Here is something to ponder as you think about your lab experiences this year: I have been using an excellent inquiry lab for the past few years. I think it does a fabulous job guiding the students through the amazing (yet often dull to students) world of specific heat equations and learning about calorimetry. However, this semester, I returned to the old, traditional calorimetry lab. I wan
This month I spoke with Brian Brethauer who teaches chemistry and coaches Science Olympiad among other science activities on the west side if Michigan. Here are his responses to the 4 questions.
Q1: How do you define inquiry? What does inquiry look like to you?
It's interesting to me how a word can define a class. The longer I teach, the more excited and quickly I can cover a concept. However, this pace does not necessarily fit well with my students, so we have a code word: Traxoline (thanks to Judy Lanier).
This week I talked with Alice Putti who teaches Chemistry and AP Chem in West Michigan. Below are her answers to our inquiry questions:
Q1: How do you define inquiry? or What does inquiry look like to you?
This year one my goals is to use this space to talk specifically with various teachers about how they use inquiry in their chemistry classrooms. My four questions are:
In my grad program one of our discussions concerned how to teach science the way science is actually done. This seems to be one of the core ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards. The standards want to encourage students to think more like scientists and engineers as opposed to students seeking an A. Please share your thoughts!
Here is a pic from the 2009 award including board members of the National Mole Day Foundation and past Moles of the Year.
Want ideas for this year's theme: The AniMOLE Kingdom? Visit www.moleday.org or visit the facebook page National Mole Day Foundation Inc.
There are so many fun ways to celebrate with your class. One of my favorites was building an acetylene cannon and shooting stuffed moles students
