Especially JCE: June 2019
Erica K. Jacobsen | Wed, 06/12/2019 - 17:37
Erica Jacobsen shares highlights from the June 2019 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education of special interest to our ChemEd X community.
Science Practice: Planning and Carrying out Investigations
Detection of Nickel Cations in Coins
Andres Tretiakov | Tue, 05/07/2019 - 22:45
It is not known why people develop allergies to nickel and there is no cure. The best course of action to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid contact with products containing nickel. This article will explain how to make an easy and cheap nickel detection device that will limit or eliminate the risks of exposure to sources of nickel using some interesting classic chemistry.
AACT Science Coaches
Lauren Stewart | Tue, 04/30/2019 - 08:03
I was excited for the opportunity but I never thought my science coach would be interested in developing and executing lessons with me. Luckily for me, my experience ended up being nothing like what I expected. You can apply for this experience too. The deadline to apply for Science Coaches for the 2019–2020 school year is September 1, 2019.
Citrus Fruit Peel Powder and its Capacity to Remove Copper From Wastewater
Andrea Amato | Mon, 04/15/2019 - 17:15
Biosorption is a method that can be used for the removal of pollutants from wastewater, especially those that are not easily biodegradable. This experiment uses citrus fruit peels as part of a iodometric titration to conduct a wastewater treatment binding copper.
Why Do Dead Batteries Bounce? Chemistry, of Course!
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 04/05/2019 - 07:16
Did you know there is a simple test you can do to see if an alkaline battery is fresh or dead? All you need to do is bounce the bottom of a battery onto a hard, flat surface. Guess what causes this difference in bouncing ability between fresh and dead batteries? Chemistry, of course!
NGSS-ify Alka-Seltzer Rockets
Stephanie O'Brien | Tue, 02/19/2019 - 18:50
Given a guiding question, students determined what they wanted to test, did the experiment and got their CER boards ready for review. Instead of a regular argumentation session, we had a glow and grow session, where students had to provide positive and negative feedback for each board.
Mole Unit Mini-Practicums
Lauren Stewart | Thu, 02/07/2019 - 17:59
We all know how fundamental the mole concept is for stoichiometry. This year I brainstormed ways to really make it stick. I decided to do multiple mini-practicums, one for each learning target of the mole unit. I am sharing brief descriptions of the mini-practicums I did for each learning target.
Molar Volume of Gas - Lab Tip
Michael Morgan | Tue, 10/10/2017 - 17:54
Face to face professional development provides the opportunity for teachers to learn from and share with other teachers. This post provides an example of one of the many great ideas that I have learned from other teachers.
Investigations of Hematite Beads: An Experiment for National Chemistry Week
Tom Kuntzleman | Sun, 10/01/2017 - 19:32
I have been in the lab conducting tests on the chemical and physical properties of various geological samples. In my investigations I’ve found that hematite is a particular mineral that is easy to acquire and quite amenable to experimentation.
Acid, Base, pH and Food Chemistry
Chad Husting | Fri, 06/09/2017 - 06:58
I try to examine activities an multiple levels. First on the list, I want to know if my students will be engaged and learn something. Second, how difficult is it for me as a teacher to actually pull it off? One of the most important questions...are the students learning chemistry or just having fun? This is the first year I have attempted the following activity. Students were engaged in the real world connection, they asked questions, it transitioned into some chemistry concepts and even some parents got involved. The activity involved acid, bases, pH and food.