first-year undergraduate

In the state of Michigan where I live, the University of Michigan (UM) and Michigan State University (MSU) are rivals. Green is the definitive color of MSU, whereas blue and gold are the school colors of UM. I went to school at UM, so naturally I am partial to blue and gold.

Each year, I try out some experiments that connect to the annual National Chemistry Week (NCW) theme. The theme for NCW this year is “Forensics: Solving Mysteries through Chemistry: Focusing on the chemistry of fibers and forensics”. Based on this description, I decided to spend some time experimenting with dyeing fibers.

 

In a previous post I talked about an equation balancing lab that I have been doing with my students involving building molecular models.

College Board offers an excellent online resource for teachers and students. It's not free, but my school district pays the bill. AP Insight provides curriculum outlines, teaching ideas and resources, student handouts, and digitally-graded assessments.

The theme for National Chemistry Week (NCW) for 2016 is “Solving Mysteries through Chemistry: Exploring the Chemistry of Fibers and Forensics”. To prepare for NCW, I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can about forensic science and chemistry.

Like most chemistry teachers, one of the first things I go over in the beginning of the year is unit conversions. Students come into my class with all sorts of prior knowledge concerning unit conversions; some good, some bad and some downright ugly.