January 2017 ChemEd X Newsletter

Especially JCE - January 2017

Erica Jacobsen regularly highlights JCE articles that are of special interest to high school teachers. This month, she directs us to Norb Pienta's editorial about how we can all contribute to improving the Journal of Chemical Education.

If you would like to explore the whole issue in more depth, check out Mary Saecker's JCE 94.01—January Issue Highlights.

Reflections from Kinetics - Solidifying Why I Teach Method of Initial Rates AND Integrated Rate Laws

The author reflects on her experience with teaching kinetics concepts to her AP chemistry students. She offers resources that she has used along with lessons learned.

Isotopes, Nuts, Bolts and Eggs

Using this isotope activity, students can look inside the model that resembles an atom and find information that reinforces what an isotope actually is. The quantitative data allows students to examine their understanding about different types of averages and what the numbers really mean.  

Dry ice in five different liquids

You probably know what happens when you place dry ice in water. Do you know what happens when dry ice is placed in acetone or glycerin? Read this and find out!

Curriculum Maps and Standards

The author shares how his district is approaching the development of curriculum maps. The program they are using provides an electronic copy of the map for all teachers to see. The entire map is tied to standards that are a version of state, federal and or local standards. Any formative assessment can easily be graded and tied to a standard. 

Using The ChemDraw iPad App For Making Structures: A Quick Review And Tutorial

If you need help drawing clean Lewis structures or organic molecules, ChemDraw might be the tool for you. The author of this Pick selection uses the app on his iPad.  

ChemEd 2017 - South Dakota

Abstract submission for ChemEd 2017 is now open. Start planning now for this valuable conference to be held on the campus of South Dakota State University July 23 - 27, 2017!