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Brain Breaks are powerful tools in education, supported by research showing improved focus, retention, community building, and reduced stress among students. When structured using chemistry principles, like in the Water Maze Race, brain breaks can also introduce or reinforce fundamental chemistry concepts.
This simulated ice core lab provides a great opportunity for students to use different units of concentration beyond molarity, explore how knowledge of chemistry can uncover past events on Earth and practice the skill of generating a calibration curve.
The floating soap bubble is an impressive experiment that is surprisingly easy to carry out.
Josh Kenney shares three simple and inexpensive demonstrations using Elmer’s glue.
Michael Jansen shares his thoughts about "softly" introducing topics before their formal appearance in the curriculum.
The color of a thermochromic system depends on its temperature. The colors of leuco dye-based systems can also be influenced by adding acids or bases to the thermochromic reactions. These can be used to create colorful demonstrations of acid-base chemistry. Thermochromism found in color changing cups can also be used to visualize heat flow, and therefore thermodynamic principles, associated with stretching and contracting elastomers.
Javalab is a resource for free simulations to support student understanding of chemistry concepts. These web based simulations can be used across different platforms and are simple in their use by students. The open ended aspect of the simulations allow for teachers to be creative in how they are used in class.
This "first day" activity is an opportunity to help students practice asking good questions!
Nora Walsh shares some of her favorite FIRST WEEK of school activities for the chemistry classroom!
Ashley Green shares a variety of digital card sort activities!