Elmer's Glue Isn't Just for Making Slime: Simple Chemical Demonstrations with Elmer's Glue
Josh Kenney | Sat, 08/19/2023 - 09:13
Josh Kenney shares three simple and inexpensive demonstrations using Elmer’s glue.
Atomic Structure / Theory
Hatching Ideas to use Egg Cartons to Represent Electron Arrangements
Dean Campbell | Mon, 01/23/2023 - 14:11
Egg cartons and small objects such as milk jug caps or plastic eggs can be used to illustrate chemical concepts. The egg cartons can be cut into trays to represent atoms or to represent energy levels associated with atomic orbitals. The plastic caps or eggs distributed among the dimples of the trays can be used to represent electrons or pairs of electrons.
1, 2, 3: Hybrid Dimensions
Joseph Lomax | Sat, 11/12/2022 - 22:28
Sometimes the obvious is the most difficult to see. Even after teaching for four decades, there is still something to learn from students. What did I recently learn? Check out my post.
Atomic Structure Interactive Notebook
Nora Walsh | Thu, 08/18/2022 - 16:58
Nora Walsh outlines the interactive notebook pages she uses for her unit on Atomic Structure. All of the documents and foldables are available for download.
Counting Orbitals: Part II
Joseph Lomax | Thu, 07/21/2022 - 17:55
A continuation of Counting Orbitals I: The 'Ah-ha! Moment' and Quantum Numbers. Sit back and adjust your eyeballs for some colorful graphics.
Three-dimensional figure to improve the didactics of the Periodic Table
PABLO CASSINELLO | Mon, 04/04/2022 - 10:00
A kaleidocycle is presented in which the entire periodic table has been collected. In this three-dimensional figure are the elements organized in four blocks according to their final electronic structure. It is intended that students with this playful figure actively participate in classes by rotating their kaleidocycle looking for the groups or elements that are being studied. The entire periodic table fits in one palm of their hands. It is also a didactic device because students only focus their attention on one block or group of elements from the entire Periodic Table. It can be achieved a more entertaining, motivating and exciting learning about the subject of the Periodic Table.
Navigating the Quantum Mechanical Model Using Guided Inquiry
Kristen Drury | Thu, 01/06/2022 - 14:30
Using guided inquiry learning to identify patterns and trends in the Quantum Mechanical Models of elements.
Introducing the Quantum Mechanical Model using Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Kristen Drury | Mon, 12/13/2021 - 06:47
A new lesson that uses PES evidence to drive the instruction that would allow the students to identify the limitations of the Bohr model and introduce the Quantum Mechanical Model .
Analogy Experiment—Projectile Pennies with Rutherford
Ben Meacham | Mon, 11/08/2021 - 15:48
Atomic theory is a common topic throughout any introductory chemistry course. It is likely that Rutherford’s gold foil experiment gets at least some attention in your course. This simple activity gives students an opportunity to replicate Rutherford’s experiment through an analogy experiment that may allow for easier conceptualization of the experiment itself and provide additional support for model development.
Counting Orbitals I: The 'Ah-ha! Moment' and Quantum Numbers
Joseph Lomax | Sun, 10/24/2021 - 09:53
Quantum mechanics is a proverbially and quintessentially challenging topic. It is the poster-child of difficulty in chemistry. Setting up the discussion for the four quantum numbers is fraught with potential and confusion. In this post learn about a different way to teach about orbitals.