Blogs

ChemEd X contributors offer their ideas and opinions on a broad spectrum of topics pertaining to chemical education.

Blogs at ChemEd X reflect the opinions of the contributors and are open to comments. Only selected contributors blog at ChemEd X. If you would like to blog regularly at ChemEd X, please use our Contribution form to request an invitation to do so from one of our editors.

by Michael Jansen
Sun, 05/18/2025 - 10:23

In this blog, Michael Jansen considers the significance of using proper units and their role in helping students develop a conceptual understanding of Chemistry. 

Recent activity: 15 hours 42 min ago
by Dean Campbell
Sat, 05/17/2025 - 22:36

Light absorbance and fluorescence were studied for a sample of the Chicago River that had been dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day. The sample had weak green fluorescence, showing that the intense green appearance of the river was in part due to the long path length of light through the water. The ability of the green color to partition into 1-octanol was also explored.

Recent activity: 2 days 12 hours ago
by Nora Walsh
Sun, 04/20/2025 - 10:46

AP teacher and exam reader, Nora Walsh, shares tips on how to help your students answer AP Chemistry free-response questions. She provides examples, references, and rationale for her suggestions.

Recent activity: 3 weeks 5 days ago
by Nora Walsh
Wed, 04/16/2025 - 00:00

Check out these curated resources to help you plan for your AP Chemistry Review! 

Recent activity: 1 month 3 days ago
by Sarah English
Tue, 04/15/2025 - 20:47

Join us at ChemEd 2025 this July at the Colorado School of Mines. Check out this post to learn about all the exciting opportunities! 

Recent activity: 1 month 10 hours ago
by Tom Kuntzleman
Mon, 04/07/2025 - 13:45

Ryan Johnson and I took a trip to the top of Pikes Peak to study the Coke and Mentos experiment. And we had a few surprises along the way...

Recent activity: 1 month 1 week ago
by Michael Jansen
Fri, 04/04/2025 - 10:23

In this post, a veteran AP Chemistry teacher explains his rationale for the course's topic order. By using an empirically driven sequence, students build deep conceptual understanding and rely less on memorization of facts. It’s a must-read for any educator aiming to make chemistry more meaningful—and more memorable—for students.

Comments: 6
Recent activity: 2 weeks 4 hours ago
by Kevin Morse
Fri, 03/21/2025 - 07:27

In this post, Kevin Morse outlines an easy-to-implement procedure to help students reflect on teacher feedback for improved understanding. 

Recent activity: 3 weeks 5 days ago
by Shifra Yonis
Mon, 03/17/2025 - 18:58

This month's AP Teach meeting will discuss common misconceptions students have about electrochemistry and the chaos of Unit 9.

Recent activity: 1 month 5 days ago
by Anthony Stetzenmeyer
Mon, 03/17/2025 - 13:09

In this blog post, Anthony Stetzenmeyer describes several ways he has started to use AI (Chat GPT) in this chemistry classroom. Anthony describes, in detail, ways AI can streamline lesson planning and help teachers maximize their prep time. 

Comments: 3
Recent activity: 1 month 2 weeks ago