Getting extra yardage: The Crushing Can

In the March issue of Chem 13 News, I explained how I take certain demos and get extra yardage out of them by offering “extra credit” for students who can explain how they work. I have also used the crushing can demo in this way. I do this with my Honors Chemistry classes soon after we’ve studied gas laws.

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Category: Feature Activities Classroom

We’ll do it my way… the right way

I really enjoyed AMC’s Breaking Bad. As a chemistry teacher, let me share one of my favourite scenes. In broad strokes, Jesse (Pinkman), Gus and Mike are taken by the Mexican cartel to a secret lab south of the border to prepare a large quantity of Walter White’s secret recipe — read: high purity methamphetamine.

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Category: Pedagogy, opinion and advice Editorials

AviOrnstein.com: a puzzle and a sample essay, Shared Idea

Avi Ornstein’s website may have entries you will find worth viewing. Every week there is a new puzzle — along with the answer to the previous week’s puzzle — that can be used to encourage your students to exercise their minds in thinking outside the box.

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Category: Student challenges

Science competition

For each reaction, write a correct, balanced equation. Then take the first letter of the symbol of each chemical product. These letters will form a message that is the result of when high school science courses compete with one another.

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Category: Feature Student challenges