Blogs

ChemEd X contributors offer their ideas and opinions on a broad spectrum of topics pertaining to chemical education.

Blogs at ChemEd X reflect the opinions of the contributors and are open to comments. Only selected contributors blog at ChemEd X. If you would like to blog regularly at ChemEd X, please use our Contribution form to request an invitation to do so from one of our editors.

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title: culturally relevant collab ngss and chemistry and headshot of Dr. Charles Drew
A Culturally Relevant Collab with NGSS and Chemistry
// Friday, December 1, 2023 • Nina Hike
In 2009, I embarked on my Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) journey to teach experimental design to my International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program Chemistry students.1 Experimental design was new to me because I did not experience designing and executing my
Drinking Dinosaur Pee?! title on preview image with dinosaur head in a flask.
Drinking Dinosaur Pee?!
// Monday, November 27, 2023 • Tom Kuntzleman
Many have asserted that the water we drink is exactly the same water that has been eliminated from the bodies of humans and animals from the past. The argument goes that water excreted from our bodies by exhalation or urine ultimately ends up back in the water cycle.
text: "Tissue Paper Banners Connected to Chemistry" with flags and + - symbols
Tissue Paper Banners Connected to Chemistry
// Sunday, November 5, 2023 • Dean Campbell
National Hispanic Heritage Month ran from September 15 to October 15 recently.1 To help celebrate the occasion, students in the Bradley University Chem/Biochem Learning Community put up colorful tissue paper banners.
text: Using AI to Source Phenomena
Using AI to Source Phenomena
// Friday, November 3, 2023 • Nora Walsh
This year I’ve been working extra hard as my state, Indiana, has made a big switch: we adopted NGSS. I’m really excited about the change in how we are teaching chemistry, but adopting a whole new, very different style of standards has come with a lot of work to update and replace older activities.
text over sand and plastic pollution: Using Phenomena in Testing
Using Phenomena in Testing
// Wednesday, October 25, 2023 • Nora Walsh
One of the main tenets of NGSS is the use of phenomena to have students discover the content. I’m new to NGSS, as Indiana just adopted the standards this year, but I’m very excited about the integration of phenomena. I’m all-in on attempting to ground as much of my instruction as possible in phenomena.
preview image - text: Burning paper towels soaked in various metal nitrates
Burning paper towels soaked in various metal nitrates
// Monday, October 16, 2023 • Tom Kuntzleman
A classic chemistry experiment1 involves using a concentrated solution of KNO3 to “paint” a design in a continuous line on a piece of paper, allowing it to dry, and then igniting one end of the paper (Video 1).2
text: "Let's Get Real: The Law of Definite Proportions" with image of wintergreen
Lets’ Get Real: The Law of Definite Proportions
// Wednesday, October 4, 2023 • Michael Jansen
I’m not a fan of asking students to memorize rules or laws for the sake of memorizing rules or laws. There has to be a point—a reason, or at least a decent "this hits home” example of the rule or law. Stay with me . . .
My Modified Grading Strategy preview image
My Modified Grading Strategy
// Tuesday, October 3, 2023 • Anthony Stetzenmeyer
The first time I experienced an unfamiliar grading policy was when I first started teaching high school chemistry in Michigan in 2015. At my school, we are required to offer (or have options) for retakes on summative assessments. There have been mixed feelings at my school about the retake policy because it can be perceived as a way for studen
hands with pencil taking test w/ text: Effective and Proven Test Taking Strategies
Effective—and Proven—Test-Taking Strategies
// Monday, September 25, 2023 • Michael Jansen
Having recently written a piece for teachers regarding my take on assessment, this blog post provides test-writing advice to students, based on my lengthy experience as a Chemistry teacher.