BCCE 2016 High School Workshops University of Northern Colorado

 

ID and Title  Description  Organizer  Co‐Organizers  Time  Fee ($)  

Pre – Conference Workshop,      W22:  Chemistry 1 - Modeling Instruction  

Modeling Instruction organizes the course around a small number of scientific models, thus making the course coherent. It applies structured inquiry techniques to the teaching of basic skills and practices in mathematical modeling, proportional reasoning, quantitative estimation and technology enabled data collection and analysis. In this approach, students begin with phenomena they can readily observe and are introduced to the simplest model of matter that helps them make sense of their observations. In each subsequent unit, students encounter phenomena that require them to modify the existing model or replace it with a more robust model. This approach is entirely consistent with NGSS Science and Engineering Practices - 1.) I construct mental and conceptual models to represent and understand phenomena; 2.) I use models to explain and predict behaviors of systems, or test a design; 3.) I refine my models in light of new empirical evidence. In this 2-week workshop, teachers will perform lab experiences, learn how to encourage student thought and reflection, role-play and practice the techniques that will be used in the classroom. After each segment, teachers reflect on how the modeling approach can be best implemented in their classroom (because every situation is different). As a follow-up to the workshop, each teacher will be invited to share for 5-10 minutes as part of the Modeling Symposium at the BCCE to help other high school teachers become familiar with what you have learned during this workshop. This workshop is being co-lead by Larry Dukerich and Laura Slocum. Larry is one of the founding developers of the Chemistry Modeling Instruction and Laura has been using modeling instruction in her classroom for the last six years. If you have additional questions about this workshop, you can contact Larry at: or Laura at:  

Laura Slocum, Heathwood Hall School 

Larry Dukerich  8:30 – 4:30, 7/19 – 7/29 

600 

      Sunday, July 31 Afternoon Workshops, 1:30 – 4:30      W1: A Laboratory Experiment Using Molecular Models For An

A new approach to using molecular models in teaching general chemistry concepts is presented here. This has been designed for the first time chemistry or major students and only applies to very simple molecules and formulas. This approach can be used both as a laboratory experiment

Shahrokh Ghaffari, Ohio Univ. ‐ Zanesville 

Shadi Abu-Baker  

1:30 – 4:30 

 

 

 

Introductory Chemistry Class  

or classroom exercise. The purpose of using a molecular model is to provide students with a visual aid to conceptualize different basic topics in chemistry and become active learner. Students construct molecular models and use them to balance simple chemical equations, demonstrate the law of conservation of mass, and discover the relationship between mole and molecules and atoms.  

W12:  Building a Unit Plan Using American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) Resources  

Building a new unit plan for chemistry can be a difficult undertaking and must include lectures, practice problems, classroom demonstrations, student activities, and chemical experiments. The classroom resources available on the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) website can help you find all the materials you need to create unit plans. Join two former high school chemistry teachers who are now part of the AACT staff as they show you how to put together a successful unit plan using the lessons, activities, labs, demonstrations, projects, videos, and animations that are available on the AACT website.  

Jenn Parsons, Amer. Chem. Soc. 

  1:30 – 3:00 

 

W35:  Developing communication skills.  

It is well known that the student of chemical areas must have knowledge how to express their findings in their sciences report, or even better in their researches. The main goal in this workshop is to show the structures in how to write an essay or an abstract, besides how to make a digital presentation or a poster to represent graphical material. As an instructor I´ve been developing this kind of work with my students to show what to consider in this matter, with a good success. This students get the tools to make the good writing and lecture of their ideas, supporting to the other subjects of their career.  

Lino Castro, Autonomous Univ. of Chihuahua 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

W37:  Development of ACS Ethical Standards and Guidelines for Teaching of Chemistry in K-12 Classrooms  

The American Chemical Society has produced ethical standards and guidelines for all chemists, academic professionals, and industrial professionals, but currently no guidelines exist specifically for the teaching of chemistry in K-12 environments. The organizers of this workshop have put together a committee that has taken on the task of creating a set of standards and guidelines for K-12 chemistry. The committee is seeking the input of K-12 chemistry teachers and university faculty involved in K-12 research or preparation of K-12 educators to take part in the discussion and creation of these guidelines. This workshop is brought to you by the ACS Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs and the guidelines are being developed in cooperation with the ACS Division of Chemical

Rachel Morgan Theall, Southeast Missouri State Univ. 

Jo King, Heritage High School   

1:30 – 4:30 

 

 

 

Education High School Chemistry Committee and the American Association of Chemistry Teachers.  

W49:  HARPOON: Finding inexpensive, effective catalysts for solar energy conversion  

The HARPOON workshop is for teachers looking to bring a renewable energy experiment into their classroom. We have developed a laboratory experiment that utilizes real-time, inquiry-based research to discover catalysts for solar energy conversion. Instructors will experience the lab for themselves as they create unique combinations of mixed-metal oxide materials, which are then analyzed utilizing a simple, inexpensive system that detects the amount of oxygen evolved during electrolysis. This program was developed by researchers at the Center for Chemical Innovation in Solar Fuels (CCI Solar) who hope students take an active role in discovering previously unknown materials for solar energy conversion. This experiment has the flexibility to be implemented at a variety of educational levels with the depth and breadth of the material covered accordingly.  

Jennifer Schuttlefield Christus, Univ. of Wisconsin ‐ Oshkosh 

  1:30 – 4:30 

2 

W57:  Integration of cooperative, project-based, authentic experiments in the General Chemistry Laboratory Programs at the University of South Florida and Northeastern University  

Research evidence shows that traditional, verification laboratory activities are not effective in attaining the desired goals of laboratory education, such as those put forth by the National Research Council in 2005: “development of scientific reasoning, understanding of the nature of science, developing practical skills, cultivating interest in science and in learning science, developing team working skills and supporting mastery of subject matter”. However, this instructional model prevails in college science education. In this workshop, we will present the design and implementation of the Authentic Chemistry Experiment Laboratories, ACE-Labs, at the University of South Florida, and recent modifications to the laboratory program at Northeastern University following the same curricular reform. In the ACE-Labs students are introduced to authentic experimental learning opportunities in General Chemistry, students are able to develop and test their own experiments, moving away from verification-type activities. The curricular reform was supported on approaches and results from successful programs already in place at other institutions (e.g., Clemson University). The outcomes of the curricular reform will be described and discussed to provide attendees with enough information to inform their own laboratory reform endeavors.  

Adrian Villalta‐Cerdas, California State Univ. ‐ Bakersfield 

Vasiliki Lykourinou   

1:30 – 4:30 

3 

W67:   In this workshop, you will experience two hybrid labs designed for our general chemistry lab course for non-chemistry science majors. In each

Rebecca Sansom, 

  1:30 – 4:30 

7 

 

 

Making Connections: Hybrid Labs for General Chemistry  

lab, there is a benchtop component and a molecular level simulation that corresponds topically. This is NOT a virtual chem lab! It IS a molecular level interactive that allows students to see, at the molecular level, what they are measuring at the macroscopic level. Additionally, the students can manipulate variables such as concentration, temperature, the type of atom, and the path length in order to explore the system. First, we will use a spectroscopy simulation in concert with a Beer's Law lab. Second, we will use a kinetics simulation in concert with a kinetics lab. By using these two modes of representation simultaneously, students can make the connection between what they see in lab and what they learn in lecture, increasing fluency with the chemistry triplet.  

Brigham Young Univ. 

W85:  Super-Active Learning with Superstore Items  

Have your students ever been confused about a concept because they can’t visualize that concept? Have you wondered how to address those issues? Using low-cost items such as nuts, bolts, pasta, index cards, and small toys, participants will engage in classroom activities and games that facilitate breakthrough learning of difficult concepts in Introductory and General Chemistry. Topics/concepts addressed include stoichiometry, limiting reactants, percent yield, empirical formulas, isotopes, dissociation, and nomenclature. Each participant will receive a set of materials to take away along with lesson files used in the classroom.  

Jonathan Gittins, Delta College 

Brian Aldrich    1:30 – 4:30 

10 

W94:  The POGIL Project Workshop: Introduction to POGIL  

This session is designed for those with limited or no previous exposure to POGIL. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in POGIL activities, observe facilitation strategies firsthand, learn about POGIL classroom implementation, and discuss common barriers to implementation. After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) name essential elements of POGIL pedagogy and philosophy, (2) list student learning outcomes supported in a POGIL classroom, and (3) create plans to begin implementation of POGIL in their own classrooms.  

Megan Daschbach 

Barbara Gottemoller   

1:30 – 4:30 

25 

W99:  The VisChem Approach - Visualizing the Molecular World for a Deep Understanding of Chemistry

Learning science involves explaining observable phenomena, such as stickiness, magnetism, and heat transfer, through imagination and modelling of the causal invisible phenomena – molecular interactions, force fields, and energy changes. Visualisation of such imperceptible phenomena is the key to making meaning from the abstract scientific shorthand and language that too often alienate novices. Only when they have useful visual mental models of these invisible worlds can novices appreciate the enormous power of mathematics to generalise from the

Roy Tasker, Purdue Univ. 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

 

 

  specific. In this session you will participate as a ‘novice’ learning about redox chemistry using the VisChem Approach (VisChem.com.au) – a specific learning design using VisChem animations and Odyssey simulation software – and see how both animations and simulations are required to visualize structures and processes at this level satisfactorily. The focus will be on the challenge of directing your attention to specific features in these visualizations, without cognitive overload.  

  Monday, 8/1, All day workshops, 8:30 – 11:30 and 1:30 – 4:30         W43:  Eye tracking as a tool for chemistry education research  

This workshop will explore various ways in which eye tracking hardware and software can be used in chemistry education research. Brief discussions of theoretical background and practical applications of eye tracking will be presented, along with extensive hands-on exercises focusing on the design of appropriate research questions and eye tracking protocols. A variety of eye tracking systems will be available for demonstration and exploration. Participants of this workshop will leave with a better understanding of how eye tracking might apply to their own research, as well as how to frame a study appropriate for the use of eye tracking. No previous expertise with eye tracking is expected.  

Jessica VandenPlas, Grand Valley State Univ. 

Sarah Hansen, Columbia Univ., Steven Cullipher, Massachusetts Maritime Academy  

8:30 – 11:30 and 1:30 ‐4:30 

 

             Monday morning, 8/1 Workshops, 8:30 ‐11:30         W16:  cCWCS Miniworkshop: Food Chemistry  

Exploring Chemistry through Food makes science fun and approachable to a student while providing an endless array of everyday examples to teach chemical concepts to Chemistry majors and non-majors alike. This mini-workshop will provide the participants with hands-on activities, demonstrations, discovery-based lessons, and small experiments that will focus on chemical transformations using food. Basic chemical concepts such as pH, color, nature of heat & energy will be explored in addition to cutting-edge molecular gastronomy techniques that will excite faculty and students alike. Participants will take home materials they can plug into various courses and labs.  

Sunil Malapati, Clarke Univ. 

Elizabeth Pollock  

8:30 – 11:30 

17 

W52:  Infusing the Science of Learning into Your Chemistry Classroom:

Much research suggests that certain instructional strategies are particularly effective at promoting student learning and attitudes towards science. Yet, incorporating the latest evidence-based instructional practices into an existing lecture-focused classroom can be difficult. In this workshop, participants will discuss several cognitive principles applicable to everyday use in chemistry courses. Topics such as testing effects, self-explanation,

Marilyne Stains. Univ. of Nebraska ‐ Lincoln 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

Cognitive Principles  

expertise reversal, distributed practice, and illusions of competence will be emphasized. Workshop participants will learn about these cognitive principles as well as the experimental evidence supporting these learning principles, and will be guided in the development of interventions and assessment protocols for several course-related learning issues. We strongly encourage participants who are interested in how these learning principles apply to several specific instructional strategies to attend our subsequent " Infusing the Science of Learning into Your Chemistry Classroom: Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies" workshop.  

W62:  Introduction to Vernier Technology for Chemistry  

If you’re new to data collection with Vernier, or would like a basic refresher, this workshop is for you. Join us for hands-on practice using LabQuest 2– a popular stand-alone data-collection device. Our expert workshop instructors will guide you through a selection of experiments from our three lab books, Chemistry with Vernier, Advanced Chemistry with Vernier, and Investigating Chemistry through Inquiry using the pH Sensor, Drop Counter, Temperature Probe, Gas Pressure Sensor, Conductivity Probe, and Colorimeter. By the end of this workshop, you’ll be a pro at data collection and analysis with Vernier. Appropriate for college and high school chemistry.  

Jack Randall, Vernier Software and Tech. 

  8:30 – 10:00 

 

W67:  Making Connections: Hybrid Labs for General Chemistry  

In this workshop, you will experience two hybrid labs designed for our general chemistry lab course for non-chemistry science majors. In each lab, there is a benchtop component and a molecular level simulation that corresponds topically. This is NOT a virtual chem lab! It IS a molecular level interactive that allows students to see, at the molecular level, what they are measuring at the macroscopic level. Additionally, the students can manipulate variables such as concentration, temperature, the type of atom, and the path length in order to explore the system. First, we will use a spectroscopy simulation in concert with a Beer's Law lab. Second, we will use a kinetics simulation in concert with a kinetics lab. By using these two modes of representation simultaneously, students can make the connection between what they see in lab and what they learn in lecture, increasing fluency with the chemistry triplet.  

Rebecca Sansom, Brigham Young Univ. 

  8:30 – 11:30 

7 

W77:  Preparing for the Flip – The Nuts and Bolts of

Flipped Learning is getting a lot of press, but exactly what is it? This presentation offers a broad overview of a flipped classroom from the perspective of a chemistry teacher who was the "sage on the stage". WHAT is flipped learning? WHAT does a flipped classroom look

Adam Boyd, Amer. Chem. Soc. 

  8:30 – 10:00 

 

 

 

Flipping Your Classroom  

like? WHO benefits from flipped learning? HOW is flipped learning different than the more traditional classroom? HOW do you make the flip? WHY should you flip? WHEN is the method appropriate? Moving beyond the basics we will discuss the benefits of additional classroom time and increased student responsibility for learning that are just two of the benefits of flipped learning. The last part of the presentation will focus on the “nuts and bolts” of flipping your classroom. Participants will learn how to streamline content, create hands on support activities, and increase one-on-one interaction with and feedback to students.  

W79:  Real-Time Student Engagement with SKIES: Bringing active, collaborative learning to your classroom on iPad  

SKIES is a new collaborative learning app that supports active learning for students and facilitates novel teaching strategies for educators at all levels. This free, cloud-based app for iOS lets students and instructors share information, ask and answer questions, give feedback in real time, practice metacognition, and much more. In this workshop, participants will navigate SKIES as a student and as an instructor, discuss active learning strategies that SKIES can enable or enhance, and develop engaging chemistry lessons using the tools in the app. Participants will need to bring their own iOS device (iPad or iPhone) to this workshop.  

Julia Chamberlain, Univ. of California at Davis 

  8:30‐11:30 

 

W85:  Super-Active Learning with Superstore Items  

Have your students ever been confused about a concept because they can’t visualize that concept? Have you wondered how to address those issues? Using low-cost items such as nuts, bolts, pasta, index cards, and small toys, participants will engage in classroom activities and games that facilitate breakthrough learning of difficult concepts in Introductory and General Chemistry. Topics/concepts addressed include stoichiometry, limiting reactants, percent yield, empirical formulas, isotopes, dissociation, and nomenclature. Each participant will receive a set of materials to take away along with lesson files used in the classroom.  

Jonathan Gittins, Delta College 

Brian Aldrich    8:30 – 11:30 

10 

W89:  The POGIL Project Workshop: Climate Change Concepts in General Chemistry  

Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) activities have been used in a large number of general and introductory chemistry courses. While the activities themselves are designed to engage students in the learning process, sometimes the activity content does not engage the students. We have written a set of classroom POGIL activities that use climate change concepts to teach fundamental chemistry content. Another unique aspect of these activities is the incorporation of socioscientific models and questions, which are designed to encourage data-driven discussions of non-scientific content. Participants in this workshop will

Daniel King, Drexel Univ. 

Gail Webster, Guilford College 

8:30 – 11:30 

25 

 

 

have the opportunity to work through a sample activity. Time will be spent highlighting the range of chemistry content covered in this set of activities and discussing how these activities might be incorporated into a general chemistry curriculum.  

W97:  The POGIL Project Workshop: Student-Centered Learning in the Chemistry Laboratory: The Science Writing Heuristic Approach  

In this session, participants will explore an active learning strategy known as the Science Writing Heuristic. Features of SWH including beginning questions, procedures and results, and claims and evidence will be demonstrated through a lab simulation experience. After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) articulate the components of an SWH laboratory experiment, (2) describe methods for soliciting and facilitating the generation of beginning questions, (3) show students how to derive evidence-based claims that are drawn from the actual data collected in lab, (4) articulate the structure of the SWH laboratory experience and contrast it with the laboratory report format.  

Steve Gravelle  Brandon Fetterly, Univ. of Wisconsin ‐ Richland  

8:30 – 11:30 

25 

W99:  The VisChem Approach - Visualizing the Molecular World for a Deep Understanding of Chemistry  

Learning science involves explaining observable phenomena, such as stickiness, magnetism, and heat transfer, through imagination and modelling of the causal invisible phenomena – molecular interactions, force fields, and energy changes. Visualisation of such imperceptible phenomena is the key to making meaning from the abstract scientific shorthand and language that too often alienate novices. Only when they have useful visual mental models of these invisible worlds can novices appreciate the enormous power of mathematics to generalise from the specific. In this session you will participate as a ‘novice’ learning about redox chemistry using the VisChem Approach (VisChem.com.au) – a specific learning design using VisChem animations and Odyssey simulation software – and see how both animations and simulations are required to visualize structures and processes at this level satisfactorily. The focus will be on the challenge of directing your attention to specific features in these visualizations, without cognitive overload.  

Roy Tasker, Purdue Univ. 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

W103:  Using "At Home Labs" for an online chemistry course.  

This is a workshop to introduce attendees to the idea of utilizing at home labs for an online chemistry course. This is literally, a "hands on" activity in which you will have the chance to perform all or part of some of the experiments from our completely online Allied Health Chemistry courses. The labs are small scale and safe to perform and we will provide goggles and all materials. We will have lab stations for you to work collaboratively or alone. The experiments include measurement of densities, titration,

Kathy Carrigan, Portland Community College 

Kenneth Friedrich 

8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

molecular modeling for chirality and synthesizing esters. In addition, we plan to show you how we manage the lab reports and ensure the integrity of student work. Appropriate lab attire is required.  

W106:  Using Technology to Facilitate Students' Understanding of the Structure and Properties of Matter  

To progress in their understanding of complicated and often abstract chemistry concepts, students’ foundational knowledge of the structure and properties of matter is expected to increase in complexity. Physics-based, interactive, 3D atomic and molecular models on laptops/Chromebooks and iPads provide an array of visual and engaging teaching tools that help facilitate this growth in understanding -- they provide a way of seeing the otherwise unseeable. Starting with the structure and properties of solids, liquids and gases and progressing through the atomic composition of simple molecules, their properties and how they interact, to atomic structure and the arrangement of the periodic table, and advancing through chemical reactions and large molecule topics like protein secondary structures, we will explore ways of using models (and supporting inquiry-based curriculum and experiments) to help students smoothly build their knowledge of matter. We will demonstrate how when students can combine computer-generated models with physical lab experiments, they more readily connect three levels of chemistry: particulate (sub-microscopic), symbolic, and macroscopic.  

David Doherty, Bitwixt Software Systems 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

             Monday, 8/1 Afternoon Workshops         W8:  American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) Member Benefits  

Have you ever wondered about where to find all the benefits of being a member of the American Association of Chemistry teachers on the AACT website? Join us for a virtual tour of the AACT website as we walk you through the different sections of the site, including the classroom resource library (lessons, labs, demonstrations, projects), professional learning (webinars, conferences, workshops, grants), multimedia resources (videos, animations) and the periodical. We will also talk about how teachers can get involved in AACT through publishing articles, writing blogposts, and developing classroom resources. This presentation will be particularly valuable to teachers considering membership, as well as current members who haven't had the time to discover everything available to them.  

Jenn Parsons, Amer. Chem. Soc. 

  1:30 – 3:00 

 

W9:  Before, During and After Class

This workshop will introduce participants to using new Gelder Abraham Greenbowe (GAG) computer simulations and guided-inquiry activities for general chemistry courses for science and engineering majors and AP or

John Gelder, Oklahoma State Univ. 

Thomas J. Greenbowe, Univ. of 

1:30 – 4:30 

 

 

 

Learning Cycle Activities  

IB Chemistry. Computer simulations for stoichiometry, calorimetry, kinetic molecular theory, and electrolysis will be available for participants to work through. Also available will be, before class (BCE), during class (DCI), and after class (ACA) activities that incorporate the three stage learning cycle: exploration, concept invention, application. Participants will have the opportunity to see how using computer simulations in conjunction with guided-inquiry activities can serve as POGIL activities, replace a fraction of end-of-chapter homework problems, serve as make-up laboratory experiments, and serve as web-based exercises. Come experience the combined efforts of three chemistry educators and learn about the GAG project.  

Oregon, and  Michael R. Abraham , Univ. of Oklahoma 

W18:  cCWCS-sponsored workshop on the use of iPads in teaching college chemistry  

The purpose of this workshop is to equip chemical educators with practical activities and some logistical training to incorporate iPads into their chemistry curriculum. The advent of touchscreen technology has altered the way in which we interact with information. As our students regularly use this technology in smart phones and other devices, it is a logical progression that faculty also adapt pedagogy to include this advanced technology in the classroom. Using available iPad applications, we have designed and implemented structured activities in our first semester general chemistry classes for science majors and organic chemistry. These activities introduced, reinforced, or practiced standard topics such as nomenclature, stoichiometry, reaction mechanisms, and named reactions. During this workshop, participants will gain hands on experience using the iPads, gain familiarity with the general chemistry modules, learn about logistics related to implementation, and develop new activities for the future.  

George Shelton, Texas A & M San Antonio 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

W30:  Designing a Distance Learning chemistry lab curriculum using Carolina Investigations  

Help your online students learn the same critical science process skills as your classroom students. Carolina has transformed the hands-on labs you have used for years into distance learning labs that are reliable, safe, and affordable. Experience for yourself, during this hands-on workshop, how your students will easily learn the necessary lab skills and reinforce key concepts using Carolina Distance Learning kits.  

Ashley Faucette, Carolina Biological Supply 

  1:30 – 4:30 

2 

W40:  Explore Vernier Sensors and

Learn how to use Chromebooks with Vernier technology in this workshop featuring experiments from Vernier chemistry lab books. Compare data-collection options with Vernier sensors using the Chromebook's USB port

Melissa Hill, Vernier 

  3:45‐4:30 

 

 

 

Technology for Chromebook  

or a wifi connection. Engage and teach students about data collection and analysis using the Graphical Analysis app for Chromebooks. Appropriate for high school and college.  

Software and Tech. 

W41:  Explore Vernier Wireless Sensors and Technology for Tablets  

In this workshop, experience Graphical Analysis on iPad and Android tablets for hands-on, collaborative science with Vernier sensors and data sharing technology. Visualize scientific concepts wirelessly with Go Wireless Temp, Go Wireless pH, and Vernier wireless interfaces to connect one of our many existing sensors with a compatible Bluetooth Smart Ready mobile device. Appropriate for high school and college.  

Elaine Nam, Vernier Software and Tech. 

  1:30‐2:15 

 

W42:  Exploring Vernier Instrumentation in the Chemistry Laboratory  

This workshop will provide training on Vernier instrumentation available for chemistry featuring our popular handheld data-collection device, LabQuest 2 and Logger Pro computer software. Chemistry instructors can rotate through stations to explore instruments including our new Flash Photolysis Spectrometer, UV-VIS Spectrophotometer, SpectroVis Plus VIS-NIR Spectrophotometer with fluorescence capabilities, Mini GC Plus Gas Chromatograph, Melt Station, and Chemical Polarimeter. Appropriate for college.  

Melissa Hill, Vernier Software and Tech. 

  2:15 – 3:45 

 

W51:  Incorporating Science and Engineering Practices into your Laboratory Activities  

The growth of STEM-related lessons and the Science and Engineering Practices (SEP) performance expectations in the NGSS have many teachers wondering how to update their laboratory activities to include these new requirements. It’s easier than you might think and making small modifications to your labs can help develop and refine your student’s inquiry and problem-solving skills. Join two former high school chemistry teachers who are now part of the AACT staff as they show you how to modify a common lab from the AACT website by changing the traditional instructions (such as pre-lab, procedure, and observations) to SEP-associated guides (asking questions, making predictions, gathering evidence.  

Nicolle DiPasquale, Amer. Chem. Soc. 

  1:30 – 3:00 

 

W53:  Infusing the Science of Learning into Your Chemistry Classroom: Evidence-Based

Much research suggests that certain instructional strategies are particularly effective at promoting student learning and attitudes towards science. Yet, incorporating the latest evidence-based instructional practices into an existing lecture-focused classroom can be difficult. In this workshop, participants will discuss several research-based, active-learning instructional strategies that can be easily added to any chemistry course. These strategies build directly on the cognitive principles presented in the

Sam Pazicni, Univ. of New Hampshire 

Marilyne Stains, Univ. of Nebraska ‐ Lincoln 

1:30 – 4:30 

 

 

 

Instructional Practice  

associated morning workshop. The specific techniques of Peer Instruction, Predict-Observe-Explain (also known as interactive lecture demonstrations), and Jigsaw will be emphasized. Workshop participants will learn about the evidence supporting these strategies, will experience them from a student’s perspective, and will be guided in the development of personalized materials ready for implementation in their own classrooms. We strongly encourage participants not already familiar with cognitive principles such as testing effects, self-explanation, expertise reversal, distributed practice, and illusions of competence to attend our preceding "Cognitive Principles" workshop.  

W63:  Juice from Juice  

The Juice from Juice workshop is for teachers wishing to address renewable energy concepts in their classroom using a hands-on STEM activity to engage their students. This program was developed by researchers at the Center for Chemical Innovation in Solar Fuels (CCI Solar) who wanted to bring their research to the public. Currently CCI Solar successfully hosts workshops at Caltech for local teachers to learn the activities and bring the lessons back to their classroom. We hope to expand the reach of this innovative program by hosting a workshop at the BCCE conference. We will teach teachers how to make dyesensitized solar cells using basic lab materials and blackberries. We will start with an overview presentation of the science behind the experiment, and then move on to a hands-on activity where everyone can make their own DSSC. Every teacher will walk away with a lesson plan for the activity.  

Michelle DeBoever, California Institute of Tech. 

Jenny Schuttlefield‐Christus, Univ. of Wisconsin ‐ Oshkosh 

1:30 – 4:30 

 

W68:  Managing Discourse in the Chemistry Modeling Classroom  

In the Chemistry Modeling classroom, students are confronted with experimental evidence and asked to seek explanations for their observations using particle level models. This is followed by the exchange of their views in a whole class discussion where students analyze, synthesize, present, and defend their thoughts under the teacher’s guidance. Discourse culminates in class consensus and the development of an appropriate chemical model. Managing discourse is at the heart of a student-centered, inquiry-based classroom. During the workshop, teachers will have the opportunity to participate in both student and teacher roles. The role-play will be followed by discussion and presentation of strategies on how to implement this approach in their classrooms.  

Carlos Montero, NSU University School 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

W88:   There is no single way to implement POGIL -- each time there are unique characteristics that can influence how particular goals are achieved.

Jamie Schneider, 

Charity Lovitt, Univ. of 

1:30 – 4:30 

25 

 

 

The POGIL Project Workshop: Classroom Facilitation  

Facilitating a POGIL classroom effectively involves more than student groups and collaborative activities; it requires careful planning and effective classroom management through reflective facilitation techniques. This workshop is designed to provide participants with an introduction to facilitating POGIL activities. Through this experience, participants will reflect on how facilitation can enhance or interfere with student learning, as well as how facilitation strategies can be critical in the development of student process skills. After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) name different components of classroom facilitation, (2) explain how the actions of the instructor can promote or inhibit development of student process skills, and (3) propose facilitation strategies for classroom use.  

Univ. of Wisconsin at River Falls 

Washington, Bothell 

W98:  The POGIL Project Workshop: Writing POGIL Activities - An Introduction  

This session is an introduction to the essential characteristics and structure of high-quality POGIL activities. Participants will also examine the value of developing content and process objectives for POGIL activities, and create a draft or outline of an activity based on these learning objectives. After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) identify the basic components of a POGIL activity, such as a model and critical thinking questions, (2) classify questions in an activity according to the following types: directed, convergent, or divergent, (3) classify questions in a learning cycle activity according to the following types: exploration, concept invention/term introduction, or application, (4) use both the Learning Cycle and question types to critically analyze activity structure and guide construction of quality POGIL activities, and (5) write, or begin to write, a POGIL activity focused on specific learning objectives.  

Colleen Conway 

Tracey Murray   

1:30 – 4:30 

25 

             Tuesday, 8/2, Morning Workshops, 8:30 – 11:30         W7:  Advancing Scientific Literacy with Inquiry Lesson Plans Using ChemMatters magazine  

Science teachers are being asked to incorporate additional and rigorous reading and writing tasks into their lessons to support literacy in the science classroom. One way of weaving instruction in reading, writing and speaking into chemistry content is using challenging, grade-level appropriate magazine articles that examine the exciting science behind everyday life. In this workshop, we will explore strategies to improve students’ understanding of scientific concepts through reading and conducting their own investigations. We will use some of the most highly ranked ChemMatters articles to share our experience regarding the development and implementation of inquiry lesson plans in the classrooms. In the second part of the workshop participants will engage in building their

Marta Gmurczyk, Amer. Chem. Soc. 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

own lesson plans designed to teach high-level literacy skills and promote critical and analytical thinking. After the workshop the lesson plans will be refined, formatted and posted on the ACS website for use in the classrooms.  

W19:  CheapeR, PrettieR, and ShaReable: Introduction to R for Chemistry Education  

R is an open-source programming language for data analysis ranging from t-tests and ANOVAs to complex multivariate techniques. R has many benefits over traditional software: R is free, R creates beautiful customizable graphics, and R code can be saved and shared to create well-documented reproducible analyses. However, the command line interface for R can be daunting. RStudio lowers the activation energy to use R.  

Thomas Pentecost, Grand Valley State Univ. 

Regis Komperda   

8:30 – 11:30 

10 

W21:  Chemical principles visualized: Demonstrations and hands-on activities  

Videos and animations, while helpful in visualizing chemical principles, do not stimulate students as much as live demonstrations and hands-on in–lecture-room activities. Chemistry classes should include some active participation and should not be “chalk talks”. Demonstrations/activities can be as simple as passing element samples around the lecture hall, but should not be too complex. Active demonstrations should be easy to set-up, safe, and should focus on specific chemical principles. This presentation will use demonstrations and hands-on activities that can be used in classes for visualizing chemical phenomena including density effects, intermolecular forces such as dispersion forces, dipole-induced dipole, ion-induced dipole, hydrogen bonding, and salting effects.  

David A. Katz    8:30 – 11:30 

2 

W34:  Developing assessments that measure three-dimensional learning  

The 2012 National Research Council report, A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, introduced the idea of three-dimensional learning as a guide to help students develop a robust understanding of science. Three-dimensional learning helps instructors to define what they want students to learn (core ideas), what they want students to do with their knowledge (scientific practices), and how students should connect their knowledge in one scientific discipline to another (crosscutting concepts). For this workshop, participants will engage in groups to redesign and develop both open-ended and multiple-choice assessment items using the criteria we have developed as part of the Three-Dimensional Learning Assessment Protocol (3D-LAP). Throughout the session, facilitators will assist participants by answering questions about the protocol and providing guidance for item development. Participants will leave with a copy of the

Sonia Underwood, Florida International Univ. 

Melanie M Cooper, Lynmarie Posey, Justin Carmel, Mike Hands, Michigan State Univ. 

8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

3D-LAP and a working knowledge of how to apply it to modify existing assessment items and build new ones.  

W44:  Getting the most out of molecular-level visualization and simulation in the General Chemistry curriculum  

Relating the macroscopic and symbolic levels of chemistry to molecular phenomena is notoriously difficult for learners. Three-dimensional visualization at the molecular level is a powerful tool to help students along―abstract concepts come to life and an intuitive feel for the molecular world is developed. Attendees of this workshop will learn how to use Odyssey Molecular Explorer to set up demonstrations and student labs that can aid at crucial points of the standard General Chemistry sequence. Active participation on laptops (Windows or OS X) is strongly encouraged. About a dozen laptops will be available for instructors who are unable to bring a computer.  

Jurgen Schnitker 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

W81:  Safety First: Evaluating Online Sources and Practicing Demos (Part 1)  

YouTube seems to have become the go-to source for chemistry teachers to find demonstrations and laboratory experiments for their classrooms. Unfortunately, most of the videos that they find do not follow the safety guidelines and laboratory techniques that we teach to our students. Additionally, they rarely include chemical safety instructions. Join us as we watch videos of popular experiments and demonstrations and analyze them to see if they follow accepted safety guidelines and utilize proper laboratory techniques. This workshop will be an interactive mixture of videos, lecture and discussion in a classroom setting. Part 2 of this workshop will be a hands-on lab practicum that allows teachers of chemistry to perform common demonstrations and experiments safely and correctly in a wet lab.  

Kimberly Duncan, Amer. Chem. Soc. 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

W92:  The POGIL Project Workshop: Improving Student Process Skills  

In this session, intermediate and advanced POGIL classroom facilitators will have an opportunity to experience and consider effective tools for improving students' process skills. Time will be provided for participants to share their own best practices. After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) identify methods to raise students' buy-in for the use of process skills, (2) implement strategies to teach students to use process skills, and (3) enable students to reflect on their group's use of process skills.  

Renee Cole, Univ. of Iowa 

Urik Halliday    8:30 – 11:30 

25 

             Tuesday, 8/2, Afternoon Workshops, 1:30 – 4:30         

 

 

W5:  Advanced Microchemistry  

Microscale chemistry techniques are associated with hands-on experience for students starting chemistry or learning the subject in schools with no laboratory facilities. This Anglo-American collaboration, arising out of a similar workshop at the BCCE2014 meeting, extends the use to higher education for labs and making lectures become more alive. Delegates will prepare and investigate propene, show paramagnetism in transition metals compounds and carry out redox and complexometric micro-titrations. Demonstrations will include the iodine monochloride/iodine trichloride equilibrium system and a thermite reaction. There are sound pedagogic reasons for using microscale techniques as it reduces load on the short-term working memory and allows teachers to concentrate on the fundamental issues invoking models to explain the interesting phenomena on view. By using webcams and USB microscopes, lecturers and students can make videos for “flipping” and revision or project stunning images onto a large screen. Information can be found on www.microchemuk.weebly.com.  

Bob Worley, Brunel Univ. UK 

Diane Beecroft, Central Arizona College 

1:30 – 4:30 

2 

W10:  Beyond Getting the Right Answer and Data Tables  

The ability to “engage in argument from evidence” is one of the eight practices identified in Next Generation Science Standards and an emerging focus of undergraduate laboratory curricula. Guiding students to make evidence based claims that invoke argumentation is more than collecting data and answering a question. The type of data provided, methods for collecting data, and the question must all be carefully considered, not only to produce meaningful argumentation, but also to overcome societal barriers. This workshop focuses on how to adapt laboratory investigations and classroom activities to promote student production of evidence based claims and group argumentation using two recognized pedagogical models, Argument-Driven Inquiry and the Science Writing Heuristic. Participants will bring an experiment or activity to transform to foster argumentation. The workshop leaders have extensive experience with laboratory transformation and professional development using argumentation in the laboratory and the classroom.  

Joi Walker, East Carolina Univ. 

Dawn Del Carlo, Mary van Opstal, Univ. of Northern Iowa  

1:30 – 4:30 

 

W13:  Building Activities consistent with ChemSource, NGSS, and the Particle Nature of Matter

Although NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) have become an important tool to guide K-12 science instruction there are few materials available for classroom use. The National Academy of Sciences recommends adapting existing materials rather than creating completely new curricula. In this workshop participants will identify, adapt, and develop classroom-ready lesson plans allied with the NGSS. They will select the basic material from the SourceBook module, Thermochemistry (THER),

Mary Virginia Orna, College of New Rochelle 

Patricia Smith   

1:30 – 4:30 

20 

 

 

  and utilize NGSS performance expectations which blend ideas from Science and Engineering Practices (Inquiry), Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts. The focus will be on using the particle nature of matter to construct models to explain chemical reactions and the associated energy changes. The participants will learn to determine what they must add or omit to an existing activity to make it consistent with NGSS. Participants will leave with an instrument and materials to evaluate and adapt currently existing chemistry educational activities.  

W26:  Conceptual Academy and the Pyramid Exam Format  

Conceptual Academy is an online platform hosting hundreds of video tutorials for students within introductory and liberal arts chemistry and physics courses. Instructors using Conceptual Academy can have these tutorials organized by the calendar dates of the class syllabus. Students are held to the task of studying prior to class through automated, low stakes video check and reading check quizzes. With students coming to class having already been introduced to the main concepts, the instructor has greater freedom to explore various in-class student-centered learning activities. Through this workshop, attendees will be introduced to the Conceptual Academy platform and provided instructors accounts. Attendees will then participate in one of the more popular student-centered learning activities, which is the team-based “pyramid” exam. For students, this exam format is as much of a learning experience as it is a means of assessment. Participants should bring a copy of their most recent syllabus.  

John Suchocki, St. Michael’s College 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

W31:  Designing Activities and Assessing the Scientific Practices in the Laboratory Environment  

The National Research Council’s A Framework for K-12 Science Education pushes for incorporation of scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas into all levels of learning with the goal of creating a robust science education experience for students. However, incorporating the three dimensions of the framework into traditional learning activities requires us to rethink both our approach to design of activities but also how to design assessments that capture whether students are able to use these new approaches to learning. In this workshop, our discussion will focus on the scientific practices and how they can be developed and assessed in the laboratory environment. Participants will use tools designed to help modify and/or create laboratory experiences focused on the scientific practices. During the workshop participants will redesign a laboratory activity of their choice, and develop assessment activities that will provide information about how students are using science practices.

Justin Carmel, Michigan State Univ. 

Melanie Cooper, Michigan State Univ.  

1:30 – 4:30 

 

 

 

 W33:  Developing a Model of Equilibrium Processes  

Stability and change is a cross-cutting concept common to all disciplines in science. In chemistry this concept is expressed in the equilibrium conditions for both physical and chemical changes. Yet students often have a poor understanding of equilibrium and how systems reach this condition. In this workshop a particle model of the equilibrium process is developed using a simple game that can be applied to various systems, making the equilibrium state, competing rates, and standard rate graphs more meaningful to students.  

Larry Dukerich, AMTA 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

W76:  Open-source teaching materials: Tailoring the text and other teaching materials to meet the needs of your classroom  

Open source materials provide an instructor with the opportunity to have more control over the texts required for their course by allowing them to fit the textbook to their course rather than being forced to make the course fit the textbook. These materials also provide instructors with a method to lower the cost of textbooks for their students. This workshop will give participants the opportunity to learn more about what open source materials are all about. The first part of the workshop will be a discussion of open source materials including the following questions: What does open source mean exactly? What types of open source materials are available? How can we be confident in the quality of open source materials (are they peer reviewed)? How will students access these materials? In the second portion of the workshop, instructors will work to investigate and integrate open-source content into their own curriculum.  

Kelly Neiles, St. Mary’s College of MD 

  1:30 – 4:30 

5 

W82:  Safety First: Evaluating Online Sources and Practicing Demos (Part 2)  

YouTube seems to have become the go-to source for chemistry teachers to find demonstrations and laboratory experiments for their classrooms. In Part 1 of this workshop we analyzed popular videos and evaluated their compliance with accepted safety guidelines and laboratory techniques. This part of the workshop will be a hands-on lab practicum that allows teachers of chemistry to perform common demonstrations and experiments safely and correctly in a wet lab.  

Kimberly Duncan, Amer. Chem. Soc. 

  1:30 – 4:30 

2 

W83:  Scale interventions for lecture and laboratory  

According the AAAS and the NRC, an important component of a student’s science literacy is scale and concepts relating to scale. Scale, or the skills related to understanding quantity within chemistry concepts, has long been an area of interest within our research. Our focus is not just on strengthening the arguments for why scale should be included in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum, but on developing scale themed interventions to aid in teaching students these important skills. We have

Jaclyn Trate, Univ. of Wisconsin ‐ Milwaukee 

Kristen Murphy, Univ. of Wisconsin ‐ Milwaukee 

8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

created an extensive suite of scale-themed instructional materials that can easily be incorporated into any general chemistry course. At this workshop, we will present the continuing results of our experiments on scale, share how we measure the scale ability of our students, introduce and describe several of the activities we have incorporated into our curriculum, and provide resources for educators who wish to incorporate our activities into their own courses.  

W93:  The POGIL Project Workshop: Introduction to POGIL  

This session is designed for those with limited or no previous exposure to POGIL. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in POGIL activities, observe facilitation strategies firsthand, learn about POGIL classroom implementation, and discuss common barriers to implementation. After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) name essential elements of POGIL pedagogy and philosophy, (2) list student learning outcomes supported in a POGIL classroom, and (3) create plans to begin implementation of POGIL in their own classrooms.  

Marty Perry, Ouachita Baptist Univ. 

David Parkin    1:30 – 4:30 

25 

             Wednesday, 8/3, Morning Workshops, 8:30 – 11:30         W11:  Beyond the Octet Rule: Developing an Explanatory Model of Bonding and Periodicity  

The arrangement of electrons in the atom is central to understanding bonding and periodic trends in properties. Modeling Instruction offers a unique analogous model of how electrons populate energy levels in the atom based on an analysis of successive ionization energies. This model allows students to explain chemical valence, bonding and periodic behavior. This model is more robust than the usual energy level rings, yet is conceptually more concrete than a quantum orbital model. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop with Excel (or other compatible program).  

Brenda Royce, Univ. High School, Fresno, CA 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

W16:  cCWCS Miniworkshop: Food Chemistry  

Exploring Chemistry through Food makes science fun and approachable to a student while providing an endless array of everyday examples to teach chemical concepts to Chemistry majors and non-majors alike. This mini-workshop will provide the participants with hands-on activities, demonstrations, discovery-based lessons, and small experiments that will focus on chemical transformations using food. Basic chemical concepts such as pH, color, nature of heat & energy will be explored in addition to cutting-edge molecular gastronomy techniques that will excite faculty and students alike. Participants will take home materials they can plug into various courses and labs.  

Sunil Malapati, Clarke Univ. 

Elizabeth Pollock  

8:30 – 11:30 

17 

 

 

W36:  Developing Meritorious Proposals to Advance Undergraduate Chemistry Education  

Join program officers from the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) of the National Science Foundation for an interactive workshop on developing meritorious proposals to advance undergraduate chemistry education. The workshop will begin with a brief overview of NSF funding opportunities in DUE, the merit review criteria and process, and resources and tips for writing strong proposals. This will be followed by discussions of community priorities for the future of undergraduate chemistry education, in which participants will share their ideas about emerging topics and opportunities they see in their own classrooms and institutions. We need a variety of perspectives on this topic and we encourage chemistry educators from all types of institutions and career points to participate. We will conclude with small group discussions of ideas for NSF DUE proposals. Each participant will be expected to bring a one-page description of a potential project that describes its goals, how it addresses the NSF merit review criteria of intellectual merit and broader impacts, and how its success will be assessed. Participants will work together to improve their ideas and identify appropriate NSF programs, taking into consideration the earlier presentations and discussions. Program officers will provide additional input and guidance.  

Tom Higgins, National Science Foundation 

Dawn Rickey  8:30 – 11:30 

 

W46:  Getting the Most out of your Assessment: Analysis of Test Data  

One of the important facets of assessment culture is quality items. But what constitutes quality of items and how it can be measured? The purpose of this workshop is to familiarize participants with free and open source software for psychometric analysis of test data. The workshop will cover using a blueprint for test development, classical test theory analysis, the Rasch analysis, and item response curves. During the workshop, participants will get hands-on experience by working with several datasets. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own datasets and work on them in the remaining time. At the end of the workshop, participants will be proficient in using free software to analyze test data and draw meaningful conclusions from data.  

Alex Leontyev, Adams State Univ. 

Steven Pulos, Univ. of Northern Colorado  

8:30 – 11:30 

 

W54:  Inquiry-based activities for general chemistry I- Solubility  

All general chemistry courses teach about solubility but students often have misconceptions about why some substances are soluble and some not. The purpose of this workshop is to provide several inquiry-based activities for teachers of first year college chemistry and advanced high school chemistry to help students explore the factors affecting solubility and avoid misconceptions about the role of energy. The activities introduce energy changes in molecular and ionic dissolution in water, emphasizing that compounds can dissolve exothermically or

Laura Eisen, George Washington Univ. 

Samantha Glazier, Nadia Marano, Jennifer Schmeisser, St. Lawrence Univ. 

8:30 – 11:30 

10 

 

 

endothermically. We qualitatively introduce the idea of entropy (molecular reorganization) as an important contributor to whether or not a compound can dissolve. Next, we use mixtures of different salts to determine which ionic compounds are insoluble and develop a simple solubility rule bases on ionic charges. We use data of lattice and hydration energies to quantify energy changes in the solution process to begin discussion of the physical basis for simple solubility rules. Finally, we look at the physical bases of exceptions to simple solubility rules. Time permitting, we explore applications of these ideas to topics such as vitamins, barium X-rays and protein folding. The workshop will model inquiry-based learning by having participants complete the activities and then discuss them.  

W59:  Introduction to ChemSource, NGSS, and the Particle Nature of Matter  

In this session participants will become familiar with the ChemSource component SourceBook, an online (www.thenewchemsource.org) and disk resource for chemistry teachers which includes laboratory activities, demonstrations, discussion questions, particle nature of matter explanations, and many other curriculum related materials. Examination of the Simple Chemical Reactions Module will serve as an example. In addition NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) will be examined. Participants will learn about Performance Expectations which incorporate three dimensions: Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts. Performance Expectations provide clear guidance for curriculum, assessment, and instruction. Vertical integration of concepts from kindergarten to high school graduation provides educators with knowledge of expected student competencies at each level. A background in these two resources prepares participants to select and modify existing materials appropriate for instruction.  

Mary Virginia Orna, College of New Rochelle 

Patricia Smith   

8:30 – 11:30 

20 

W66:  Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs): Periodic Properties and Solid State Lighting  

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are energy efficient, small, fast, range from the infrared to the ultraviolet and are now the most cost effective lighting source. Solid solution LEDs are also the best ever laboratory experiment on chemical periodicity! This interactive workshop will explore the recent advances in the science behind these lights and how to incorporate this technology into chemistry courses. The workshop fee covers take home demonstrations you will assemble during the workshop.  

George Lisensky, Beloit College 

Emma Koenig, Beloit College 

8:30 – 11:30 

30 

W100:  Thematic Program using the

In this workshop, we will share examples and demonstrate how the ChemConnections Activity Workbook can infuse your general chemistry curriculum with thematic programing. Composed of 59 classroom-tested

Kevin L Braun, Beloit College 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

ChemConnections Activity Workbook  

activities and laboratories, the ChemConnections Activity Workbook provides instructors a flexible platform to address a broad range of societal and environmental themes. The activities are designed with attention to student learning styles and pedagogy, allowing instructors to engage students through a range of activity types including data analysis, laboratory, guided inquiry, and discovery. Through thematic programing, instructors can reinforce content and allow students to directly see how chemistry relates to their everyday life. Participants will partake in hands-on actives and be presented with a range of examples on topics such as climate change, the food versus fuel debate, conservation & lighting technology, and nutrition. Undergraduate and high school chemistry instructors interested in infusing their curriculum with engaging themes or student-centered pedagogy are encouraged to attend.  

W105:  Using PhET Interactive Simulations in Sequence: Coupling Simulation Activities to Support Learning of Atomic Structure, Molecule Polarity, and Acid-Base Solutions  

The PhET Interactive Simulations project (http://phet.colorado.edu/) has developed over 30 free interactive chemistry simulations which support student learning through exploration and experimentation. These simulations can be used in sequence as part of topical units with a chemistry curriculum. In this workshop, participants will explore the use of PhET simulations to support student learning across three common content sequences: atomic structure, molecule polarity, and acid-base solutions. Existing activities and supporting materials will be used to demonstrate how PhET simulations can support student learning in these content areas through a variety of methodologies, including guided inquiry activities, laboratory experiments, classroom demonstrations, clicker questions, and homework assignments. This workshop is appropriate for those new to PhET, as well as experienced users looking for new ways to incorporate sims into their classroom. This workshop is sponsored by the ACS CHED Committee on Computers in Chemical Education, http://www.ccce.divched.org/.  

Amy Hanson, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder 

Trish Loeblein, Emily B. Moore, Katherine K. Perkins , Robert Parson, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder 

8:30 – 11:30 

 

W109:  Wireless Spectroscopy and Polarimetry for Computers and Tablets  

PASCO scientific has developed wireless instrumentation that will work with the computing devices that you have in your lab. The PASCO Spectrometer was designed for educational use and built around the PASCO Spectroscopy software to connect to computers or tablets. Perform hands-on workshop activities with the PASCO spectrometer to intuitively perform spectroscopy experiments including light source emission studies, determination of the concentration of unknown solutions using Beer’s law, and rates of reactions. PASCO's Polarimeter can also be wirelessly connected to any

Thomas Loschiavo, Pasco Scientific 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

device using SPARKvue software. Explore the rotation of optically active compounds and determine the concentration of sugar solutions in this hands-on workshop activity.  

             Wednesday, 8/3, Afternoon Workshops, 1:30 – 4:30         W4:  Adopting and Adapting the ChemWiki for use in your Curriculum  

The ChemWiki currently benefits over 60 million students per year and is arguably the most visited chemistry website in the world. Central to its success is the construction and adoption of faculty specific and freely accessible "Wikitexts" that substitute for costly conventional textbooks in post-secondary courses. These Wikitexts are assembles by incorporating content from an extensive network of existing chemistry and broader STEM materials. This workshop will serve as a collaborative hands-on development session to introduce faculty to the ChemWiki with “hands-on” demonstrations of current capabilities including 3D visualization, online homework capabilities, student assessment, and numerical data analysis infrastructure. Workshop will construct individualized Wikitexts and will be assisted by ChemWiki development team members. Participants will also be guaranteed five hours of personalized support afterward to facilitate continued adaption and adoption of the ChemWiki into individual classrooms. This workshop is sponsored by the ACS CHED Committee on Computers in Chemical Education.  

Delmar Larsen, Univ. of California at Davis 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

W15:  Candy Chromatography  

In the Candy Chromatography workshop you will extract the dyes from Skittle’s brand of candy and then use paper chromatography to separate the colors in the dyes and compare them to standard FD&C colors. Only a few man-made dyes have been approved for use in food, drugs and cosmetics. These are called the FD&C dyes. Paper chromatography is an important separation technique that depends on differences in how strongly the dyes are absorbed onto the paper (stationary phase) and how soluble the dyes are in the developing solvent (mobile phase). Each participant will receive a lab kit containing all the equipment, FD&C dyes, and chromatography paper to run the lab with a group of 24 students. Copies of the lab experiment write up and student report sheets will also be provided. Materials for an outreach activity suitable for Science Night or Chemistry Club will also be included in the kit.  

Mary Shoemaker, Pennsylvania State Univ. 

Elizabeth Crowe   

1:30 – 4:30 

12 

 

 

W20:  ChemEd X Professional Learning Community  

The Chemical Education Xchange web site (www.ChemEdX.org) is designed to be a collaborative space for high school chemistry teachers and to provide them with high quality resources. We are looking for teachers of all experience levels to take the lead in developing standards based materials to publish on the ChemEd X site. This workshop is designed to provide an overview of the materials already available and develop a community of teachers dedicated to designing materials based upon best practice. Participants should expect to leave with a plan for continued collaborative work with continued support from ChemEd X staff.  

Deanna Cullen, Whitehall School 

Jon Holmes, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison  

1:30 – 4:30 

 

W26:  Conceptual Academy and the Pyramid Exam Format  

Conceptual Academy is an online platform hosting hundreds of video tutorials for students within introductory and liberal arts chemistry and physics courses. Instructors using Conceptual Academy can have these tutorials organized by the calendar dates of the class syllabus. Students are held to the task of studying prior to class through automated, low stakes video check and reading check quizzes. With students coming to class having already been introduced to the main concepts, the instructor has greater freedom to explore various in-class student-centered learning activities. Through this workshop, attendees will be introduced to the Conceptual Academy platform and provided instructors accounts. Attendees will then participate in one of the more popular student-centered learning activities, which is the team-based “pyramid” exam. For students, this exam format is as much of a learning experience as it is a means of assessment. Participants should bring a copy of their most recent syllabus.  

John Suchocki, St. Michael’s College 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

W28:  Data Collection and project based learning with PASCO scientific  

Incorporate Science and Engineering Practices as students develop an understanding of thermochemistry, gases and acids and bases using PASCO’s SPARKvue software and sensors. Explore a variety of sensors and see how easy it is to connect the sensors to the devices that you and your students already have - even phones! Next, use the sensors is some project-based STEM activities. You can perform experiments that integrate core chemistry concepts that will aid in the design, testing and evaluation of student-built airbags. Five attendees will win a FREE sensor!  

Thomas Loschiavo, Pasco Scientific 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

W55:  Inquiry-based activities for general chemistry,

Entropy is one of the more difficult topics covered in general chemistry, and students often have trouble understanding both the concept of entropy and the role that entropy plays in many of the phenomena that are studied in the course. In Part II of this workshop, we continue our exploration of

Laura Eisen, George Washington Univ. 

Samantha Glazier, Nadia Marano, Jennifer 

1:30 – 4:30 

10 

 

 

Part II: Entropy and molecular organization  

solubility by looking more closely at the role of entropy. We begin with a series of activities designed to help students understand the meaning of entropy. We then investigate the role that entropy plays in a variety of phenomena such as phase changes and freezing point depression. Finally, we return to the solubility trends discussed in the earlier workshop, and examine quantitatively the role of entropy in the dissolution of ionic compounds. In order to model the inquiry-based pedagogy, participants will do the activities and then discuss how they might be used in a classroom setting.  

Schmeisser, St. Lawrence Univ.   

W64:  Keep Calm and Chemistry On: Successful Lab Activities for the New Chemistry Teacher  

Looking for lab activities that work every time, not just periodically? Explore easy, engaging, safe chemistry activities that are sure to produce a reaction from your students. Whether you’re new to chemistry or feeling out of your element, you'll learn new ways to create excitement with hands-on labs and demonstrations.  

Ashley Faucette, Carolina Biological Supply 

  1:30 – 4:30 

2 

W65:  Let's Focus on Chemical Thinking  

Praised by the National Research Council for its innovative and student centered approach, Chemical Thinking is a new general chemistry curriculum developed at the University of Arizona that a) presents chemistry as a powerful way of thinking rather than as a static body of knowledge; b) uses essential questions in the discipline to guide the presentation and discussion of relevant content; c) builds student understanding of central ideas through carefully designed learning progressions based on existing research in chemistry education; and d) actively engages students in thinking about relevant issues in our world. The Chemical Thinking curriculum is designed for first year general chemistry students and has the flexibility to be implemented in both high school AP programs as well as honors general chemistry courses. Participants in this workshop will explore the goals, structure, and existing resources (e.g., in-class activities, assessments, textbook, lab projects, interactive simulations) associated with the Chemical Thinking curriculum, and develop an understanding of how effectively implement it in their classes.  

John Pollard, Univ. of Arizona 

Vicente Talanquer, Univ. of Arizona 

1:30 – 4:30 

 

W73:  Meeting New Chemical Safety

The 21st century chemistry laboratory curriculum now includes discovery-based, research style laboratory work in addition to traditional “cookbook” procedures. To ensure a safe working environment in laboratories using

Ralph Stuart, Keene State College 

  1:30 – 4:30 

 

 

 

Expectations in Instructional Laboratories  

this emerging pedagogy, laboratory safety practices must also evolve away from a strict focus on safety rules to learning lab safety through risk assessment and best management practices. Fortunately, guidelines for this transition are outlined in the ACS guidelines for Bachelor’s Degree Programs, as well as the new NFPA 45-2015 standard. To flesh out these ideas, this workshop will discuss the cultural context of lab safety concerns, and then review and provide practice with Job Hazard Analysis and Control Banding tools, as described in the ACS's Identifying and Evaluating Hazards in Research Laboratories document. Finally, we will address how these tools can be used to address the new NFPA requirements for a documented hazard/risk assessment and a safety briefing to students in instructional laboratories. This workshop will be valuable for chemical educators who teach chemistry, present chemical demonstrations, participate in community outreach activities and/or provide oversight for undergraduate class and research laboratories.  

W95:  The POGIL Project Workshop: Introduction to POGIL Labs: Strengthening Process, Inquiry, Reflection, and Application in the Laboratory  

This session will introduce the basic concepts and principles of the POGIL laboratory. Participants will experience a simulated POGIL laboratory experience and examine its components and structure. The criteria for a POGIL laboratory experiment will be introduced and applied to the written description of an experiment. After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) articulate the components of a POGIL laboratory experiment and correlate them with the components of the Learning Cycle, (2) describe several differences between a POGIL laboratory experiment and a traditional laboratory experiment, and (3) determine the extent to which an experiment meets the POGIL laboratory criteria.  

Ashley Mahoney, Bethel Univ. 

Michael Garoutte, Stacey Fiddler, Portland Comm. College  

1:30 – 4:30 

25 

             Thursday, 8/4, Morning Workshops, 8:30 – 11:30         W23:  Chemistry Connections: Inspiring Students with Innovation  

Highlighting industrial examples of sustainable design along with innovative products and processes is one way to engage students and meet the NGSS. Steelcase Inc. is an international office furniture company leading the way with innovative sustainable product development. Beyond Benign, Steelcase Inc., and a group of high school chemistry teachers have teamed up to bring three unique case studies to life for students through curriculum modules. What if we were able to grow our own packaging? How does the surface chemistry of shark scales prevent

Kate Anderson, Beyond Benign 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

bacteria growth? Can we still have vibrant colors and hues without using harmful chemicals in the process? Learn how these cutting edge technologies are serving as tools to capture the imagination of the next generation of problem solvers. Teachers and students alike, delight in the interactive and engaging activities that bring these innovative ideas, designs and applications to life.  

W56:  Inquiry-based Thermochemistry Labs  

This workshop will present four exciting and intriguing Thermochemistry labs: Less than Zero, The Magic of Zenbu, Am I Blue, and The Rocket Lab will be presented by Steve Sogo, winner of the 2013 Frey Scientific Award for Excellence in Inquiry-based Science Education. These labs are accessible to first-year high school students, but provide depth that will challenge AP-level and introductory college students. Participants will be able to sample all four lab ideas or focus on one or two in greater depth. Brief Descriptions of the individual labs to be presented: Less than Zero: Students attempt to optimize an endothermic reaction to achieve a temperature below zero Celcius. Analysis of stoichiometric ratios, specific heats, and reactant concentrations are important variables in the optimization process. The Magic of Zenbu: Mysterious heat appears as a test tube full of liquid freezes solid upon the addition of a "Magic Zenbu" fragment. Students attempt to elucidate the "magic" while deeply pondering the balance of energy within the test tube. Am I Blue: The stoichiometric dehydration of copper sulfate is followed by a thermochemical analysis of the exothermic reaction that occurs upon rehydration of the salt. The Rocket Lab: Students load a soda bottle with a stoichiometric mixture of hydrogen (generated from the reaction of calcium with water) and oxygen (generated from the catalyzed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide). The bottle is then launched (outdoors) using a spark from a home-made aluminum foil igniter.  

Steve Sogo, Laguna Beach High School 

  8:30 – 11:30 

2 

W58:  Interactive Chemistry Learning Exercises from the UK Using Worldwide Research Resources

We have collaborated with several worldwide research organisations to develop interactive learning resources for chemistry. This workshop contains three sections to allow delegates to explore the features and exercises for each of the resources: 1. Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, UK (CCDC) - learning exercises using real 3D crystal structures; 2. Protein Data Bank in Europe, UK (PDBe) - learning resources for basic protein structure and function; 3. WebMO, US - with this user-friendly browser-based interface, perform simple

Peter Hoare, Newcastle Univ. 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

  computational calculations linked to basic chemistry concepts. This hands-on workshop will familiarise you with these free resources that introduce key chemistry concepts. Supervised by a teacher now working in a UK University, with over 20 years experience in high schools, these exercises have wide applicability and are all peer-produced by Nuffield Foundation Research Placement students (yr12 high school) or stage 4 MChem project students in the School of Chemistry at Newcastle University.  

W84:  Sharing pedagogical content knowledge to improve chemistry teaching  

Early career tertiary teachers rarely receive professional development in discipline-specific teaching practices. Instead they rely on a mixture of their own learning experiences, advice or mentoring provided by their colleagues and learning from their own mistakes as they gain teaching experience. This process is in stark contrast to secondary chemistry teacher training, where awareness of how students learn is linked to disciplinary context to help teachers develop their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). In this workshop, participants will be introduced to a consensus model for PCK and then invited to contribute their own chemistry PCK within a structured framework (a modified version of Loughran's CoRe). Teaching strategies for threshold and difficult concepts will be explored, together with ways to support students to progress to a deeper understanding of complex concepts. The discussion will have particular emphasis on the use of digital technologies, along with teaching strategies for large, diverse classes.  

Madeleine Schultz, Queensland Univ. of Tech. 

Gwen Lawrie, Univ. of Queensland, Roy Tasker, Purdue Univ. 

8:30 – 11:30 

 

W96:  The POGIL Project Workshop: POGIL in High School Chemistry Courses  

This session is designed for high school teachers with limited or no previous exposure to POGIL. With a focus on high school classrooms, participants will have the opportunity to engage in POGIL activities, observe facilitation strategies firsthand, learn about POGIL classroom implementation, and discuss common barriers to implementation. After attending this session, participants will be able to: (1) name essential elements of POGIL pedagogy and philosophy, (2) list student learning outcomes supported in a POGIL classroom, and (3) create plans to begin implementation of POGIL in their own classrooms.  

Mary Bartholomew 

Stacy Goldstein   

8:30 – 11:30 

25 

W108:  Who Gives a Darn? Incorporating Real Life Examples into

Many non-major students taking organic chemistry do not see the value in the course because of a perceived lack of relevance to their everyday lives and future careers. To address this, 66 interesting contexts which set the stage for corresponding guided inquiry activities were developed. I have given this problem based learning the title “Who gives a Darn?”

Ehren Bucholtz, St. Louis College of Pharmacy 

  8:30 – 11:30 

 

 

 

your Active Learning Organic Classroom  

This workshop will provide you with an opportunity to explore these contexts to see how they motivate students for the activity, require students to apply prior knowledge, increase their thinking process, and tests their learning through solving the contextual problem. After reviewing several of these contexts with others, the discussion will focus on what makes these "Who gives a Darn?" guided inquiry activities effective. I will share the change in students’ behaviors that I have observed such as increased motivation, interest in understanding key concepts, and ability to solve real application problems.