With a Master's degree in geology, I have a deep and abiding love for rocks and minerals. The great thing about geology is, it's all about chemistry! I want to share one of my favorite links between geology and chemistry that my students think is pretty cool too.
Some research indicates that it is not always beneficial for students to work entirely on their own as they conduct inquiry-based investigations. This article explores a method of inquiry learning in which teachers and students work together to envision, conduct, and analyze experiments.
ChemEd X has invited professionals working in chemistry related fields to write about their background, experience and advice they have for those interested in a similar career path. Chemistry instructors can use these as a resource to help students glimpse the variety of chemistry related fields open to them.
It can be difficult to engage students in reviewing for semester exams by using worksheets or practicing problems on the whiteboard. If you are looking to change up your review plans, you might consider using a lab activity that provides opportunity to revisit many of the topics that need to be covered.
As many teachers are preparing for the possibility of teaching online next semester, we are revisiting posts from the ChemEd X archives like this one that might be of help. As a teacher, having the freedom to create or edit something within my instruction based on the needs of my students is incredibly important to me. So, when I found out the activities in Pivot Interactives are completely customizable, I was thrilled. (Originally published 12/14/18)
December is a busy time with concerts, field trips, projects, presentations, and even variety shows to “celebrate the season.” However, by trying to get into the “holiday spirit”, educators may unintentionally create an environment where students and teachers may feel excluded.
One aspect of Argument Driven Inquiry that has not been discussed here is the peer editing piece. I have succesfully tried it out with my own students.
Observe both an exothermic and an endothermic reaction/process as I use a modified propane torch in the video demonstration.
In an effort to implement the science and engineering practices of the NGSS, I have tried to introduce argumentation as a practice into my chemistry courses. I share some growing pains and what I have learned through the process in this blog post.
The solution to Chemical Mystery #13: Bye Bye Blue! is presented. This experiment is useful to demonstrate to students when discussing acid-base indicators, neutralization reactions, or the acidity of carbon dioxide when it dissolves in water.
