hands-on learning

Clover Color Chemistry

Tom Kuntzleman | Sat, 07/03/2021 - 16:07

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Summertime means doing chemistry experiments with flowers found growing in the yard...

Lab Practicals, Final Exams and a Silver Lining to a Tough Year

Chad Husting | Wed, 06/16/2021 - 08:09

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A lab practical with an escape room story turned out to be a great final exam.

Quantum Levitation and Superconductors

Tom Kuntzleman | Thu, 06/03/2021 - 13:21

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Some explorations and explanations regarding superconductors and the quantum levitation (also known as quantum locking) experiment.

Weathering the Storm . . . of Chemistry Labs

Michael Jansen | Wed, 06/02/2021 - 16:21

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Good day, gentle readers:

Let me start by telling a story that, at first blush, has nothing to do with chemistry teaching.

Simple formation of metal mirrors

Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 05/10/2021 - 09:57

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Beautiful, metallic mirrors of copper or silver can easily be formed in test tubes. Simply add the appropriate metal salt to a test tube, and heat! These reactions should be performed in a fume hood.

Kasi: A Multi-Sensory Modeling System

Doug Ragan | Fri, 04/30/2021 - 06:26

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Doug Ragan has been working with the Alchemie team -- founded by a former chemistry teacher, Julia Winter -- for a number of years. They have been working over the last year on a new project, named Kasi, which delivers sound-based feedback to students as they learn with tactile pieces on a magnetic whiteboard. The goal is to build an accessible learning system that helps ALL students learn, and is particularly important for those with visual impairments.