One of my favorite times of the year (other than early June, when I attend the AP Chemistry Reading) is late August, which marks the beginning of the school year in Albemarle County, Virginia. I have been teaching high school chemistry for 20 years, and I absolutely love my job. There are many reasons for me to look forward to a new school year. For one, I get to meet a new group of students who haven’t heard all of my bad science puns (e.g., I’m sorry I dropped that beaker of potassium chlorate. It was an oxidant.)

Teacher-Student

There have been many articles written on the importance of establishing positive teacher-student relationships.^1-3 In Rita Pierson’s popular TED talk, she mentions this quote from James Comer.

“No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship.”

On the first day of school, I use a get-to-know-you activity that involves a little chemistry information. It helps me to send the message to my students that they are important members of our classroom community. Before class starts, I print out a copy of the “Element Partners” sheet* and cut it up into small cards. See Figure 1. Each card has either the name of an element or the description of that element. I make sure that each card is paired with its match and that the number of cards is equal to the number of students in the class. (If I have an odd number of students, I add one more card to the total and join in as a participant.) I ask each student to pick one of the cards at random. Then I tell them to walk around the room and find their partner. A student who has a card with the name of an element tries to find the student with the matching element description (and vice versa). Students can usually find their partners on their own, but I walk among them and listen to their conversations, in case anyone needs me to verify their matches.

           Figure 1 - Sample set of cards for Element Partners Activity.

Once each student has found his/her partner, the two of them sit next to each other and fill out the “Student Information Sheet”* together. I ask them to write clearly, because I will be reading their papers later to learn more about them. I remind them that anything written on these sheets should be information that they feel comfortable sharing with the rest of the class. Instead of asking students to talk about themselves, I ask each student to introduce his/her partner to the class by reading the information on the sheet. I start with “Team Hydrogen” and then call on the other groups to share, proceeding in order of atomic number. To minimize some of the stress associated with public speaking, I allow them to remain seated if they prefer. I ask them to use a clear, loud voice so that everyone can hear what they’re saying.

Teacher Tip: One of the reasons that I prefer to have each student introduce his/her partner to the class is that I can avoid the risk of mispronouncing someone’s name on the first day of class.

flask.png

The next thing I do is to show students a lab safety video. I highlight various features of the classroom that are related to lab safety.

The discussion of lab safety leads right into our next activity: the “SDS Inquiry Challenge” from Flinn Scientific. The first part is a demo in which I add tap water to what appears to be an empty Erlenmeyer flask. Then I proceed to light the liquid in the flask on fire. Wait! How can this be? Is water really flammable? I try to convince them that water contains hydrogen, which is a flammable gas. However, most students won’t accept this explanation and know that this must be a trick. They are curious and want to know how I did it. I tell them that prior to starting the demo, I had added about 2 mL of a mysterious liquid to the flask. Then I show them the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for ethylene dichloride, hexanes, and isopropyl alcohol. Students have to use the SDS information to identify the mysterious liquid and justify their answer.

The links to the teacher guide and the video for the SDS Inquiry Challenge are listed below.

On the second day of class, before I start teaching chemistry content, I give my students a short “quiz” (just for fun). I ask them to take out a sheet of paper and number it from 1 to X (where X = the number of students in the class). This quiz consists of a series of facts about each student. The student information comes directly from the sheets that they filled out on the first day. It’s fun to watch them guess the identity of each student as I display each fact on the board.

In addition to teacher-student relationships, there are two other examples of positive interactions that are worth mentioning.

Student-Student

Creating a positive environment can be beneficial when students work in small groups. Cooperative learning activities provide students with the opportunity to have discussions and compare different strategies for solving a problem. They can help each other to clarify their understanding of the material. By asking conceptual questions and using the strategy of peer instruction (popularized by Harvard Physics Professor Eric Mazur), I can encourage students to explain their thinking and justify their answers. Peer instruction, think-pair-share, or jigsaw activities can help students to reach those little “aha” moments as they make sense of their learning. Teachers may find it helpful to model the sort of behaviors that they want their students to demonstrate during group work by displaying respect, courtesy, and active listening when interacting with students.

Teacher-Teacher

Depending on the availability of other chemistry teachers in the same school division, a chemistry teacher may find it challenging to find colleagues with whom to share ideas. Developing positive relationships with other teachers is very important, especially for those who are just starting out in their careers. Fortunately, these interactions don’t have to be face-to-face. Teachers can join professional organizations such as the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Conferences such as the ACS National and Regional Meetings and the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE)** are great ways for teachers to get connected and learn from each other. Chemistry teachers can also have discussions and share ideas with colleagues on Facebook and Twitter. Of course there is ChemEd X, which is a valuable resource for teachers.

Conclusion

Bill Daggett (of the International Center for Leadership in Education) has a philosophy of education that focuses on three basic principles: rigor, relevance and relationships. (I may choose to discuss rigor and relevance in another blog post.) Establishing positive teacher-student relationships is important for creating a sense of community and belonging. I use humor, science demonstrations, and engaging hands-on activities to help students enjoy the process of learning chemistry. I want them to be curious and ask lots of questions. I remind them that it’s okay to make mistakes, and I encourage them to focus on self-improvement. I show students that I respect them, I value their contributions to class, and I care about their success. Learning chemistry can be challenging, and it may require lots of time and effort for some students to grasp certain concepts. If I have established a positive classroom climate, then my students are more likely to do the work required to be successful.

Even though relationships are important in education, they are not the only thing that a teacher needs to think about in order to be effective. Good teaching involves making important decisions about what to teach, how to teach, and how to determine if students have learned it. (I may choose to share my ideas about curriculum, instruction, and assessment in another blog post.) The main reason that I care about making connections with students is that I don’t want to fall into the trap of being that frustrated teacher who complains, “I did my job. I taught it. My students just didn’t learn it.”

Resources

(1) Edwards, Sarah and Nancy A. Edick. “Culturally Responsive Teaching For Significant Relationships.” Journal of Praxis in Multicultural Education, vol. 7, no. 1, 2013, pp. 1-18.

(2) Boynton, Mark and Christine Boynton. “Developing Positive Teacher-Student Relations.” The Educator’s Guide to Preventing and Solving Discipline Problems. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2005.

(3) Cornelius-White, Jeffrey. “Learner-Centered Teacher-Student Relationships Are Effective: A Meta-Analysis” Review of Educational Research. vol. 77, no. 1, 2007, pp. 113-143

*The “Element Partners” sheet and the “Student Information Sheet” have been included in the Supporting Information below.

**If you are considering attending BCCE 2020, you can register to receive notifications at https://bcce2020.org.

My summertime Twitter feed carries a definite chemistry conference flavor. A couple of weeks ago, I was able to vicariously experience the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE), with Tweets from attendees highlighting specific speakers, slides, and ideas. I expect (and hope) it will be the same next week during the teacher program at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Boston. Reading about some of the past and future happenings of these two conferences in the recent XChange posts Golden Nuggets: A Review of BCCE 2018 at Notre Dame University and 256th ACS National Meeting & Exposition brought home to me the sheer amount of content offered during the conferences by presenters.

With this on my mind, one of the opening abstract sentences in the August 2018 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education jumped out at me, along with its title. The Three-Minute Slide as an Effective Tool for Developing Oral Communication Skills (available to JCE subscribers) abstract begins: “It is essential that chemists develop strong oral communication skills.”

Authors Applebee, et al. bring an activity related to this soft skill to an upper-division undergraduate seminar. They have two exercises: 1) Third-year students speak for three minutes (no script) about one assigned graphics-based slide prepared by the instructor; 2) Fourth-year students do the same, but prepare their own single graphics-based slide. Some of the goals the authors outline are:

• To build confidence in speaking without a script
• To convey points about a graphic effectively to an audience
• To avoid overuse of text and reading verbatim off slides
• To improve overall slide design

Although the authors used the activity on the college level, helping high school (and even middle school) students to work toward these goals would be valuable, with relevance to future college- or work-related presentations or just being comfortable speaking at a job interview. The already compact three-minute time limit could be cut further, since the slides would be less complex. The activity could be an opportunity for an interdisciplinary connection with another teacher, such as an English class’s speech unit or a class where students learn to use presentation software.

The authors provide a sample slide deck of instructor-prepared slides as part of the article’s online supporting material, but the majority are much more advanced than a high school student would feel comfortable with. Easy slide sources could be figures from a course textbook. Student slide presentations could also serve as a class-wide review of a chapter before a test.

Have you integrated building student oral communication skills in your courses? What have you found most effective?

More from the August 2018 Issue

The August issue has lots of great chem ed reading to pump you up for being back at school. I’m a sucker for (pun intended) ideas for connecting candy to the curriculum—see the cover and related article for more information.

What have you used from the Journal? Share! Start by submitting a contribution form, explaining you’d like to contribute to the Especially JCE column. Then, put your thoughts together in a blog post. Questions? Contact us using the ChemEd X contact form.

Relevant Topics for Instruction and Assessment

The August 2018 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education is now available online to subscribers. Topics featured in this issue include: the chemistry of candy and sugar, examining virtual learning for laboratories, strengthening student understanding of acid-base chemistry, building scientific communication skills, emphasizing learning, sustainability and green chemistry, cost-effective resources and techniques, laboratory investigations, ConfChem conference on mathematics in undergraduate chemistry instruction, erupting from the archive: soda geysers.

Cover: The Chemistry of Candy and Sugar

Candy-making is a sweet endeavor that appeals to chemists and cooks alike. In the article Chemistry of Candy: A Sweet Approach to Teaching Nonscience Majors, Jennifer Logan Bayline, Halie M. Tucci, David W. Miller, Kaitlin D. Roderick, and Patricia A. Brletic describe a course that combines laboratory experiments and candy-making exercises to teach general chemistry principles and data collection. Making candy incorporates chemistry concepts into a course, such as solution concentration, colligative properties, and phase transformations, while flavoring and color reflect synthesis or extraction. 

For additional sweet articles in this issue, see:

Sweet, Sweet Science: Addressing the Gender Gap in STEM Disciplines through a One-Day High School Program in Sugar Chemistry ~ Mindy Levine and Dana J. DiScenza

Ancient Alchemy in the Classroom: A Honey-Based, Deflagrating Pyrotechnic ~ Adrian V. Wolfenden and Nathan L. Kilah

Examining Virtual Learning for Laboratories

Whether and How Authentic Contexts Using a Virtual Chemistry Lab Support Learning ~ Jodi L. Davenport, Anna N. Rafferty, and David J. Yaron (available to non-subscribers as part of ACS Editors’ Choice program)

Online Prelaboratory Videos Improve Student Performance in the General Chemistry Laboratory ~ Mike Stieff, Stephanie M. Werner, Bill Fink, and Dianne Meador

Strengthening Student Understanding of Acid-Base Chemistry

Using Lexical Analysis To Predict Lewis Acid–Base Model Use in Responses to an Acid–Base Proton-Transfer Reaction ~ Amber J. Dood, Kimberly B. Fields, and Jeffrey R. Raker

Using Writing Assignments as an Intervention to Strengthen Acid–Base Skills ~ Charles T. Cox, Jr., Jennifer Schwartz Poehlmann, Caitlin Ortega, and Julio C. Lopez

Building Scientific Communication Skills

The Three-Minute Slide as an Effective Tool for Developing Oral Communication Skills ~ Michelle S. Applebee, Ami P. Johanson, Kimberly A. Lawler-Sagarin, Eugene N. Losey, and Colleen Munro-Leighton (discussed by Erica Jacobsen in Especially JCE: August 2018)

“PubScience—The Long Night of Experiments”: Students Present Chemical Experiments in Dining Facilities ~ Marco Beeken and Michael Budke

Writing Prompts Help Improve Expression of Conceptual Understanding in Chemistry ~ Talitha Visser, T. Maaswinkel, F. Coenders, and S. McKenney

Action Research: Integrating Chemistry and Scientific Communication To Foster Cumulative Knowledge Building and Scientific Communication Skills ~ Ilse Rootman-le Grange and Liezel Retief

Emphasizing Learning

Emphasizing Learning: Using Standards-Based Grading in a Large Nonmajors’ General Chemistry Survey Course ~ Sarah B. Boesdorfer, Emilee Baldwin, and Kyle A. Lieberum

Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Chemical Kinetics: Experiment Selection Criteria To Address Students’ Intuitive Conceptions ~ Ainoa Marzabal, Virginia Delgado, Patricia Moreira, Lorena Barrientos, and Jeannette Moreno

Sustainability and Green Chemistry 

Simple and Effective Integration of Green Chemistry and Sustainability Education into an Existing Organic Chemistry Course ~ Brian J. J. Timmer, Fredrik Schaufelberger, Daniel Hammarberg, Johan Franzén, Olof Ramström, and Peter Dinér

Fruit and Vegetable Peels as Efficient Renewable Adsorbents for Removal of Pollutants from Water: A Research Experience for General Chemistry Students ~ Cindy Samet and Suresh Valiyaveettil

Application of Thermal Analysis in Determining Properties of Herbaceous Materials ~ Ewa Iwanek (née Wilczkowska) and Marek Gliński

Introducing Students to Thermogravimetry Coupled with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy ~ Marisol Fernández Rojas, Angélica M. Giorgi Pérez, María F. Agudelo Hernández, and Luz A. Carreño Díaz

Continuous-Flow Chemistry in Undergraduate Education: Sustainable Conversion of Reclaimed Vegetable Oil into Biodiesel ~ Frank A. Leibfarth, M. Grace Russell, David M. Langley, Hyowon Seo, Liam P. Kelly, Daniel W. Carney, Jason K. Sello, and Timothy F. Jamison

Making Sustainable Biofuels and Sunscreen from Corncobs To Introduce Students to Integrated Biorefinery Concepts and Techniques ~ Hua Zhou, Wang Zhan, Liuyang Wang, Lijun Guo, and Yun Liu

Cost-Effective Resources and Techniques

A Simple Paper Model Illustrates How To Cyclize Monosaccharides from Fischer Projections to Haworth ~ Chi H. Mak

Economical High-Temperature Water Bath Control and Monitoring with a Sous Vide Cooking Device ~ Thomas R. Rybolt and Robert C. Mebane

Modified Siwoloboff–Wiegand Procedure for the Determination of Boiling Points on a Microscale ~ Timothy L. Troyer, Kristen R. Mounsey, William J. King, Laura M. Givens, Jessica A. Hutton, Melissa Hood Benges, Kindra N. Whitlatch, and Jacob D. Wagoner

Simple and Inexpensive Microfluidic Thread Based Device for Teaching Microflow Injection Analysis and Electrochemistry ~ Deonir Agustini, Márcio F. Bergamini, and Luiz Humberto Marcolino-Junior

Inexpensive Method for Creating Robust Barium Sulfate Plates for Use in a UV–Vis Integrating Sphere ~ Eric V. Campbell and Joel S. Miller

Laboratory Investigations

Facile Synthesis of Three Kobolds: Introducing Students to the Structure of Pigments and Their Characterization ~ Pablo Martín-Ramos, Maria Susano, Francisco P. S. C. Gil, Pedro S. Pereira da Silva, Jesús Martín-Gil, and Manuela Ramos Silva

Ammonia Borane Acid–Base Complex: An Experiment Involving ¹H and ¹¹B NMR Spectroscopy and the Gas Laws ~ Navamoney Arulsamy

Combining Electrochemistry and Computational Chemistry to Understand Aryl-Radical Formation in Electrografting Processes ~ Miriam C. Rodríguez González, Alberto Hernández Creus, and Pilar Carro

Using Biological Organisms as Chemical Sensors: The MicRoboCop Project ~ Sarah E. G. Porter, Amorette E. Barber, Olivia K. Colella, and Tanya D. Roach

Investigation of the Ternary Phase Diagram of Water–Propan-2-ol–Sodium Chloride: A Laboratory Experiment ~ Cory C. Pye, M. Angelique Imperial, Coltin Elson, Megan L. Himmelman, Jacquelyn A. White, and Fuhao Lin

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction

ConfChem online conferences are free, open to the public, and run by the ACS DivCHED Committee on Computers in Chemical Education (CCCE). The fall 2017 ConfChem conference discussed mathematics in undergraduate chemistry instruction and a summary of the conference papers are discussed in the following papers:

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: Introduction to the Fall 2017 ConfChem ~ Jennifer L. Muzyka, Eric A. Nelson, W. Cary Kilner, Robert Belford, and Richard Spinney

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: Estimation—An Empowering Skill for Students in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering ~ Lynn S. Penn

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: MUST-Know Pilot Study—Math Preparation Study from Texas ~ Joselyn Del Pilar Albaladejo, Susan Broadway, Blain Mamiya, Amy Petros, Cynthia B. Powell, G. Robert Shelton, Deborah Rush Walker, Rebecca Weber, Vickie M. Williamson, and Diana Mason

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: Impact of Quick Review of Math Concepts ~ Jayashree S. Ranga

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: Strengthening Students’ Math Fluencies through Calculator-Free Chemistry Calculations ~ Doreen Geller Leopold

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: Building Student Confidence with Chemistry Computation ~ Peter R. Craig

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: The Chem-Math Project ~ W. Cary Kilner

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: Applied Mathematics for Chemistry Majors ~ Rachel Neville, Patrick D. Shipman, Nancy E. Levinger, and Amber T. Krummel

ConfChem Conference on Mathematics in Undergraduate Chemistry Instruction: Addressing Math Deficits with Cognitive Science ~ Eric A. Nelson

Erupting from the Archive: Soda Geysers

This issue includes an article on Tribonucleation: A New Mechanism for Generating the Soda Geyser by Thomas S. Kuntzleman, Michael W. Nydegger, Brooke Shadley, Ninad Doctor, and Dean J. Campbell. Various explorations of this beloved demonstration--the soda geyser--have been discussed in the pages of the Journal, including the following:

The Ultrasonic Soda Fountain: A Dramatic Demonstration of Gas Solubility in Aqueous Solutions ~ John E. Baur, Melinda B. Baur, and David A Franz

Quantifying the Soda Geyser ~ Christopher J. Huber and Aaron M. Massari 

Mentos and the Scientific Method: A Sweet Combination ~ Heather Patrick, Brenda Harmon, Janet Coonce, and Jack F. Eichler

Kinetic Explorations of the Candy-Cola Soda Geyser ~ Trevor P. T. Sims and Thomas S. Kuntzleman

New Demonstrations and New Insights on the Mechanism of the Candy-Cola Soda Geyser ~ Thomas S. Kuntzleman, Laura S. Davenport, Victoria I. Cothran, Jacob T. Kuntzleman, and Dean J. Campbell (Tom Kuntzleman discusses the background to this paper in his ChemEdX post, Exploring the Diet Coke and Mentos Experiment)

Relevant Content in the Journal of Chemical Education

With 95 volumes of the Journal of Chemical Education, you will always find something relevant, including the articles mentioned above, and many more, in the Journal of Chemical Education. Articles that are edited and published online ahead of print (ASAP—As Soon As Publishable) are also available.

Do you have something to share? Write it up for the Journal! For some advice on becoming an author, it’s always very helpful to read Erica Jacobsen’s Commentary. In addition, numerous author resources are available on JCE’s ACS Web site, including recently updated: Author Guidelines and Document Templates. 

My practices in education suggest the first few days with any new group of learners are critical to establishing a culture of learning and growth. Front-loading and cultivating these expectations are worth the investment, even if I “lose” a day or two of content. About eight years ago a mentor teacher introduced me to an activity I now call “Build a Boat”. (​You can read about this activity on ChemEd X​). On Day 1 this counterintuitive-to-teaching-chemistry activity engages my students in all the Science and Engineering Practices​ identified by NGSS and establishes an invaluable learning norm that we refer to throughout each learning cycle. We always strive to build a better model of understanding with both explanatory and predictive capacities. In reference to our boat metaphor, we’re constantly exploring, learning, and applying our understanding to build a better “boat” or model of the particulate nature and interactions of matter.

But what about the struggle? How do I address the fact that each and every single boat sinks, and therefore “fails”? Last year my instructional coaches at Noblesville High School, Christy Steffen, Dave Ferris, and Tara Darlington introduced me to “The Learning Pit”, authored by James Nottingham, co-founder and director of ​Challenging Learning​. The Learning Pit is an additional metaphor my students and I use for the processes by which we most effectively learn.

So what is “The Learning Pit”? According to Nottingham, “It’s about this idea of getting students to question, to challenge, to wonder together... to create that sense of ‘cognitive wobble’... of intellectual dilemma so that the students think more​.” Succinctly, he asks learners to engage in the following:

• Identify a Key Concept of Wondering​ - more than just facts, these concepts encompass explanatory and predictive elements concerning our observations and experiences.

• Create Cognitive Conflict​ - hold two or more ideas in their mind, all of which they may agree with but are conflicting with each other.

• Construct Understanding​ - find the “Eureka moment”. Eureka is literally translated “I found it”, not to be confused with “My teacher told me”.

• Consider and Reflect​ - What did you think before? What made you rethink what you thought you understood? What did your learning look like this time? How does your current understanding compare to what you understood before this learning? What do you still wonder?

I encourage anyone who’s read this far to borrow twelve minutes from your busy day to watch this eloquent animated rendering of “The Learning Pit” and consider its relevance to our collective goal of helping students learn how to learn: The Learning Pit.

James Nottingham's Learning Challenge (The Learning Pit - YouTube​) - accessed 8/27/18. 

In practice, I’ve shared this video with my students the day after we build boats and have a discussion about what “The Learning Pit” might look like for them in our chemistry classroom. Throughout the year, we intentionally and explicitly track our growth through this metaphor. Are we at the precipice of falling, at the bottom, climbing out, or experiencing that “Eureka!” moment? We do this by reflecting, summarizing, and sharing with each other where we believe we are in the process.

My experience in working through this process with students is profound in terms of metacognition and student development of their own learning capacities. If our goal is to help our learners be the best version of themselves, “The Learning Pit” can be a current for those failed boats to flourish in that endeavor.

If you follow my blog, you may have noticed that I am not a “dip your toe in the water and feel it out” type of teacher when it comes to new ideas. I am a jump head first into the deep end type of teacher. If you need proof, my first year of teaching I decided to jump head first into both Modeling Instruction and standards-based grading. You can check out my post about my head first dive into a ​paperless classroom​ during last school year as well. This year’s dive may be my boldest yet; a deskless classroom.

I am definitely okay with taking big risks in my classroom, but these leaps are always

1. in response to a problem I’ve seen,

2. well-researched,

3. meticulously planned.

When the idea of going deskless popped into my head last spring, it was in response to classroom management and safety issues that had been arising with increased class sizes, the addition of inclusion physical science 9 to my schedule and the adoption of a 1:1 Chromebook program. It was difficult to maneuver around 28 desks and 6 built-in lab stations to actually see what students were up to. If I ever had to get across the classroom in a hurry, I would probably have to leap across the desks to do it! It was difficult to even walk around the room while students were working, especially to monitor their Chromebook screens. Most importantly, teaching inclusion classes meant I had students with a wide range of physical and cognitive needs in my class that were not fully met by my traditional classroom. It also didn’t help that my classroom, which I affectionately call the Chemistry Cave, has no windows and gets a little claustrophobic.

1. Money (or lack thereof)
2. I figured I could always add in more flexibility but it would be hard to pull back the other way.

Here is how it works:

• Students come in, check the board, grab what they need for the day and put the rest of their things in their team’s box by their lab station.

• Students sit in their chairs for whole class instruction (never more than 10 minutes), stand at the lab stations for activities and have flexible options for classwork

• Flexible options for classwork are:

  • Stay in your chair where it is and use a clipboard

  • Stand at your lab station

  • Take your chair to your lab station as long as it comes back

I am one week in and I LOVE IT! Here is why:

1. I can move around my classroom with ease! There are no desks or piles of students’ books and binders in my way. This has allowed me to give more feedback to more

   students because I can maneuver around more quickly.

2. My students are still sitting with their teams but they are all facing the same direction. This has been really helpful for monitoring what is on their Chromebook screens, especially with prompting some of my more distractible students.

3. I have far less classroom management issues. Obviously, this could be so for a lot of reasons but a big one is that it is easier for me to be consistent. Consistency has always been my classroom management struggle and more flexibility has actually helped because I had to establish clear expectations for it to work.

Whenever I jump into the deep end of some big change in my classroom, it is because I want to see all of the pros and cons up front. I try to stick it out the whole school year and then make necessary adjustments the next year. This attitude is not for everyone and certainly it is not any better than those who implement change one step at a time, but it works for me.

If you’re keeping tabs on my classroom risks:

• I still use standards-based grading. I have edited my original system over the years but would never go back.

• I am half paperless this year. I found out last year that I love having students keep their notes digital through the scaffolded “packets” I create in Google Slides. Working practice problems digitally was a little harder so I switched those back to paper.

• I am 1 week into a deskless classroom, there is no end in sight but lots of dreams for future furniture!

Are you trying anything new in your classroom this year?

The inaugural ChemEd X symposium was held during BCCE 2018 at Notre Dame. Our Editor-in-Chief, Jon Holmes, three of our Lead Contributors, and our two Associate Editors gave oral presentations. You can find materials submitted by some of the presenters below in the supporting information.

jon_holmes_presenting_bcce_2018.png

Figure 1 - Jon Holmes, ChemEd X editor in chief, speaks about the ChemEd X website.

Kaleb Underwood presented History, Philosophy, and Radio Programs: Activities to Help Students Understand the Real Nature of Science. You can find two documents he spoke about in the supporting information: Assignment: Feynman, Lavoisier Readings and The Pale Blue Dot. You may want to take a look at a couple of his related blog posts: Bringing a Radio Program in to Chemistry Class and A Class Discussion on the Nature of Science for additional information. Follow Kaleb on Twitter @kaleb_underwood.

Erica Posthuma-Adams spoke about Building a Culture of Learning. Check out her post about the Build a Boat activity that she uses to help build a good classroom culture. Reach out to Erica by email: erica.a.posthuma@gmail.com or Twitter @eposthuma.

l_stewart_presenting_bcce_2018.png

Figure 2 - Lauren Stewart speaking at the ChemEd X Symposium.

Lauren Stewart spoke about standards-based grading. Check out some of her ChemEd X posts related to SBG: Standards-Based Grading in the Chemistry Classroom and Electronic Portfolios and Final Exams are just a couple of them. (You can find her presentation in the supporting information below.) Follow Lauren on Twitter @StewartSci.

Ryan Johnson's presentation was titled Using gas phenomenon to drive inquiry in the introductory chemistry classroom. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @RyTriGuy.

Tom Kuntzleman co-authored a presentaion with B.W. Baldwin titled Small research projects in the chemistry classroom (you will find his presentation in the supporting information below). Follow Tom on Twitter @pchemstud.

  
Figure 3  - Tom Kuntzleman presents about small research projects.

Since the birth of YouTube in 2005, many teachers have taken advantage of their ability to support student learning outside of the classroom in ways that were not possible in the past.

Utilizing video tutorials as a resource for learning outside of school hours allows teachers to help students in several ways that can make time spent in the classroom more productive such as explaining new concepts, deepening understanding of recent concepts, or demonstrating how to perform specific tasks. As 1:1 student device initiatives swept across the country, smartphones became the norm, and access to computers with an internet connection at home became more ubiquitous, it was inevitable that a rise in educational tutorials was going to occur. Consequently, we find common platforms, such as YouTube, to contain an ocean of science tutorials specific to any topic you wish. But more does not always mean better. While some teachers have become well known within the educational community for making well-produced tutorials, the vast majority of other videos are of low-production quality and do not often include the subtle nuances of language or depth of explanations that your own students may be familiar with simply because the person talking in the video is not you. But why not you?Have you considered creating your own videos?

In this post, I offer teachers some suggestions for increasing the quality of their video tutorials; focusing primarily on hardware and software options. Whether you are contemplating creating video tutorials for the first time and just want to be pointed in the right direction or you have already dipped your toes in the water and are trying to get more serious about improving the quality of your videos, you will likely find something of value here. My effort is to make the logistics of this whole process less intimidating and, hopefully, you will find options that fit your specific needs and your budget.

Chemistry is a unique subject with respect to the value quality tutorials can provide. To provide meaningful information in this format, we must get creative and think about how we can illustrate and connect symbolic, macro, and sub-micro levels. Not only can we use tutorials to break down mathematical concepts in more detailed ways, but we can also use them to help students understand what is taking place at the particle level using diagrams we cannot easily or quickly draw during the middle of a lesson. Regardless of what concept we are trying to communicate, video tutorials allow for greater equity since students can watch/learn at their own pace and have more freedom of choice regarding when they want to learn. So, if there is value in making your own tutorials that are specific to your class, what exactly is needed and what can you do to improve the quality?

Hardware

Computer/Tablet

At a minimum, you are obviously going to need some device to actually make these videos with. The good news is that pretty much any device can be used to fit your needs. Whether your desktop/laptop is a PC/Mac, or your primary device is an iPad, you have a number of options.

Touchscreen/Stylus Compatible

While it is not absolutely necessary to be capable of drawing on your screen while recording, research suggests that tutorials involving drawing result in higher engagement with the viewer by increasing continuous visual flow.¹ From a practical view, drawing on your screen in a way that is natural allows you to conveniently display information and makes the video feel less formal. Since the variety of stylus pens is seemingly endless, put your “responsible consumer” hat on and take the time to do a bit of research and consider spending a bit more for better quality. Here are some of my favorite options.

Microsoft Surface Pen

Because I have a Microsoft Surface Book, I use Microsoft’s Surface Pen (figure 1) which I absolutely love drawing with. Since the functionality of this pen was primarily designed for Microsoft’s Surface devices, only consider this stylus if you have a Surface device yourself.

Figure 1 - Microsoft Surface Pen

Wacom Bamboo Fineline Stylus

Compatible with practically every Apple device. While the Apple Pencil is ideal for an Apple device, you might want to avoid its $100 price tag and pay half the price with Wacom’s stylus (figure 2). If your primary device is an iPad, consider this stylus or something similar to it.

Figure 2 - Wacom Bamboo Fineline Stylus

Wacom Bamboo Ink Smart Stylus

Compatible with Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Samsung computers—basically anything that can run Windows. Consider the Ink Smart Stylus (figure 3) if you are planning to make your videos on a PC.

Figure 3 - Wacom Bamboo Ink Smart Stylus

Microphone

If you are new to making videos, this may seem a bit picky but let me lay out the argument that convinced me to improve my audio quality.

Microphones that produce lower quality audio place higher cognitive stress on the listener since they are much more susceptible to unnecessary background noise and the brain must worker harder to interpret what is coming in. When someone is trying to concentrate on your video, background noise is more than just a nuisance, it inhibits certain brain activity and weakens the ability to concentrate.² Since your tutorials are meant to help students learn, any preemptive action you can take to minimize the cognitive stress of your videos will be valuable.

Blue Yeti

The first four years I spent making tutorials, I never really gave the idea of quality audio much thought. I had always relied on the default internal microphone in my laptop and I felt like it did just fine. However, last year I decided to get more serious about the production quality of my videos and upgraded to a Blue Yeti microphone which plugs in directly to the USB port on my laptop. The moment I listened to a recording with it, I noticed the difference immediately.

Figure 4 - Blue Yeti microphone

Not only is the Blue Yeti easy to use, but its tri-capsule technology allows me to choose from a variety of pattern modes to ensure the best quality sound.

Table 1 - Pattern models and descriptions from Blue Designs website - accessed 8/28/18.

If you are shopping for a quality microphone, I recommend going with a USB microphone. Most podcast and screencast producers these days use this type of microphone since they are both affordable and provide decent quality audio. The best part about USB microphones is that they require no additional hardware. Simply plug the USB cable directly into your computer and you are good to go! Though I am completely satisfied with my Blue Yeti, you can find a great comparison of some of the best USB microphones for home recording here.

iPad Microphones

Figure 5 - Shure MV88 microphone

Shure MV88: Offering convenience and professional-quality audio make this one of the most popular choices for iOS users.

• No cables needed since it plugs directly into Lightning® connector port
• 90^o  hinge allows you to get ideal mic position
• Control over stereo width for higher-quality sound

Watch a YouTube video for a more in-depth review of this mic.

Figure 6 - Shure MV5 microphone

Shure MV5: Though not as many features as the MV88, this mic can still provide high-quality sound while being a bit easier on your wallet.

• 2-in-1 iOS and USB connectivity (can use it for any iOS device or your computer)
• Angle-adjustable desktop stand
• Unidirectional (cardioid)

Watch a YouTube video for a more in-depth review of this mic.

If you are looking for more variety, check out this review of multiple iOS-enabled mics.

Software

Deciding on the software you want to use for recording and editing your videos can feel a little overwhelming due to the variety of options. However, it is arguably the most important decision you will make throughout this process since your ability to make tutorials, and the convenience associated with making, editing, and sharing them, is entirely dependent on the software you choose. To make your choice easier, you might want to look for the following features that your software should provide at a minimum.

• Simple to use
• Able to record a voiceover
• Able to annotate
• Equipped with video editing tools
• Easy to share videos with a variety of platforms

Here are a few of the most popular choices that will likely suit your needs.

Screencast-O-Matic (PC, Mac, and Chromebook)

I chose to go with this option a few years ago and have never looked back. If you are relatively new to making tutorials, Screencast-O-Matic is a great place to start since their website allows you to download the software for free and start making recordings right away. The screencasting tool they provide is incredibly simple to use and they offer several useful features that can improve the quality of your videos with convenience. Though they offer three different subscription plans (free, deluxe, premier), I found the free option provided enough useful features to make and even edit videos throughout my early experience. After using the free version for a couple years, I liked the software enough to upgrade to the Deluxe version which provided more recording, editing, and sharing features.

You can see a detailed comparison of the three available plans on the Screencast-O-Matic website, but I have listed some of the most common features below that I use for nearly all my own videos.

Record window or full screen, webcam recording, zoom in while recording, trim recording, add captions, save to desktop, speed up/down, view videos on virtually any device, and easily publish to YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox, or Vimeo.

Camtasia (PC and Mac)

Although expensive, Camtasia offers a variety of editing and recording features that make it an option worth considering. If making high-quality videos is your priority, Camtasia provides everything you need to do that. Check out some of these great features here.

From a teacher’s perspective, one of the coolest recent features is the ability to make videos interactive by inserting quizzes. This allows you to see who is watching your videos, and how much they have viewed. However, even though the interface is relatively simple, this may not be the best option for a beginner.

ScreenFlow (Mac and iPad)

I am not a Mac user myself, but this software seems to be the best option for Macs and other Apple products. Since its pricing, features, and functionality are not all that different from Camtasia, you may simply find that you like the overall experience with one over the other. Sometimes it is just a personal preference. Check out some of these great features here.

Explain Everything (iOS, Chromebook, Android, and Windows)

At its most simple level, the app is essentially an interactive whiteboard that allows you to record your annotations, voice, and face. Each “project” you create starts with an infinite canvas where you can easily import media, make annotations, and insert text which allow for endless creative opportunities. Since their massive update in 2017, Explain Everything has expanded its features to include more editing features and even real-time collaboration—something many teachers have used for group projects.

Before I started making tutorials with my laptop, I used the Explain Everything app on my iPad. Six years later, the app has grown tremendously in popularity among educators due to its intuitive functionality, versatile features, and cloud storage. If you use your iPad often, you might want to think about spending the $10 for this useful app.

PowerPoint (PC and Mac)

Even if you have used PowerPoint for years, you may not have noticed that it actually allows you to record your screen. Like other screen-recording software, you can choose to save your video file and upload it to whatever platform you use. While limited in video editing and annotation features, it is definitely an option worth considering since you already have the software and there is no associated cost. To see PowerPoint’s recording feature in action, check out this YouTube video.

If you are still looking for more options, some great screencasting tools for educators can be found on the Fractus Learning website.

If you are genuinely trying to get serious about producing high-quality video content for your students, investing in the appropriate hardware and software is necessary. Though you are the ultimate driving force that will determine the effectiveness of a tutorial with respect to learning, the tools you use can supplement your videos in ways that can increase the probability for meaningful learning to occur. In my next post, I will build on this idea of creating tutorials and describe recommendations for making effective and engaging video tutorials in chemistry that result in learning based on cognitive science, human information processing, and third-party programs. Until then, have fun browsing the hardware/software options above!

¹ Guo, P., Kim, J., Rubin R. How Video Production Affects Student Engagement: An Empirical Study of MOOC Videos. (accessed 8/28/18)

² Mize, Chelsea. The Negative Impact of Bad Audio Quality in Conference Calls. (accessed 8/28/18)

This summer I was able to attend my first BCCE thanks in part to ChemEdX. I spent the week learning about the field of chemistry education, being in awe of Notre Dame’s campus and most importantly, geeking out with some of the most amazing chemistry teachers you will ever meet. I had the opportunity to meet many people I engage with online as well as add new people to my professional circle. Being around all of these inspiring educators made me realize that I have spent the last 3 years on an island.

I love the interactions I have with teachers around the country through ChemEdX, Twitter and my blog. I have learned so much this way. Nothing online compares to hashing out the issues of our profession face to face. I am lucky to teach in a large enough school with other chemistry teachers to bounce ideas off of. I used to teach in a small school though where I was the only one. The only reason I didn’t feel isolated at that time was because I had a local community of teachers using Modeling Instruction who met regularly to discuss what was happening in their classrooms. Unfortunately, as the funding fell away for this project, so did the community.

I left BCCE feeling both isolated and invigorated. I didn’t realize how much I missed having a group of educators from different schools to collaborate with until I found it again. I also realized that I don’t have to live on an island. I have a local ACS chapter that I have neglected and a to-do note to renew my AACT membership sitting on my desk. I learned from the brave founders of STEMteachersMassBay, when in doubt, start your own local professional community!

My goal this year is to expand my local professional circle beyond the walls of my school.

How do you connect with other teachers in your area?

Recently I was able to attend EF’s Global Leadership Summit in Berlin, Germany with some amazing students from my school. I had a lot of takeaways from this experience but one specifically related to science education.

The opening speaker for the conference was Jason Latimer. Besides being an incredibly entertaining and talented magician, Jason has a deep love for science education and inspiring wonder in students at a young age. I was able to attend a conference session with Jason as well. I had the chance to hear more about his thoughts on engaging students in science.

One thing that stuck out to me from Jason’s talk was the idea that the students we are teaching often forget the simple truth that everything the internet can tell you was discovered by a human asking the right question. Growing up in the age of information, it is easy to forget that all of that information came from somewhere (or rather someone)! This got me wondering about how I can get students to ask questions about things they do not necessarily understand in my class. My mind immediately went to discrepant events.

A discrepant event is simply something that defies our understanding of the world because it doesn’t fit our current model. One of my favorite discrepant events comes from Flinn Scientific’s eLearning video series, the mystery of the wax block. You can read more about it on my personal blog. This activity generates high interest and great questions. My students actually ask me questions about this activity until the last day of school! Inspiring wonder through the wax blocks is one of my favorite days of the school year. As the school year continues and the content piles up, I always seem to forget the simple power of a discrepant event. For this coming school year, I would like to kick off every unit with a discrepant event, and then bring it back at the end of the unit for students to explain with their new model.

I need your help with this!

What discrepant events do you use in your classroom that relate to major topics in chemistry?

Is your school district providing OSHA required safety training to teachers and other staff that will be in the science labs in your building? School laboratories can be a dangerous place. Many states require that school districts provide at least initial safety training before working with students in the laboratory. 

Do you know where your district's chemical hygiene plan is? Do you know where to find the OSHA Laboratory standard that outlines the requirements your district has for training staff (there are a few states that do not require this, but some think they should do it anyway)? Did you know that NSTA has published the NSTA Minimum Safety Practices and Regulations for Demonstrations, Experiments and Workshops? Read more about this important information in Kenneth Roy's (8/23/18) NSTA blog post, Chemical Safety Training for Science Teachers.

ChemEd X published an article written by Ken in August of 2017, Safer SCI: Be Protected, about the the risks and liability science teachers face. 

It’s the beginning of a brand new school year, and a brand new opportunity to capture students’ interest in chemistry and the joy of lab-based sciences! In thousands of chemistry classrooms across the country, teachers will be planning labs, demos, and ways to have students be engaged and excited about learning. Before you dive into a demonstration with the intent to inspire “ooh’s and aah’s”, please take a moment to read this excellent article published in the Journal of Chemical Education, in which Samuella Sigmann from Appalachian State University reviews the history and hazards of fire management in chemical education. This is an Editors' Choice article and thus open-access without a subscription.

All too often, the temptation to provide a dazzling flash or bang in a laboratory demonstration overshadows the need for proper training, planning, and safety management before any activities involving flammable substances are undertaken. This article provides an in-depth look at the unfortunately long list of incidents resulting in injury due to carelessness or preventable mistakes made while using substances such as methanol in laboratory demonstrations. While exciting and inspiring demonstrations can and should be a powerful tool in the chemistry teacher’s “bag of tricks”, following some of the guidelines outlined in this article can help prevent risking injury to students and teachers.

The preview image of this post is called a "bowtie" diagram. It is used within the J.Chem.Ed article "to help readers visualize hazard, risk, and controls in a flame jetting risk scenario". You can find this diagram in figure 1 of the article. 

"What are we doing to help kids achieve?"

This year I wanted to start off the course with a lab that would grab my student's attention! I walked in with five bowling balls and an Argument Driven Inquiry template. Before I go any further, I know this is a popular question used by other science teachers and I cannot take credit for thinking it up. I do want to give credit where credit is due...I am just not sure who used it first. I heard about this idea from someone else and I did not believe bowling balls would ever float. So I decided to do some experiments to test out the claim. (Good chance it came from Pam Scott of Michigan. She wrote an activity called "Get into the Game with Team Density" while she was working with the Grand Valley State University Target Inquiry program.)

Students broke up into teams with the question, "Do bowling balls sink or float in water?".  They actually developed the question as a class. The teams decided they would need to find the "density" of their bowling ball. Most were a bit fuzzy on the concept of density. I was able to introduce it using the (Ck12) book we use. Almost all groups measured the mass and volume in pounds and inches cubed. I was O.K. with that. Technically, it is still density. They solved for the densities of all the bowling balls. Most classes were able to accurately predict which balls would float and which would sink correctly four out of five bowling balls. This prediction led to great discussions about how to measure. One girl said that she could calculate and predict which would float but really did not know the "why" of floating. We stopped and examined the concept of buoyancy. One student wanted to know what would happen if we drilled more holes in the bowling balls. Wouldn't it sink then? If not, why not?

Overall, this was a good but challenging way to start the year. The students experienced some success with the scientific method. This led to rich discussions about measuring, data, predictions and answering the question "why" when trying to build concepts. This was also an informal way to do formative assessment with students. How well do they work as teams?  How do they observe and record data?  Can they manipulate data?  Where are they with their math abilities? I would say this is worth giving a try. Also, you can almost always find a couple of local bowling alleys to supply some old bowling balls.

Do you have a lab to grab students attention at the start of the year? Please consider sharing....

I am very excited to introduce “The Big Idea From AACT” to the ChemEdX website. AACT has been invited to share news of current events and visions in order to bring our two communities together and support each other. I thank Deanna Cullen for initiating this important communication.

Many members of ChemEdX are also members of AACT. However, there is still a population of teachers who do not know about AACT. For this first post, I would like to start with a brief description of our organization and highlight one of our offerings.

The American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) formally began in August 2014. In just four years, the organization has grown to a membership of over 5,500. While the majority of members are high school chemistry teachers, the organization also includes K-8 teachers of chemistry, pre-service teachers, and affiliate members who work or have an interest in education. AACT has members from around the world.

The large, diverse memberships of AACT and ChemEd X are closely linked through formal educational systems. For most teachers, this time of year corresponds to a new school year starting. The beginning of the school year means that it’s time to spice up your lesson plans. In addition to a large selection of lesson plans, AACT provides excellent learning opportunities to help you find new ideas and refine old ones. The top three sources for teacher learning shared in this post are: webinars, Chemistry Solutions, and the AACT newsletter (AACTconnect). AACT delivers learning opportunities to teachers through a series of webinars throughout the year. These exciting webinars are available to members and nonmembers, so you can sign up now at www.teachchemistry.org/webinars. If you are a member and can’t attend a webinar, they are available to you in the archives.

This is just the beginning of planned webinars for the year: 

• Lessons Learned from the 2018 AP Chemistry Exam ~ September 6, 2018

During this webinar, Paul Bonvallet, Chief Reader, will outline the logistics and scoring process for the 2018 AP Chemistry exam and discuss practices for consistent, fair, and accurate grading of the free-response section. • AACT Resources and Website Open House September 12, 2018 Join AACT President, Sherri Rukes, Immediate Past-President, Jenelle Ball, and President-Elect, Heather Weck, as they guide participants on a virtual tour of the AACT website. All resources will be unlocked for a 24-hour period so that attendees can see all of the valuable classroom materials available to AACT members. • Designing Effective Multiple-Choice Items for Chemistry September 25, 2018.

• AACT Resources and Website Open House ~ September 12, 2018

Join AACT President, Sherri Rukes, Immediate Past-President, Jenelle Ball, and President-Elect, Heather Weck, as they guide participants on a virtual tour of the AACT website. All resources will be unlocked for a 24-hour period so that attendees can see all of the valuable classroom materials available to AACT members.

• Designing Effective Multiple-Choice Items for Chemistry ~ September 25, 2018

AP chemistry teachers face the challenge of finding multiple-choice items that are similar in style and format to those that appear on the AP exam. The theme of this webinar is the process of writing items that emphasize conceptual understanding and higher-order cognitive skills.

• Using NGSS Practices to Explore Chemistry Concepts: Phenomenon, Modeling, and Arguing from Evidence ~ October 17, 2018

If you are a high school teacher, this is a great opportunity to invite your middle school colleague to a joint professional development experience. Join Jessica C. Levine and Emilie Mosko, middle school physical science teachers, to see how existing chemistry curriculum can be easily modified towards an NGSS storyline. Presenters will highlight their lesson design of a groovy phenomenon to engage students in chemistry concepts such as density, heat transfer, particle motion, and phases of matter.

In addition to webinars, Chemistry Solutions (the online AACT periodical), always has articles that describe what teachers are actually doing in classes. These articles give teachers an opportunity to learn from the experience of others. The most recent edition included the following:

• 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.

• Instant Feedback on Quizzes

In a preview of his September 25 webinar, 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!

• 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.

Through the newsletter, AACTconnect, we share a plethora of learning opportunities for teachers. For example, we often highlight an article of interest for K-12 teachers from the Journal of Chemical Education (JCE). Members of AACT may download up to 50 ACS Pubs articles (including JCE articles without a fee.)  You can sign up to receive the newsletter anytime.

Throughout the year, I will be sharing more resources and networking opportunities from AACT. I hope you will check out our website or connect with us through social media. As a professional community by and for K–12 teachers of chemistry, I enthusiastically invite you to get involved.

Thank you for the opportunity to share information about AACT with the ChemEdX community. I wish everyone a terrific beginning to your school year!

Jenelle Ball                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      AACT Immediate Past President                                                                                                                                                                                                                      www.teachchemistry.org

At the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) in Notre Dame this summer, Holly Walter-Kerby and Maria Gallardo-Williams unveiled an event called The Mole. According to Walter-Kerby, inspiration for The Mole stems from the popular storytelling event called The Moththat is featured on NPR radio. The Mole at Notre Dame consisted of several teachers of chemistry taking a few minutes to tell a story about life in the classroom. I was invited by Walter-Kerby and Gallardo-Williams to speak at the inaugural session of The Mole at BCCE 2018, and it was a real honor to participate in this incredible event.

I told the story of how one of my students discovered how to make marshmallows spark in the microwave oven. I went on to describe how we made sense of the sparking phenomenon, and how the process of his discovery and our work together contributed to transforming the way I think about teaching chemistry.

In the video below you can see how to get a marshmallow to spark in the microwave, and also how we think the sparking phenomenon occurs.

The sparking marshmallow phenomenon ends up being a good way to demonstrate the fact that sugar contains carbon, and also that graphite is a good conductor.

Due to its success and popularity at its debut, I’m pretty sure we’ll see additional runnings of The Mole at future BCCE meetings. I hope to hear your story in Oregon in 2020!

Acknowledgement: A huge thank you to David Welch, who first observed that charred marshmallows spark when microwaved, and who also helped to determine possible causes for how it did so.

Facilitating Laboratory Research Experience

The September 2018 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education is now available online to subscribers. Topics featured in this issue include: reticular chemistry; laboratory research experience for students; historical perspective; chemistry and the environment; laboratories using color to understand chemistry; electrochemistry laboratories; DIY instrumentation; organic semiconductors; orbitals; computer-based learning and computational chemistry; from the archives: paper chromatography.

Cover: Reticular Chemistry

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged over the past two decades as classes of designable, porous, crystalline materials with exceptional structural diversity and tunable chemical functionality. Continued development of next-generation materials for numerous applications, including gas storage and separation, catalysis, chemical sensing, and electronics, relies on effectively training new scientists in the diverse array of computational, synthetic, and analytical techniques reticular chemistry requires. In Facilitating Laboratory Research Experience Using Reticular Chemistry, Steven J. Lyle, Robinson W. Flaig, Kyle E. Cordova, and Omar M. Yaghi describe a laboratory-research experience designed to equip upper-division undergraduates in chemistry and chemical engineering with these skills through exposure to synthesis, characterization, and applications of MOFs and COFs. Concurrently, students also develop skills necessary to communicate their future research accomplishments to the greater scientific community.

For additional content on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in this issue, see:

Environmental Application of Cyclodextrin Metal–Organic Frameworks in an Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory ~ Daniel R. Jones, Dana J. DiScenza, Teresa L. Mako, and Mindy Levine

For additional articles on facilitating laboratory research experience for students, see:

Fostering Undergraduate Research with a Nontraditional Student Population ~ Kate Ries and Sarah Dimick Gray

An Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory Course as Research ~ Justin K. Pagano, Leslie Jaworski, David Lopatto, and Rory Waterman

Introduction to Research: A New Course for First-Year Undergraduate Students ~ Wei Chen

Project-Based Integrated Lecture and Laboratory Quantitative Analysis Course ~ Drew Budner and Brett Simpson

Investigating the Determinants of Substrate Binding through a Semester-Long, Project-Oriented Biochemistry Laboratory Course ~ Catherine A. Sarisky and Timothy W. Johann

Historical Perspective

Impacts of the 2018 Division of Chemical Education Bylaw Changes on the Division’s Executive Committee Composition and Work ~ Marcy H. Towns and Thomas A. Holme

Is the Gender Climate in Chemistry Still Chilly? Changes in the Last Decade and the Long-Term Impact of COACh-Sponsored Workshops ~ Jean Stockard, Jessica Greene, Geraldine Richmond, and Priscilla Lewis

The Ultimate Limit in Measurements by Instrumental Analysis: An Interesting Account of Schroteffekt and Shot Noise ~ M. Farooq Wahab and Arved E. Reising

Chemistry and the Environment

Demonstrating CO₂ Sequestration Using Olivine and Carbonated Beverages with Secondary School Students To Investigate pH and Electrical Conductivity Concepts ~ Johan A. Linthorst and Johanna van der Wal-Veuger

Easy Illustration of Salt Damage in Stone ~ Francesco Caruso, Timothy Wangler, and Robert J. Flatt

Laboratories Using Color to Understand Chemistry

Analysis and Identification of Major Organic Acids in Wine and Fruit Juices by Paper Chromatography ~ Dulani Samarasekara, Courtney Hill, and Deb Mlsna

From Observation to Prediction to Application: A Guided Exercise for Liquid–Liquid Extraction ~ Tevye C. Celius, Ronald C. Peterson, Amelia M. Anderson-Wile, and Mitchell Kraweic-Thayer

Visualization of Phase-Transfer Catalysis through Charge-Transfer Complexes ~ Marcos Caroli Rezende, Carolina Aliaga, German Barriga, and Matías Vidal

Electrochemistry Laboratories

Photochromic and Electrochromic Diimide Synthesized Simply from Inexpensive Compounds: A Multidisciplinary Experiment for Undergraduate Students ~ Taleb Abdinejad, Mohammad R. Zamanloo, Taher Alizadeh, Nosrat O. Mahmoodi, and Shima Rahim Pouran

Complementary Use of Electrochemistry and Synthetic Redox Chemistry in the Oxidation of Decamethylferrocene: An Integrated Advanced Laboratory Experiment ~ William E. Geiger

Using a Simple, Inexpensive Undergraduate Isoelectric Focusing Experiment for Proteins and Nanomolecules To Help Students Understand Isoelectric Point and Its Real-World Applications ~ A. Sharma, H. Kopkau, and D. Swanson

DIY Instrumentation

An Easily Fabricated Low-Cost Potentiostat Coupled with User-Friendly Software for Introducing Students to Electrochemical Reactions and Electroanalytical Techniques ~ Yuguang C. Li, Elizabeth L. Melenbrink, Guy J. Cordonier, Christopher Boggs, Anupama Khan, Morko Kwembur Isaac, Lameck Kabambalika Nkhonjera, David Bahati, Simon J. Billinge, Sossina M. Haile, Rodney A. Kreuter, Robert M. Crable, and Thomas E. Mallouk

Plate Reader Compatible 3D-Printed Device for Teaching Equilibrium Dialysis Binding Assays ~ Cody W. Pinger, Andre Castiaux, Savannah Speed, and Dana M. Spence

Review Article: Organic Semiconductors

Introduction to Organic Semiconductors Using Accessible Undergraduate Chemistry Concepts ~ Kevin L. Kohlstedt, Nicholas E. Jackson, Brett A. Savoie, and Mark A. Ratner

Orbitals

Hands-On Hybridization: 3D-Printed Models of Hybrid Orbitals ~ Riccardo de Cataldo, Kaitlyn M. Griffith, and Keir H. Fogarty

Using the Force: Three-Dimensional Printing a π-Bonding Model with Embedded Magnets ~ Felix A. Carroll and David N. Blauch

Student-Friendly Guide to Molecular Integrals ~ Kevin V. Murphy, Justin M. Turney, and Henry F. Schaefer, III

Practical Training in Simple Hückel Theory: Matrix Diagonalization for Highly Symmetric Molecules and Visualization of Molecular Orbitals ~ Shin-ichi Nagaoka, Tatsunobu Kokubo, Hiroyuki Teramae, and Umpei Nagashima

The Pauli Principle: Effects on the Wave Function Seen through the Lens of Orbital Overlap ~ David R. McMillin

Orbital Configuration: Terms, States, and Configuration State Functions ~ Joseph M. Brom

On Teaching Molecular Term Symbols: From the Atomic Term Symbols in a Two-Dimensional World to the Molecular Term Symbols in a Three-Dimensional World ~ Yingbin Ge

Computer-Based Learning and Computational Chemistry

Approximate Relations in pH Calculations for Aqueous Solutions of Extremely Weak Acids: A Topic for Problem-Based Learning ~ Renata Bellová, Danica Melicherčíková, and Peter Tomčík

Simulation Approach to Learning Polymer Science ~ Harith H. Al-Moameri, Luay A. Jaf, and Galen J. Suppes

Introducing Quantum Chemistry in Chemical Engineering Curriculum ~ Mohammednoor Altarawneh and Bogdan Z. Dlugogorski

Trends in Bond Dissociation Energies for the Homolytic Cleavage of Successive Molecular Bonds ~ Julie Donnelly and Florencio E. Hernández

Comment on “Learning To Read Spectra: Teaching Decomposition with Excel in a Scientific Writing Course” ~ Liudmil Antonov

Research on: Organic Chemistry Mechanisms; ACS Inorganic Chemistry Exam; Resources for Quantitative CER

How Are Students Solving Familiar and Unfamiliar Organic Chemistry Mechanism Questions in a New Curriculum? ~ Declan M. Webber and Alison B. Flynn

Alignment of ACS Inorganic Chemistry Examination Items to the Anchoring Concepts Content Map ~ Keith A. Marek, Jeffrey R. Raker, Thomas A. Holme, and Kristen L. Murphy

Moving beyond Alpha: A Primer on Alternative Sources of Single-Administration Reliability Evidence for Quantitative Chemistry Education Research ~ Regis Komperda, Thomas C. Pentecost, and Jack Barbera

From the Archives: Paper Chromatography

This issue includes an article on the Analysis and Identification of Major Organic Acids in Wine and Fruit Juices by Paper Chromatography by Dulani Samarasekara, Courtney Hill, and Deb Mlsna. Paper chromatography has been explored extensively in the pages of the Journal. Here’s a sampling: 

The Write Stuff: Using Paper Chromatography to Separate an Ink Mixture ~ Journal of Chemical Education Staff

T-shirt Chromatography: A Chromatogram You Can Wear ~ Jeanne M. Buccigross

Making Radial Chromatography Creative Chromatography: For Fun Flowers on Fabrics ~ Robert Becker, John Ihde, Kersti Cox, and Jerry L. Sarquis

Paper Chromatography and UV–Vis Spectroscopy To Characterize Anthocyanins and Investigate Antioxidant Properties in the Organic Teaching Laboratory~ Kelli R. Galloway, Stacey Lowery Bretz, and Michael Novak

“Supermarket Column Chromatography of Leaf Pigments” Revisited: Simple and Ecofriendly Separation of Plant Carotenoids, Chlorophylls, and Flavonoids from Green and Red Leaves ~ Alice M. Dias and Maria La Salete Ferreira

Normal and Reversed-Phase Thin Layer Chromatography of Green Leaf Extracts ~ Birte Johanne Sjursnes, Lise Kvittingen, and Rudolf Schmid

Normal- and Reverse-Phase Paper Chromatography of Leaf Extracts of Dandelions ~ Maria H. Du Toit, Per-Odd Eggen, Lise Kvittingen, Vassilia Partali, and Rudolf Schmid

A New Glow on the Chromatography of M&M Candies ~ Kurt R. Birdwhistell and Thomas G. Spence

Engaging Students in Real-World Chemistry through Synthesis and Confirmation of Azo Dyes via Thin Layer Chromatography To Determine the Dyes Present in Everyday Foods and Beverages ~ Kristi Tami, Anastasia Popova, and Gloria Proni

Using a Sequence of Experiments with Turmeric Pigments from Food To Teach Extraction, Distillation, and Thin-Layer Chromatography to Introductory Organic Chemistry Students ~ Thayssa da S. F. Fagundes, Karen Danielle B. Dutra, Carlos Magno R. Ribeiro, Rosângela de A. Epifanio, Alessandra L. Valverde

Facilitating Experiences Using the Journal of Chemical Education

With 95 volumes of the Journal of Chemical Education, you will always find something to help your chemistry experiences, including the articles mentioned above, and many more, in the Journal of Chemical Education. Articles that are edited and published online ahead of print (ASAP—As Soon As Publishable) are also available.

Do you have something to share? Write it up for the Journal! For some advice on becoming an author, it’s always very helpful to read Erica Jacobsen’s Commentary. In addition, numerous author resources are available on JCE’s ACS Web site, including recently updated: Author Guidelines and Document Templates. 

Although our data indicate that many women chemists perceive their work climate to be quite chilly, it is possible that this situation can change. The data presented in this article suggest that the field could be well served by addressing issues related to mentoring, career supports, allocation of resources and privilege, and attending to issues within individual departments and within the field as a whole that impede women’s career advancement.

(Greene, J.; Stockard, J.; Lewis, P.; Richmond, G. J. Chem. Educ.)

Care to venture a guess as to the date of publication for this article quote? Feel as though it’s an up-to-the-minute reflection of discussion on your Twitter feed? This Especially JCE column is designed to highlight the most recent issue of the Journal of Chemical Education, but you may (or may not) be surprised that the quote above is from the April 2010 issue. That issue contained two articles by Greene, et al.: Is the Academic Climate Chilly? The Views of Women Academic Chemists (quote taken from the Summary section, p. 385) and COACh Career Development Workshops for Science and Engineering Faculty: Views of the Career Impact on Women Chemists and Chemical Engineers.

I’ve pulled the quote up, eight years later, because the same authors bring an update to the situation, comparing their original data with additional data gathered since then, and a discussion of whether their COACh workshops for women chemists still have utility today, in Is the Gender Climate Still Chilly? Changes in the Last Decade and the Long-Term Impact of COACh-Sponsored Workshops. I’ll cut right away to the Summary section of the 2018 article:

Since 2006, the representation of women among recipients of Ph.D. degrees in chemistry and among faculty within academic chemistry departments has increased. Yet, the data summarized in this article indicate that the gender-related climate within academic chemistry changed very little during this period. Substantial proportions of women faculty continue to report serious obstacles to recruitment and hiring of women, greater allocations of rewards and recognition to male faculty, less than supportive work environments, a variety of conditions that hinder women’s career progress, and less than optimal satisfaction with their work situation.

(Stockard, J.; Greene, J.; Richmond, G.; Lewis, P. J. Chem. Educ. 2018, p 1497.)

I have no direct experience with college/university level academic employment. You may not either. But, it’s an important discussion for chemical educators to be aware of and to take part in. The article wraps up with a discussion of what department and university administrators could do, what leaders in the field could do, and for the field as a whole. All three articles are accessible to JCE subscribers. I encourage you to read it yourself, but also to share with a colleague.

Stockard, et al. finishes with this:

Developing a more open and accepting gender-related environment within academic chemistry will take time and effort. However, we believe that such an environment will benefit all who are involved, both faculty and students, and both men and women. It would help all chemists do better work and thus advance the field.

(Stockard, J.; Greene, J.; Richmond, G.; Lewis, P. J. Chem. Educ. 2018, p 1499.)

What will the quote be a decade from now?

More from the September 2018 Issue

Mary Saecker gives you an overview of the entire issue in her JCE 95.09 September 2018 Issue Highlights, along with a great walk through the archives to find a variety of resources related to paper chromatography.

What are your thoughts related to the issues raised by the Journal? Share! Start by submitting a contribution form, explaining you’d like to contribute to the Especially JCE column. Then, put your thoughts together in a blog post. Questions? Contact us using the ChemEd X contact form.

This year's STANYS Conference will be held at the Riverside Convention Center in Rochester NY on November 3-5, 2018.

Why attend?

• Has your state adopted NGSS or an adapted version? At this conference you will have the chance to dive deeper into your development of the three dimensions. The theme of the conference is: “Science in Action” and refers to the actions required to appropriately integrate the three “dimensions” of the Next Generation Science Learning Standards: Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, Cross-cutting Concepts into the science curriculum of classrooms.
• The conference takes place mainly over the course of the weekend so as not to require much time away from your students.
• Breakfast Panel discussion with NSTA Press authors Victor Sampson, Tricia Shelton and Jackie Speake and consultant Paul Andersen will address how to transform your classroom for NGSS
• Subject area institutes which are  series of workshop sessions within a subject area with a "Science in Action" focus.
• Makerspace Activities -  hands-on activities with a content or pedagogy focus.

Top Picks:

• Chemistry Institute - Sunday morning of the conference will be a chemistry institute where teachers will engage in hands-on activities that could be used to address different phenomena and three-dimensional learning in their own classrooms. The institute will provide teachers with a purposeful integration of the science and engineering practices into everyday instruction.
• Monday Institute with Paul Andersen - A special Monday full day institute with education guru Paul Andersen of Bozeman Science. Paul Andersen has traveled the world to train teachers in NGSS design and implementation.

For conference workshops click here.

***Note: You do not have to live in or near New York State to attend and/or present at this conference! Last year our AACT president, Sherri Rukes, provided fantastic workshops and she will be there again this year.***

I’ve always been fascinated by advanced polymeric materials; it’s amazing how materials that are generally considered “plastics” have such stunning properties. I recently watched a couple of movies about Batman and it came out that some of his devices and protections are made of advanced polymers. In particular, the suit is almost entirely made of Kevlar. That material offers great protection against virtually everything. The movie tends to exaggerate a little bit, but Kevlar is actually a material that features striking properties. In this blog I would like to make a short introduction about the story, structure and properties of Kevlar.

THE DISCOVERY OF KEVLAR

Kevlar was developed in DuPont labs in the 60s, by Stephanie Kwolek. During that time, DuPont was working on a new material featuring the same heat-resistance of asbestos and the stiffness of glass. A nice option in order to develop that kind of material was to use the stiff chains of aromatic polyamides. These polymers tend to be extremely insoluble in several solvents and their processability could be quite difficult. That was due to the presence of aromatic rings that tend to make the structure quite rigid and poorly flexible in terms of molecular motion.

During their experiments, DuPont’s scientists obtained a low-viscosity polymer solution which was quite opaque and cloudy. In a polymer chemistry lab, a solution like that is normally thrown away; in fact, proper polymer solutions are transparent and have a quite high-viscosity. In addition, it wasn’t possible to clarify the solution by heating or filtration. Despite the expected disappointment, the solution obtained was tested in order to get a fiber. The results were amazing. Not only did the fibers spin well but they also were superb in terms of mechanical properties.

The reaction which leads to the formation of Kevlar is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 -Condensation between 1,4-phenylene-diamine and terephthaloyl chloride to give Kevlar.

Keep in mind that the reaction above is that used currently (it can involve the use of terephthalic acid instead of the acyl chloride). In fact, the DuPont research team spent years in order to develop the final process. In the beginning, the reaction for obtaining Kevlar was carried out by polymerization of p-aminobenzoic acid. The process was costly though and it did need an understanding of the chemistry behind it as well. Eventually, the DuPont team came up with new procedures along with new challenges. Even though a new and less costly reaction was developed and carried out in hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) solvent, DuPont found this solvent to be carcinogenic. A new task to accomplish came up: finding a safe solvent able to give a material whose properties were not compromised. Finally, the combination of N-methylpyrrolidone and calcium chloride was selected as the best solvent. However, in order to obtain high properties fibers, the spinning solvent had to be 100% sulphuric acid. The corrosive properties and the high viscosity of the solutions involved were a concern but, DuPont research scientist Herbert Blades was still able to solve that problem. He found out that the polymer and the sulphuric acid form a crystalline complex, at a polymer concentration of 20%, which would melt around 70°C. That solution allowed the fibers to be spun at higher polymer concentrations (previous values were around 10-12%).¹ In the end, the multidisciplinary approach that DuPont had eventually given to the research was the winning hand. Finally, full commercialization took off in the early 80s.

STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF KEVLAR

In terms of chemistry, Kevlar is an aramid, short for aromatic polyamide. The reason for the name is easily seen by refering back to Figure 1. In fact, its repeating unit features an aromatic ring and an amide bond. The high-performance properties of Kevlar come from its reduced molecular motion even in the solution state. Macromolecules like nylon or polyester are quite flexible systems. Therefore, they tend to form random coils in the solution, with a certain level of entanglement. Spinning processes actually promote orientation of the chains as well as a partial extension of them. On the other hand, aramide molecules are particularly rigid and they have a rod-like behaviour even at low concentration. At higher concentrations, the chains are forced to align in parallel giving rise to a liquid crystalline domain.^2,3 Because of that, the spinning process leads to complete extension of the chain. That situation is represented in Figure 2.

Figure 2 - Behaviour of flexible and rod-like macromolecules during spinning process.

Since Kevlar feature high drawability, all its fibers have high tenacity and high tensile modulus along with a high heat resistance. All these properties are actually consequences of its molecular structure. In fact, due to the para-orientation of the aromatic rings, the chains form planar sheet systems which are actually locked together via hydrogen-bonds (see Figure 3). Additional strength is given by the interaction of aromatic rings which tend to be stacked up.

Figure 3 - Representation of a Kevlar fiber.

This level of three-dimensional order had never been observed in a fiber before. Its molecular orientation is parallel to the fiber axis and it features a defined crystalline packing.⁴ Compared to other kind of materials, Kevlar has amazing mechanical properties (see Table 1).

Table 1 - Mechanical properties of different commercial versions of Kevlar and other materials.⁵

It’s clear that in terms of Specific density, polymeric materials are the right choice if you are looking for light materials. Steel wire has higher Modulus; however, its Break elongation is quite small compared to the polymeric materials. Even though Nylon 66 and Polyester have better Break Elongation properties, Kevlar features much higher Tenacity and Modulus. Furthermore, its combustibility is quite low. Its fibers are difficult to be ignited and they do not feed the flame. It is a good thermal insulating material as well (almost non-conductive).⁶ Of course, everything depends on the final application. In any case we can say that Kevlar is a tough material which can be applied in advanced technology fields as a replacement for more heavy materials such as glass and metals since it is strong and light at the same time. Kevlar also features stunning thermal properties. In fact, it decomposes (with no melting) at high temperatures. That result is shown in Graph 1.

Graph 1 - Thermogravimetric Analysis of Kevlar 49 in Air (10 °C/min).⁷

kevlar_graph.png

In a Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), a sample is heated a constant heating rate and the weight loss is recorded over time. As you can see, this particular sample of Kevlar starts off losing a significant weight at around 500 °C. On the other hand, Nylon 66 and Polyester start off around 250 °C. Furthermore, Kevlar remains stable below 180 °C for long periods. Even though Kevlar is virtually stable in every condition, it lacks of chemical resistance after exposure to strong acids and bases and its compression properties are not as good as its tensile properties.

Other interesting properties of Kevlar are:

•  It is not affected by low temperatures.
• It remains unchanged although it is exposed to hot water for long periods.
• It’s flame resistant.
• It’s virtually stable towards any kind of organic solvent.

In terms of use, protection vests and reinforcing automotive components are some of the applications. There are many other uses along with a review of its properties published in two Compound Interest infographics.⁸

I hope you like this short review. I think it may be useful if you want to introduce new topics in your classes even though I have barely scratched the surface of this topic. Furthermore, concepts like Tenacity, Modulus, Thermogravimetric analysis etc., are often studied in Industrial Chemistry courses. Though, even a rough understanding of those concepts, really gives you the idea of how the chemical/physical properties of Kevlar and advanced materials in general, can be related to the chemistry and the physics behind them.

1 - Adv. Materi. 1989, No. 5

2 - P. J. Flory, Adv. Polym. Sci. 59 (1984) 1-36.

3 - S. P. Popkov, Adv. Polym. Sci. 59 (1984) 76-99.

4 - Adv. Materi. 1989, No. 5

5 - Kevlar ®️ Aramid fiber - Technical guide

6 - Materials Research. 2014; 17(5): 1180-1200

7 - Kevlar^® Aramid Fiber Technical Guide: http://www.dupont.com/content/dam/dupont/products-and-services/fabrics-f... (Accessed 8/18/18)

8 - Compound Interest Kevlar Infographics: https://www.compoundchem.com/tag/kevlar/ (Accessed 8/18/18)

In this chemical mystery, the floating and sinking behavior of balloons is observed:

Can you figure out how this experiment was conducted? If so, leave your answer in the comments! The solution will appear in a few days.

Well, that didn't take long. Less than 24 hours after posting Chemical Mystery #12: Baffling Balloons, Michael Farabaugh correctly explained how the experiment was conducted.

Three different balloons - one filled with helium, one with air, and one with sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) - were placed into a tank filled with sulfur hexafluoride gas. The helium-filled balloon floated out of the tank and up through the air. The air-filled balloon floated on the sulfur hexafluoride contained in the tank. Finally, the balloon filled with SF₆sunk in the tank filled with SF₆. You can watch the solution in the video below.

Well done, Michael. I think I’m going to have to come up with some chemical mysteries that are a bit more difficult for you all to solve…