Chemical Mystery #17: Bubble Buster!
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 04/24/2020 - 17:20
If you know your chemistry, you can figure out how the bubbles get busted!
Science Practice: Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Making a (big) eruption with chemistry!
Scott Balicki | Wed, 03/11/2020 - 16:44
As teachers, we can leverage fruitful discussions about chemical control with students to elicit more about students' initial ideas and ways of reasoning. From asking students to clarify their own thinking, we can identify students’ own productive ideas that we can capitalize on to advance their thinking.
A Multi-Colored Equilibrium Experiment
Tom Kuntzleman | Thu, 03/05/2020 - 18:35
Solutions of copper (II) dissolved in acetone are easy to prepare, and can display orange, yellow, green, and blue color depending upon conditions. Such solutions allow for a variety of demonstrations and experiments that illustrate principles of chemical equilibrium.
Berries are red, berries are blue…I’ve got a berry surprise for you!
Tom Kuntzleman | Sun, 01/26/2020 - 14:03
You may have observed a red to blue color change when you rinse your bowl after eating frozen blueberries. Sounds like an acid-base reaction, doesn’t it? Well, read on to learn about the blueberry surprise!
Advanced Chemical Lab Design
Erica Posthuma | Mon, 09/16/2019 - 10:35
I had the opportunity to develop an advanced chemical lab design course for a small group of ambitious students. I have outlined the resources I used and how I pulled the course together,
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.
Gas Laws and Deflategate
Ben Meacham | Thu, 08/15/2019 - 02:56
If you are looking for ideas to create an authentic opportunity for students to apply their knowledge of gas laws while integrating some of the most important science practices, then this activity may fit your needs.
The Liquid Nitrogen Cloud
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 07/26/2019 - 10:42
Have you ever seen the liquid nitrogen cloud? Do you wonder how the cloud forms when hot water is thrown onto liquid nitrogen? This post explores the liquid nitrogen cloud and possible explanations for its formation.
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.
M&Ms as Isotopes
Estelle Lebeau | Thu, 07/04/2019 - 13:34
Use Mega M&Ms, M&Ms minis, and regular M&M’s in this activity to examine the concept of isotopes and average atomic mass. The color of the M&M’s represent that they are the same element and have the same number of protons. The size represents, in a relative sense, the different numbers of neutrons.