January 2015 ChemEd X Newsletter

Happy New Year!

We hope that you have found some inspiration for your classroom from ChemEd X during 2014. The number of teachers using ChemEd X resources continues to grow and we look forward to serving the community in 2015. Check out recent highlights from ChemEd X listed below. Also, you are invited to check out the January 2015 sample issue of the Journal of Chemical Education.

Wishing you peace and joy!

Deanna Cullen

Stoichiometry is Easy – David Licata, a retired high school chemistry teacher from California, shares his experience with stoichiometry and a three-week lesson plan that includes activities, a lab quiz and even an original song titled “Stoichiometry is Easy” available for you to play for your students.

Conceptual Chemistry – Larry Dukerich is a former high school physics and chemistry teacher from Arizona and founding workshop leader of the ASU Modeling Instruction Program. He shares a conceptual approach to stoichiometry using a BCA (before–change–after) chart that when paired with particle diagrams helps students develop a conceptual understanding of stoichiometry.

The Mystery of Matter: Search for the Elements – Erica Jacobsen shares her review of this PBS series that premiered in Oregon. A national release is expected for 2015. Read Erica’s post to find links to video and other teaching resources. 

Is the MSDS Sheet a useful document for a chemistry teacher? – Bob Worley offers his opinion of the value of the MSDS sheet. Do you agree?

A Simple, Yet Dramatic Chemistry Experiment with Ping Pong Balls – Tom Kuntzleman provides video of his experiments with cellulose nitrate, a component of ping pong balls and guitar picks along with some interesting history.

If you like this, also take a look at Tom's latest post, Liquid Nitrogen, Gas Laws and Rocket Science.

Using Google Hangouts, an iPad and AirServer for an online review session – Lowell Thomson’s students asked him to review for a recent test using Google Hangout. Lowell shares his experience and some tips.

Observing a Chemical Reaction (NGSS Modified) - As part of a continuing series of workshops, Dan Meyers of Michigan revised a lab to meet the NGSS guidelines. You can also find two blog posts (NGSS and NGSS Update #2) about what he is learning in NGSS professional development.