Chemistry Solutions
November 2014
Featured Article
Resource Feature
Magic BubbleRead about a lesson designed by a teacher that introduces students to particle diagrams via the process of dissolving.
Resource Features
Lessons by teachers with their inspiration for the activity or tips for how to implement the lesson.
Eliminate safety concerns of cracking hydrocarbons in a classroom setting by doing the reaction with a microscale set up.
Classroom Commentary
Reflections and perspectives by teachers about topics that affect chemistry education.
A veteran teacher shares insight on how to align objectives with learning activities and resources.
AP Chemistry should be open to any student who meets the bare-minimum prerequisites and is willing to take on a rigorous, challenging course.
Access to quality science education varies greatly for students across the nation, creating gaps that restrict options for many students in postsecondary education and careers. Commitment to quality science education, supported by creative, collaborative efforts with community partners, is essential to narrow these access gaps for the good of our students and our nation.
Nuts & Bolts
Functional tips you can implement in your classroom.
You can borrow tricks of the trade from literacy to create dynamic lessons to increase student understanding.
Increase student engagement and promote critical-thinking skills through positive student–teacher relationships, chemical demonstrations, and student discussions.
Are your students struggling with learning electron configurations? This POGIL activity can help.
Given recent accidents involving methanol, are traditional, teacher-performed, passive-student demonstrations best?
In My Element
Stories about teachers finding their way to the chemistry classroom.
My relationship with chemistry changed as I began teaching. I am one of two science teachers at the junior high and high school in my rural public school in Russia, OH.
Teacher 2 Teacher
We Asked on Twitter:
How do you teach the periodic table so it's interesting and engaging to students? #teachPTOE
— @AACTconnect
You answered:
Students see many elements first hand with a kit from @FlinnScientific Then Element election with posters/speeches.
—@george1799
I #teachPTOE using #periodictableofvideos and #TheoGray 's The Elements book and apps.
—@RRrountre
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Editorial
Safety is always a primary focus for AACT. Every activity available on our website has a section devoted to safety. Some precautions may seem obvious, but they are there to avoid incidents like the ones we’ve recently heard about.
Simulation
In the November 2014 issue, students explore the different attractive foreces between pairs of molecules by dragging the "star" image. In the accompanying activity, students investigate different types of intermolecular forces (London dispersion and dipole-dipole). In the analysis that follows the investigation, they relate IMFs (including hydrogen bonding) to physical properties (boiling point and solubility).
Chemistry Fun
We asked you to write in your own caption for the comic below.