experiments that were memorable with young students.
Nuts & Bolts | May 2019 Addressing Scientific Literacy through a Demonstration
A chemical demonstration can be repeatedly utilized in a curricular unit to bolster scientific literacy. A series of classroom activities in a chemistry classroom is presented to illustrate the demonstration's usefulness as a central and ongoing instructional strategy.
Nuts & Bolts | March 2019 Applying Retrieval Practice Techniques in the Classroom
This article describes the author’s efforts to increase opportunities in her daily teaching practice for students to actively engage in practicing and retrieving information. Research has shown that these activities are very beneficial to long-term learning.
Classroom Commentary | March 2019 NGSS Storylines in a Flipped Classroom
This article provides insight into how a teacher flipped her middle school science classroom and then integrated the NGSS storyline process of learning into the flipped classroom structure.
Nuts & Bolts | March 2019 Ditch Your Step-by-Step Procedures: Teach Students to Understand the Chemistry
In this article, the author describes his emphasis on problem-solving rather than providing step-by-step instructions to students. With the use of examples, he explains how this focus has helped his students develop a deeper understanding of chemistry topics.
Resource Feature | March 2019 Magic Monday: Inspiring Students to Observe and Question in Chemistry
The article describes the author’s use of demonstrations to spark interest and investigation in chemistry. This teaching strategy has been both valuable and popular with her students.
Tech Tips | March 2019 Creating YouTube Tutorial Channels for Student Success
The authors share their success with creating chemistry tutorial videos and posting them on YouTube in order to support students outside of the classroom.
Classroom Commentary | November 2018 Working Together toward Vertical Alignment
The author shares his experience organizing a science workshop that connects high school science teachers with elementary school teachers in their same system. During the workshop, high school teachers present labs and activities to help elementary science teachers best prepare their own students. The experience lets teachers collaborate and discuss vertical alignment of their teaching, and be better prepared to work together to provide students with the most effective science education.
Classroom Commentary | September 2018 Reflections of an AP Chemistry Exam Reader
This article describes a chemistry teacher’s experience as a Reader for the AP chemistry exam. She shares some reflections, pointers, and insights to help guide other AP Chemistry teachers in hopes of helping them prepare their students to achieve mastery on the exam.
Tech Tips | May 2018 Experimenting with Electronic Lab Notebooks
The author describes her efforts to implement and effectively use electronic notebooks to capture lab work in regular, advanced, and AP chemistry classes.
Nuts & Bolts | May 2018 Using Learning Progressions to Improve Scientific Modeling in Chemistry
This article describes how to use learning progressions to transform your existing modeling activities to help students construct and use models as a generative tool for predicting and explaining phenomena. In the process, the models become a learning tool, rather than just a means to illustrate understanding.
Nuts & Bolts | May 2018 Strategies for Teaching SPED and EL Students in the Chemistry Classroom
The article explores several different strategies for teaching EL and SPED students in the high school chemistry classroom.
Classroom Commentary | March 2018 Part II: Rethinking Common Practices in High School Chemistry
This article is Part II of a series that aims at rethinking common practices in the high school chemistry curriculum. The first article in this series was published in the November 2017 issue. This article describes the shortcomings with the “5 Reaction Types” classification scheme and provides an alternative organization to the study of chemical reactions.
Nuts & Bolts | March 2018 21st Century Skills in High School Chemistry
This article discusses the changing trends in science education, with a focus on the need for implementing 21st century skills into the science curriculum, and some techniques for doing so.
Nuts & Bolts | November 2017 Integrating NGSS and STEM in the Classroom
As an educator interested in sharing your love of science with your students, how do you incorporate the NGSS and STEM in your classroom? The answer is simple. STEM and NGSS are inherently intertwined, which makes the implementation of NGSS easier. Here is a step-by-step process for how to integrate NGSS and STEM in your chemistry classroom.
Classroom Commentary | November 2017 Part I: Rethinking Common Practices in High School Chemistry
The physical vs. chemical change dichotomy and criteria for classification often taught early in chemistry courses should be removed or delayed until students have a more thorough understanding of the particulate nature of matter.
Nuts & Bolts | September 2017 Embracing Chemical Literacy
Chemical literacy has been a journey and a struggle — both of which the author has enjoyed. The struggle has ultimately improved her teaching, and in this article, her intention is to share ideas for improving the chemical literacy of students in various ways.
Nuts & Bolts | September 2017 Helping Students Use their English Language Skills
This article describes five assignments and projects that are aimed to help all students improve their English language skills.
Classroom Commentary | May 2017 Finding Chemistry Connections in Climate Change
The scientific evidence that underlies global warming and climate change has many connections with common chemistry topics. Incorporating global warming and climate change concepts into your curriculum gives context to the importance of understanding chemistry, and can help students develop a better understanding of why chemistry truly is the central science.
Nuts & Bolts | May 2017 Using Formative Assessment to Guide Instruction
Formative assessment is a valuable tool for determining a student's misconceptions and level of science understanding, in order to guide class instruction. While it can seem intimidating, formative assessment can take a variety of forms to incorporate movement and collaboration in the classroom.
Nuts & Bolts | March 2017 Four Strategies for More Effective Labs
Learn four strategies for effectively connecting chemistry lessons to lab activities. This article will explore flipping the pre-lab, incorporating claim-evidence-reasoning in the hypothesis and conclusion, implementing a class discussion during inquiry labs, and developing lab quizzes.