Implementing the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning Framework in the Chemistry Classroom

Ben Meacham | Mon, 02/13/2017 - 09:10

For me, the first step toward teaching my students how to critically think about how they structured an argument or explanation was to implement the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) framework. While the premise behind CER isn’t anything new to the way science teachers already think, it provides an entirely different approach toward how students connect their experiences and previously learned content into something that is much more reflective of being scientifically literate.

Ionic Covalent Compounds and Card Sorts

Chad Husting | Thu, 02/02/2017 - 19:10

Card sorts are a great way to achieve a number of classroom objectives.  They can be used as a review activity or they can be done during the middle of a lesson as a type of formative assessment. Sorts can encourage students to work with other students or can even be used as a type of exit ticket. I decided to use the strategy about two thirds of the way through a unit on covalent and ionic compounds and lewis structures. I knew there were items we did not cover in the sort but I was curious to see how they would approach these unknown topics.  

Creating an Organic Chemistry Reaction Pathways Flowchart as a Unit Summary

Lowell Thomson | Fri, 01/27/2017 - 22:43

For a recent unit on organic chemistry for my IB students, I tried something new. I gave them a handout with a list of organic compounds (by class/functional group) and a list of mechanisms and reaction types. Their task (in small groups), using either butcher paper or a large whiteboard, was to create a flow chart of reaction pathways.

ChemEd 2017

CHEM Ed 2017 will be in Brookings, South Dakota on the campus of South Dakota State University from July 23 through 27. Currently the conference program directors are accepting abstract submissions through February 28th.   

Chemical Connections to Climate Change

Tom Kuntzleman | Wed, 01/25/2017 - 11:11

It is becoming increasingly important for citizens to understand various concepts related to climate change and global warming. This post describes several chemical concepts that are pertinent to these issues, in the hopes that teachers of science and chemistry can introduce the topic of climate change into their classrooms and everyday discussions.