The WEIRDEST Chemical Reaction I've Ever Seen!
Tom Kuntzleman | Sat, 09/07/2024 - 11:17
This chemical reaction is just plain weird...but also beautiful!
hands-on learning
The Fun Side of Gas Laws: Brain Breaks with Boyle's Law
Melissa Hemling | Tue, 08/06/2024 - 22:33
Looking for a fun way to teach gas laws? Try using brain breaks! Activities like the Longest Straw Challenge and Suck it Up Skittles Challenge not only get students up and moving but also make learning Boyle's Law engaging and memorable.
Solubility Showdown: A Brain Break for Chemistry Classrooms
Melissa Hemling | Fri, 07/26/2024 - 22:46
Discover how "Solubility Showdown," a lively brain break game, transforms learning solubility rules into a memorable experience filled with student banter and excitement.
Ion Chip Challenge: A Brain Break for Chemistry Classrooms
Melissa Hemling | Thu, 07/25/2024 - 21:37
The Ion Chip Challenge is an interactive brain break game where students play rock-paper-scissors to exchange electron chips, helping them understand ion formation by addressing common misconceptions about positive and negative charges. This engaging activity combines movement and social interaction, making chemistry concepts more accessible and reinforcing that ions are formed through the transfer of electrons, not protons.
The Chemistry of Water Reveal Coloring Books
Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 07/16/2024 - 07:01
How do Melissa & Doug’s “Water WOW!” Water Reveal coloring books work? Let's do some experiments to find out!
Using LEGO bricks and paper springs to illustrate helical chemical structures
Dean Campbell | Sat, 06/29/2024 - 13:56
Helical structures can be built from media such as LEGO bricks and paper. These structures can be used to model helical structures in chemistry. These include circularly polarized light and various helical biomolecules.
Amount and rate of heat transfer using iron spheres and liquid nitrogen
Dean Campbell | Tue, 06/04/2024 - 11:00
When iron spheres at room temperature are added to liquid nitrogen, the nitrogen boils as heat is transferred in from the iron. The amount of liquid nitrogen boiled depends on the amount of heat transferred, which depends on the mass of the iron added. However, the rate at which liquid nitrogen boils depends on the surface area of the iron in contact with the liquid nitrogen. These phenomena can be studied with experiments which measure the mass lost by the boiling liquid nitrogen.
I Lava Particulate Models
Melissa Hemling | Tue, 05/21/2024 - 14:59
Use the classic Lava Lamp Lab to make the concept of intermolecular forces more accessible!
Exploring Color Separation in Salting-Out Experiments
Tom Kuntzleman | Sat, 05/04/2024 - 07:44
Adding dyes to salting out experiments can create a variety of interesting color effects as the dyes differentially dissolve in the aqueous and organic layers. Can this differential solubility of dyes be explained using intermolecular forces as a guide?
LEGO Stoichiometry Activity
Josh Kenney | Wed, 05/01/2024 - 10:37
Josh Kenney explains an innovative POGIL-like approach to teaching stoichiometry, integrating LEGO pieces. Addressing student difficulties with stoichiometry's abstract nature, he designed a custom LEGO activity inspired by existing resources, promoting collaboration and enhancing conceptual grasp. This engaging approach primes students for complex stoichiometry challenges.