measurement

Introduction The proper and consistent use of units throughout calculations is of paramount importance in physical science. This should be inculcated in students from the first day of class. As chemistry educators, we must—without fail—model the proper, consistent use of units and significant figures.1

This summer I read a teaching philosophy changing book titled “Building Thinking Classrooms” by Peter Liljedahl. Although the book is written for mathematics, there are so many fresh ways of approaching teaching for any topic, many of which I have begun to implement this school year.

The concept of Measurement and Significant Figures can induce discomfort.¹ This article and the associated resources take an empirical, logical approach to this important concept, which your students will understand, and dare I say, enjoy.

One of my goals for my chemistry classes at the beginning of the year is to start with an engaging activity that is hands on and minds on. I hope for an activity that will meet the kids where they are at. I try for an activity that will not only engage them but try to set the tone for the year. I think I may have stumbled upon something t

Good day, gentle readers: Back in the day, and I’m talking, like, over 40 years ago, I had the good fortune to be invited, in spite of my lackluster performance in Organic Chemistry, to work as a summer student in Professor Tom Tidwell’s lab at the University of Toronto.

This activity is designed to provide students with many types of scales on measuring devices in order to reinforce the idea that the physical graduations on an instrument determine the number of digits which need to be recorded.

As much of the world remains affected by COVID-19, some schools remain in virtual or hybrid learning structures for the fall semester. These modified learning environments have significantly restricted classroom laboratory work.

One of the presentations I gave this summer was at the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators using my vocabulary sort as a framework to talk about Modeling InstructionTM.