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Holiday class activities

11/20/2015

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Wow, it’s almost Thanksgiving!  And then just a few weeks before your Winter Holiday Break!  How did it get here so quickly?
 
For inexpensive chemistry labs to expand your repertoire, buy my lab book
Chemistry on a Budget for $21 at amazon.com or $23 at lulu.com.
 

http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Budget-Marjorie-R-Heesemann/dp/0578129159/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389410170&sr=1-1&keywords=chemistry+on+a+budget

http://www.lulu.com/shop/marjorie-r-heesemann/chemistry-on-a-budget/paperback/product-21217600.html
 
There are two versions of each lab, one with a ten-question conclusion and one with directions for a full lab report.  This way the teacher has the option!  Each lab is two pages to allow for one two-sided handout. 
 

It will take a week or so to get to you, so Order Now!
 
*Some of you have purchased my lab book – be sure to check out Page 141 !
 
The days before the Thanksgiving Break are exciting and challenging.  Some students will be absent because their family is travelling for the holiday.  Also, the last day your school meets (1 or 2 days before Thanksgiving), there may be a shortened class day.
 
So what to do with that shortened class with fewer students?  Giving a test or quiz might be tempting, but you will end up with many students making it up – this is more work for the teacher.  Is it worth it?
 
You could pass back classwork and conduct “class business” but you would still have to catch up the absentees.
 
You could show a video --  I just don’t recommend covering any new material, only reviewing previous topics or providing extracurricular information.
 

Your students will be excited about the upcoming vacation, so some sort of activity where they can work with each other and talk freely will make that class session more enjoyable for your students and for you!
 
ChemMatters is a magazine published by the American Chemical Society (ACS) that contains articles, activities, and puzzles geared for the high school chemistry student.
 
Here’s one link to articles that could be printed and photocopied for your class:

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/articles-by-topic.html
 
There also some online videos associated with articles if you can project the Internet in your classroom.  They range from 3 to 9 minutes.

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/videos.html
 
There are puzzles at this link as well (searching at the site will be easiest to locate them) – there are several and at various levels – check out the link and see what would work for your class.
 
Here are a few --


1. ​This link has 4 puzzles:

http://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/outreach/materials-puzzle.pdf?_ga=1.37984742.419171230.1448030495
​

2. Pages 4, 8 and 11 have puzzles:
http://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/outreach/2009-ncw-fall-edition-chemistry-its-elemental.pdf?_ga=1.243028423.419171230.1448030495 

3. ​Here is a non-ACS link to a more difficult crossword puzzle.  There’s a link at the bottom of the page where you can get the answers.

http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/Data/best/chemistry/chemistry.02.html 

*4. ​This is another non-ACS link to several Chemistry Word Search and Crossword puzzles:

http://www.whenwewordsearch.com/word_search_puzzles/chemistry/95/word_searches.jsp 
 

You could use a Crossword Puzzle for questions, and split your class in half (or 4 teams) and have a Chemistry Quiz Competition. 
 
Students would enjoy the competition and speaking freely to their group while they work on the answers.  Also, you wouldn’t have to photocopy the puzzle if your paper budget is limited.
 
You don’t have to give out prizes, but if you are so inclined you could get fun pencils at your local dollar or grocery store.  High school students may act sophisticated and not get excited about anything, but they’re still kids and love getting prizes!
 
This Blog contains several entries that would be helpful to your chemistry classroom.  Remember, you can check out the Topic List to help you to find past Blog entries.

The lab book
Chemistry on a Budget is very useful to your Chemistry classroom with labs and class article ideas.
Order Soon! 

Also, 
Write To Me about your successes, challenges, or questions in the Chemistry Classroom.
 

Have a great Thanksgiving break!
​
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    Marjorie R. Heesemann is a chemistry teacher with 15 years of experience who is now working to develop resources for the Chemistry classroom.

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