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  • Nuts & Bolts | May 2023 Access is an AACT member benefit. 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 | March 2023 Access is an AACT member benefit. High School Girls in STEM Club

    In this article, the author shares about the motivation for and purpose of the Girls in STEM club, created in her school nearly a decade ago. The club has flourished over the years, encouraging and supporting high school girls in STEM subjects as well as providing outreach opportunities for club members and younger girls in the community who are interested in STEM.

  • Classroom Commentary | March 2022 Access is an AACT member benefit. Teachers of Young Students are Chemistry Teachers Too

    In this article, 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year and middle school science teacher Autumn Rivera encourages middle school and elementary school teachers to see themselves as chemistry teachers. She shares about how her own love and passion for science was fueled at a young age and knows that teachers of young students can have a similar positive impact. It’s clear that Middle and Elementary school teachers can have a wide range of teaching responsibilities, but if you look closely, you’ll find that most likely they are science teachers as well.

  • Tech Tips | March 2021 Access is an AACT member benefit. How to Use Online Forms and Surveys to Enhance Remote Learning

    In this article, the author describes how the remote learning setting can be challenging for teachers. The inability to observe students’ body language and other types of real-time feedback can make it difficult to plan ahead and adjust lessons on the fly. With this in mind, the author shares some practical ways to use online forms and surveys to both engage students in remote learning and gain more real-time feedback on lesson comprehension.

  • Nuts & Bolts | March 2021 Access is an AACT member benefit. Beneficial Classroom Strategies for Teaching in a Pandemic and Beyond

    Teaching during the pandemic has challenged teachers to find new ways to help students learn chemistry. In this article, AACT Middle School Ambassador Jennifer Smith describes several teaching methods that have been successful in her classroom. These strategies include weekly student check-in surveys, providing students with audio feedback, and creating video instructions for labs. All are easy-to-implement practices that teachers can leverage both during and after the pandemic

  • Resource Feature | November 2019 Access is an AACT member benefit. Navigating the Periodic Table Guided by Nested Russian Dolls

    The authors describe a lesson they developed collaboratively to teach elementary students about the structure and shape of periodic table using a set of Russian “nesting dolls.” Building on that understanding, they teach students how to navigate the periodic table, identify specific elements by atomic number, analyze several element samples, and determine the identity of a mystery material.

  • Classroom Commentary | September 2019 Access is an AACT member benefit. 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 Access is an AACT member benefit. It’s Elementary: We all Teach Chemistry!

    In this article, the author affirms that elementary science teachers are chemistry teachers. She offers examples for connecting chemistry to space science, specifically using NASA resources, as well as examples for identifying other chemistry content connections in a science curriculum.

  • Classroom Commentary | May 2019 Access is an AACT member benefit. 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.

  • Classroom Commentary | November 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. 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.

  • Nuts & Bolts | September 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Setting the Tone for Safety with Younger Students

    This article outlines the basic considerations for lab safety in the elementary science classroom. Sample student safety contracts are provided by the author for teacher use.

  • Resource Feature | May 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Embracing Chemistry in the Elementary Classroom

    This article discusses why it's important for K-5 teachers to overcome the fear of teaching chemistry, and gives some simple suggestions on how to start.

  • Classroom Commentary | March 2018 The Science Coaches Program in Action

    This article describes the very successful Science Coaches partnership between a third-grade teacher and a Ph.D. chemist, who is also her father. The authors offer insight and tips for making the best use of a Science Coach partnership, or any science visitor to your classroom.

  • Resource Feature | May 2017 Access is an AACT member benefit. 5th Grade Chemistry — as Taught by High School Students

    This end-of-the-year project for high school chemistry students involves learning and using inquiry strategies to teach chemical concepts to fifth-grade students through hands-on activities. The author outlines the project, including conversations with elementary teachers, planning logistics, field trip details, and student preparation. Read about the many rewards of a well-planned and executed project that binds the grade levels through chemistry.

  • Classroom Commentary | March 2017 Access is an AACT member benefit. Bridging the Observable to the Atom: Teaching Chemistry to PreK-12 Students

    In order to support children’s understanding of matter throughout their primary and secondary education, it's necessary to design instruction using the tetrahedral model representations in which students recognize the multiple levels of thought and contextualize learning in the everyday level. This article aims to help teachers understand the learning progressions in light of the tetrahedral model representation through NGSS and other curriculum documents.

  • Resource Feature | May 2016 Access is an AACT member benefit. Getting Young Students Excited about Science

    Have you considered teaching chemistry to your elemenatry students? This fifth grade teacher shows how easy it is to introduce chemistry into the elementary school classroom. She reviews several You Be The Chemist® activities, and explains why her students love them.

  • Nuts & Bolts | March 2016 Access is an AACT member benefit. Guest Speakers Bring Science to Life in an Elementary Classroom

    This fifth grade teacher in Michigan works with practicing scientists to reinforce science skills, concepts, and vocabulary with his students.

  • Classroom Commentary | September 2014 Access is an AACT member benefit. Teaching Science in Elementary School

    Elementary school teachers face challenges because of resources and testing requirements. This article features Patti Burns who teaches in a struggling city school, Lauren Schultz who teaches in an affluent school, and Allison Granish-Lee who teaches in a small school.