Reflections on Choice Boards in the Chemistry Classroom
Stephanie O'Brien | Thu, 06/24/2021 - 11:01
In this blog, lessons learned and strategies for utilizing choice boards in chemistry classroom are discussed.
NGSS
NGSNavigators
Stephanie O'Brien | Thu, 05/07/2020 - 13:51
Are you looking for a new podcast to enjoy on your way to or from work? NGS Navigators is a podcast that offers quality professional development to support teachers with NGSS content and strategies.
Teaching and Evaluating Science Practices—Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Ben Meacham | Thu, 11/14/2019 - 21:27
Several resources are available to support teachers as they incorporate science practices into their curriuculum. The author shares how he and his colleagues focused on improving their coverage of the practice of planning and carrying out investigations.
First Day Chemistry Engineering Activity
Melissa Hemling | Sat, 09/07/2019 - 22:26
I just finished my first week of school, like many teachers in the Midwest. I work hard to get my Honors Chemistry students in a lab setting as soon as possible. It is difficult to find a perfect lab to do on the first or second day of school. In my mind, the ideal first chemistry lab would require no prior chemistry knowledge, involve interesting chemistry, address an NGSS standard, be relatively safe, not require expensive glassware or lab tools, and reinforce positive class norms. I have found engineering labs fit the bill! I don't know if I have found the "perfect" lab, but I have found something close I want to share!
A Strategy to Help Students Support their Arguments with Cross-Cutting Concepts and Core Ideas
Dustin Williams | Sat, 08/24/2019 - 21:57
In order for students to be fluent enough with the CCCs and core ideas to use them to support their arguments, we teachers need a way to help students become familiar with them.
Intrinsic Motivation for the Chemistry Teacher – Time to Collaborate!
Jessica Mintz | Fri, 08/09/2019 - 10:30
After attending ChemEd at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, this past summer and meeting such wonderful chemistry teachers from across the country, I began to think about motivation and how important it is in our field to find those intrinsic motivators. With the Next Generation of Science Standards (NGSS) taking hold in most states across the country, I call upon chemistry teachers to collaborate and I challenge you to find what intrinsically motivates you as a chemistry teacher.
Oxidation Argumentation Activity
Stephanie O'Brien | Mon, 07/08/2019 - 14:19
I facilitate a working group of chemistry teachers in the New York area and we recently created our own activity surrounding the topic of oxidation. The goal of the probe was to force students to think about what the meaning of oxidation is, as well as to allow students to engage in the science and engineering practice of argumentation. This was an introductory lesson to my oxidation and reduction unit prior to students learning the terms oxidation and reduction.
A “Science Reasoning Rubric” to Support Argumentative Writing
Dustin Williams | Fri, 01/11/2019 - 19:10
I put together a Science Reasoning Rubric that can be used for many writing prompts in a Chemistry class. It can be used whether a prompt is more suited toward a claim or an explanation. I like that the rubric can be used for lots of the writing tasks students will encounter in a Chemistry class. This means students get used to seeing it, and this consistency is helpful as students write explanations and claims throughout the year.
Examining VSEPR though the Cross Cutting Concept of Patterns
Stephanie O'Brien | Sat, 12/15/2018 - 16:23
In an effort to align an old VSEPR lesson to NGSS, I told my students that we were going to look at the data available from the real molecules on the pHET simulation we were using and specifically look for patterns. Finding patterns is a cross-cutting concept; one of the three dimensions of NGSS.
Arguing Density
Stephanie O'Brien | Fri, 11/23/2018 - 19:07
In an effort to implement the science and engineering practices of the NGSS, I have tried to introduce argumentation as a practice into my chemistry courses. I share some growing pains and what I have learned through the process in this blog post.