I have to admit something. I don’t like using puzzle pieces for molecular compounds. There I said it. It’s cute for methane and...

I can remember it like it was yesterday. I was in fourth grade competing in a Quiz Bowl with my other science nerd friends. The...

While the applications of limiting reagent calculations might feel obvious to us as chemistry teachers, they usually aren’t obvious to students. Too often, students just want to memorize the steps so they can get the answer and move on. But the limiting reagent concept is what drives chemistry. It’s behind real industrial processes, manufacturing decisions, and countless real-world reactions. To help students see that connection, I recently redesigned my Jet Boat Race limitin

There are a million different versions of the stoichiometry Alka Seltzer lab out there. And maybe I’m just a contrarian, but I have...

There is an answer in chemistry to almost every “why” question. To become more stable. Why does nitrogen make a diatomic element? To...

The rate determining step in kinetics can be made visual. I show this same grainy video every year to help students just starting...

This is the year for trying things in a new order. Some of them have worked to remove some common errors. I always used to teach...

I’m doing an experiment. With my students. I introduced the concept of limiting reagent before they even know how to balance...

I feel like I’m at an addiction meeting. My name is Brennan Koch, and I don’t use the swap and drop method to write formulas for ionic...

London Dispersion Forces (LDF) can be a little tricky to understand, especially for first year chemistry students. I started using this...

Predicting the outcomes of chemical reactions is not only key to chemistry, but also a skill that some kids view as impossible. How are...

Christmas break is almost over. This inevitable day has been breathing down your neck for a while now. And now, your mind has to shift...

Scan teacher social media and you will see all sorts of gifts that teachers give to their students. Silver plated ornaments, copper...

Can you picture the giant stack of lab reports that you still haven’t graded? Maybe they have a digital notebook and you haven’t clicked...

Sometimes simple wins. This is one of those times. Try using marshmallows to introduce VSEPR theory and have the kids use inquiry to...

Buffers can be challenging. Over the years, I have found that kids tend to get stuck in understanding buffers more than they should. This...

We all have them, favorite labs. You know the one that you can’t wait to do again next year. The Rocket Lab is that one for me. I will explain how this useful lab can be used to introduce empirical formula or stoichiometry. Even after the unit is over, I find myself referencing that lab and the kids remember! I am sure that there are kits online but the method I am using came in honor of my chemistry teacher, Mr. Gantz. I remember loving the rocket lab in his class in h

Have you had an experience like this? You just gave an articulate, succinct and accurate description of a chemical process. You chose...

Your classroom might just be too quiet. The longer I have taught chemistry, the louder my room has gotten. And not because I’m losing...

How many different ways have you introduced periodic trends? It’s been many for me. This year may have been the best. It balanced...