Sustainable Grading Practices
Melissa Hemling | Mon, 12/16/2019 - 12:33
Teacher burnout - it is real. How can teacher's adopt more sustainable grading practices to improve their work-life balance?
curriculum
NGSS Periodicity Lesson
Kristen Drury | Tue, 12/10/2019 - 09:39
In this lesson, students are offered a variety of alternative versions of the periodic table. Students will identify trends that are consistent from one table to the next in order to understand why the tables they are working with and Mendeleev's version are organized in the manner that they are. This lesson was designed to fit the NGSS performance expectation HS-PS 1.1 but can be used for any first year chemistry course or modified at your discretion.
Why is Chemistry so Difficult?
Stephanie O'Brien | Sun, 12/08/2019 - 14:54
One reason so many students find chemistry difficult is the abstract nature of the concepts. Research based on the constructivist model of learning has shown that as an educator teaches, the learner makes meaning of the content by drawing from their background knowledge, attitude, abilities and everyday experience and this often results in a different construct than that of the teacher.
Flipped Classroom: A Framework for In-Class Activities
Josh Kenney | Fri, 10/11/2019 - 12:53
The flipped-classroom approach to education is undoubtedly popular, with consistent growth in the number of related books, conference sessions, and educator network memberships. Although active-learning may not be any more beneficial in a flipped classroom compared to a traditional classroom, it is clear that a flipped class can increase the frequency of active-learning opportunities.
Especially JCE: September 2019
Erica Jacobsen | Thu, 09/19/2019 - 19:19
Erica Jacobsen shares highlights from the September 2019 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education of special interest to our ChemEd X community.
Flipped Classroom: Check For Understanding, Not For Notetaking
Josh Kenney | Tue, 09/17/2019 - 18:28
Many teachers assess engagement with video lectures by inspecting students’ notes at the start of class. However, notetaking doesn’t necessarily prove the comprehension of the material.
AP Classroom: Leveraging the PPCs
Melissa Hemling | Sat, 09/07/2019 - 19:16
It is back-to-school time! I started school on September 3rd so I am just getting back into my school “groove.” On August 1st, College Board released its new AP Classroom platform (myap.collegeboard.org). While exploring this new online resource, I couldn’t help but reflect on how I teach AP Chemistry and what changes I will make in light of AP Classroom to ensure this year will be a great one!
Chemistry Magnets - Making Chemistry Visible
Doug Ragan | Fri, 08/16/2019 - 22:16
Doug Ragan been using magnets of elements and subatomic particles for some time to help his students visualize what is happening at the particle level of chemistry. Download the files attached to the post and print out your own set of elements and particles!
Features of Effective Flipped Classroom Videos
Josh Kenney | Thu, 08/15/2019 - 15:06
Since 2013, I have been creating video tutorials for use in a flipped classroom setting. Over the years, the format of my videos has evolved as I’ve uncovered the best practices in technique.
Inquiry and Direct Instruction in the Age of NGSS
Dustin Williams | Fri, 08/02/2019 - 14:04
When it comes to the best approach for student learning, there seems to be two very divided camps: those who promote direct instruction and those who favor inquiry. I have been thinking a lot about this issue for several years now and decided to finally write my reflections down, based on 6 years of experience as a science teacher.