Articles

Filter by:

201 – 225 of 396 Articles

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.
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.
Tech Tips | May 2019 Edpuzzle: A Video Formative Assessment Tool
In this article, the author discusses the use of video media to enhance teaching and learning through the use of the Edpuzzle platform. He shares his thoughts about the many ways that using video media can increase student accountability and engagement, while providing more data about student achievement throughout the lesson. Edpuzzle can be a helpful tool to formatively assess student understanding, identify misconceptions, and drive instruction.
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.
Editorial | May 2019 Thank You for an Inspiring Year
Sherri Rukes reflects on her past year as AACT president. She highlights some of the great progress made by AACT during the 2018-19 school year, and recognizes the important contributions of many valuable stakeholders.
Resource Feature | May 2019 My Favorite Demonstrations for Teaching Chemical Reactions
In this article, the author describes a series of seven demonstrations she uses to help students understand how to identify that a chemical reaction has occurred. Additionally, students use their observations to write word equations and formula equations.
Animation | May 2019 Measurement Animation
In this animation, students review the fundamentals of measurement in length, mass, and volume. The animation also provides opportunities for students to practice unit conversions to confirm their understanding. **This animation has no audio**
In My Element | May 2019 The Chemistry of Opportunity: From the Commode to the Conant Award
This article discusses the author’s background and experiences that led to his becoming a high school chemistry teacher and the 2018 recipient of the ACS James Bryant Conant Award in High School Chemistry Teaching.
Chemistry Fun | May 2019 Lucky Seven
In this activity, students will use the periodic table and the clues provided to identify element names. Students will then attempt to find the element names that are hidden in the puzzle.
Resource Feature | May 2019 Modeling Polarity
In this article, the authors share about two kinesthetic-based activities used to successfully help students develop an understanding of polarity. The first activity focuses on conceptualizing the polarity of a bond, and the second activity allows them to apply that knowledge to determine the polarity of a molecule.
Resource Feature | March 2019 Teaching Essential Concepts … with T-Shirt Chromatography
In this article, a teacher shares about her colorful classroom activity for teaching chromatography.
Simulation | March 2019 Predicting Products
In this simulation, students will reference an activity series and a solubility chart to accurately predict the products of single replacement and double replacement chemical reactions. Associated particle diagrams will be displayed to help students better comprehend the reaction at the particulate level. Students will also be asked to balance the chemical equation. The simulation is designed as a five question quiz for students to use multiple times.
In My Element | March 2019 An Unplanned Journey to Middle School Science Teacher
The AACT Middle School Ambassador describes her somewhat unplanned journey to becoming a middle school science teacher. Her enthusiasm and passion for teaching students at this level are evident as she shares her experiences with the reader.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Chemistry Fun | March 2019 An Element Fill-In Puzzle
In this activity, students will solve a puzzle by using element symbols from the periodic table to fill-in missing letters.
Editorial | March 2019 Colorful Lessons
The March editorial is guest-authored by the AACT President-Elect, Heather Weck. Heather reflects on how the theme of color has impacted her and inspired her throughout her teaching career.
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 Successful Collaboration, Fostered by the American Chemical Society
This article describes the exciting collaboration between university and high school students and faculty that developed over a decade. The two main components that contribute to this successful partnership are the ChemClub and Science Coaches programs, sponsored by ACS/AACT.
Resource Feature | November 2018 Taking Inspiration from the AP Chemistry Reading
In this article, the author describes how her experience at the AP Chemistry Reading inspires lesson ideas to help address common misconceptions. In her engaging classroom activity, students model equilibrium reactions using chips to represent atoms in an effort to connect the symbolic model of an equilibrium reaction to its particle model.
Chemistry Fun | November 2018 Elemental Mix-Up
In this activity, students will test their knowledge of the periodic table as they attempt to unscramble element names and use select letters to solve a mystery message.
In My Element | November 2018 The Grass Really Is Greener
The author describes how he transitioned from drowning as a teacher in the United States, to cruising as an international school teacher.
Nuts & Bolts | November 2018 A Groovy NGSS Phenomenon for Chemistry Concepts
In this article, the authors demonstrate how an existing middle school chemistry curriculum can be easily modified toward an NGSS storyline. The article highlights lesson shift toward the “groovy phenomenon” of a lava lamp to engage students in chemistry concepts such as density, heat transfer, particle motion, and phases of matter. NGSS practices in modeling for understanding and arguing from evidence are highlighted.