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  • Nuts & Bolts | November 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. A Groovy NGSS Phenomenon for Chemistry Concepts

    In this article, the authors demonstrate how an existing middle school chemistry curriculum can be easily modified toward an NGSS storyline. The article highlights lesson shift toward the “groovy phenomenon” of a lava lamp to engage students in chemistry concepts such as density, heat transfer, particle motion, and phases of matter. NGSS practices in modeling for understanding and arguing from evidence are highlighted.

  • Resource Feature | November 2018 Taking Inspiration from the AP Chemistry Reading

    In this article, the author describes how her experience at the AP Chemistry Reading inspires lesson ideas to help address common misconceptions. In her engaging classroom activity, students model equilibrium reactions using chips to represent atoms in an effort to connect the symbolic model of an equilibrium reaction to its particle model.

  • Classroom Commentary | November 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Successful Collaboration, Fostered by the American Chemical Society

    This article describes the exciting collaboration between university and high school students and faculty that developed over a decade. The two main components that contribute to this successful partnership are the ChemClub and Science Coaches programs, sponsored by ACS/AACT.

  • Classroom Commentary | November 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Working Together toward Vertical Alignment

    The author shares his experience organizing a science workshop that connects high school science teachers with elementary school teachers in their same system. During the workshop, high school teachers present labs and activities to help elementary science teachers best prepare their own students. The experience lets teachers collaborate and discuss vertical alignment of their teaching, and be better prepared to work together to provide students with the most effective science education.

  • Video | November 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Frontiers of Chemistry

    This video explores new scientific developments that were made possible by the application of fundamental chemistry concepts. Students will learn about exciting advances in science and technology focused on three main topics: Solar Cells, 3D Printing and Micro Machines.

  • In My Element | November 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. The Grass Really Is Greener

    The author describes how he transitioned from drowning as a teacher in the United States, to cruising as an international school teacher.

  • Editorial | November 2018 Pursuing Growth

    The November editorial is guest-authored by the AACT Governing Board DivCHED representative, Amiee Modic. Amiee highlights professional growth opportunities and educates members about the Division of Chemical Education’s technical division, which is available through an ACS membership.

  • In My Element | September 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. How Collaboration Helped Transform My Teaching Career

    A teacher describes her teaching journey and how she plans to prepare for her first year in the high school chemistry classroom.

  • Nuts & Bolts | September 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Designing Effective Multiple-Choice Items in Chemistry

    Multiple-choice questions are frequently used in both formal and informal assessments in order to determine if students have mastered specific learning objectives. This article discusses the characteristics of multiple-choice items as well as some guidelines for writing them. It is possible to design multiple-choice items that emphasize conceptual understanding and critical thinking skills. The creation of high-quality assessments can provide useful information about student learning and help teachers make important decisions about instruction.

  • Nuts & Bolts | September 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Instant Feedback on Quizzes

    In this article, a high school teacher describes his successful implementation of a system for providing students with instant feedback on their chemistry quizzes. This idea can be easily implemented in your classroom too!

  • Editorial | September 2018 Be Inspired!

    AACT President Sherri Rukes hopes to inspire members to tap into the great (and growing!) collection of resources and benefits that teachchemistry.org has to offer. She offers ways for teachers to inspire both themselves and others through involvement, collaboration, and contribution to AACT.

  • Classroom Commentary | September 2018 Reflections of an AP Chemistry Exam Reader

    This article describes a chemistry teacher’s experience as a Reader for the AP chemistry exam. She shares some reflections, pointers, and insights to help guide other AP Chemistry teachers in hopes of helping them prepare their students to achieve mastery on the exam.

  • Nuts & Bolts | September 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Setting the Tone for Safety with Younger Students

    This article outlines the basic considerations for lab safety in the elementary science classroom. Sample student safety contracts are provided by the author for teacher use.

  • Resource Feature | September 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Chemistry of Lightsticks: Determination of Activation Energy, a Guided Inquiry Approach

    Lightsticks, with their eerie glow, capture the interest of students of every age. Capitalizing on this, the authors describe how they developed and used a guided inquiry approach to help students determine the activation energy of the chemiluminescent reaction in a lightstick. They also describe how they used a Vernier LabQuest 2 system, while acknowledging that any data collection system that allows simultaneous collection of data from light and temperature probes may be used instead. In addtion, they explain how they employed the natural logarithm form of the Arrhenius equation and spreadsheet software.

  • Simulation | September 2018 States of Matter and Phase Changes

    In this simulation, students will participate in a 10 question quiz. Some questions will challenge students to analyze data to identify the correct state of matter for a specific sample, and then connect the chosen state with an animated particle diagram. In addition, students will examine the behavior of particles in an animated sample as they undergo a phase change, and must correctly identify the change that occurs.

  • Resource Feature | May 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Embracing Chemistry in the Elementary Classroom

    This article discusses why it's important for K-5 teachers to overcome the fear of teaching chemistry, and gives some simple suggestions on how to start.

  • Simulation | May 2018 Reaction Rates

    In the May 2018 simulation, students investigate several factors that can affect the initial rate of a chemical reaction, including concentration, temperature, surface area of the reactants, and addition of a catalyst.

  • Tech Tips | May 2018 Experimenting with Electronic Lab Notebooks

    The author describes her efforts to implement and effectively use electronic notebooks to capture lab work in regular, advanced, and AP chemistry classes.

  • Nuts & Bolts | May 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Strategies for Teaching SPED and EL Students in the Chemistry Classroom

    The article explores several different strategies for teaching EL and SPED students in the high school chemistry classroom.

  • Classroom Commentary | May 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. The AP Chem Exam is Over - Now What?

    This article discusses a short course in computational chemistry, designed for AP Chemistry teachers and students, primarily to be used for chemistry enrichment following the completion of the AP Chemistry exam.

  • Nuts & Bolts | May 2018 Using Learning Progressions to Improve Scientific Modeling in Chemistry

    This article describes how to use learning progressions to transform your existing modeling activities to help students construct and use models as a generative tool for predicting and explaining phenomena. In the process, the models become a learning tool, rather than just a means to illustrate understanding.

  • Tech Tips | May 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Use Moodle to Score Lab Calculations Instantly

    One of the greatest time demands for chemistry teachers is the assessment of lab work. With a little bit of preparation, you can program Moodle (a widely available and free learning management system used by many schools) to correct students’ lab calculations and provide immediate feedback. The author walks through an example using a simple stoichiometry exercise used with his 11th grade general chemistry students.

  • Editorial | May 2018 Refresh and Refocus through Reflection

    Jenelle Ball reflects on both her school year and her time as the AACT Governing Board President. She highlights some newly-implemented and improved member benefits as well as some particular resources that she valued this year. She hopes all teachers will take time as the school year comes to an end to also reflect on their lessons learned and refocus for the future.

  • In My Element | March 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. My Long, Circuitous Route to Teaching Chemistry

    The author shares his journey from liberal arts, to the sciences, and back to the chemistry classroom.

  • Resource Feature | March 2018 Access is an AACT member benefit. Recasting Chemistry Labs with Forensic Themes

    This article discusses several examples of how forensic scenarios can be added to tried-and-true chemistry labs. The author also provides several example lab activities for the audience to use in their own classrooms.