hands-on learning

Hands-on learning provides instruction through doing—helping students to acquire knowledge and skills as active participants in direct experiences. Traditional methods that allow students to draw meaning and understanding through hands-on opportunities include laboratory and field activities in which students conduct investigations, use instruments to make observations, and employ a variety of scientific equipment.

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Assassin's Bottle title card
// Tuesday, September 16, 2025 Tom Kuntzleman
The disappearing rainbow1 is a wonderful chemistry demonstration previously featured here on ChemEdX.2-4 In this experiment, a colorless solution of NaOH is poured into a row of flasks, each containing a different acid–base indicator.
Picture Perfect Chemistry title preview image
// Saturday, October 19, 2024 Tom Kuntzleman
Josh Kenney, Melissa Hemling, and I just published an article in the October 2024 Journal of Chemical Education. The article describes inquiry-based activities that highlight the chemistry behind “No-Mess” picture-coloring books.1 Well, it turns out that our timing is impeccable.
The WEIRDEST Chemical Reaction I've Ever Seen! preview image with octopus icon
// Saturday, September 7, 2024 Tom Kuntzleman
Galinstan is the tradename for a liquid metal alloy that is comprised of three elements: gallium (68.5%), indium (21.5%), and tin (10%).1 It behaves a lot like mercury but has significantly lower toxicity. Because of this, Galinstan is used as a replacement for mercury in a variety of applications.
The Fun Side of Gas Laws: Brain Breaks with Boyle's Law preview image with lines and dots
// Tuesday, August 6, 2024 Melissa Hemling
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the best way to learn is by having a little fun? In my classroom, we've discovered that brain breaks can turn abstract concepts like gas laws into something tangible and memorable.
Solubility Showdown: A Brain Break for Chemistry Classrooms preview image with red, gray and white dots
// Friday, July 26, 2024 Melissa Hemling
Imagine a classroom where the usual hum of lectures is replaced by excited chatter: "I hope I didn't get sodium again," one student mutters, while another laughs and says, "Bruh, there better be no nitrates between us!" This lively scene is all thanks to "Solubility Showdown," a brain break game I created to make solubility rules come alive for my stude
Ion Chip Challenge: A Brain Break for Chemistry Classrooms preview image with photo of student hands playing rock-paper-scissors over playing card with electrons
// Thursday, July 25, 2024 Melissa Hemling
Imagine the lively hum of a classroom suddenly bursting into laughter and friendly competition as students engage in a spirited game of rock-paper-scissors. But this isn't just any game; it's the Ion Chip Challenge, a clever and engaging way I help my students grasp the tricky concepts of ions in chemistry.
The Chemistry of Water Reveal Coloring Books preview image with picture of water reveal dinosaur book
// Tuesday, July 16, 2024 Tom Kuntzleman
A variety of interesting coloring books are available on the market that use water as a coloring agent.1 When water is applied to the pages of these books, colors seem to appear like magic. When the water evaporates, the colors disappear. This allows the pages of these books to be colored over and over again.