Days 49-65: Precipitation, ReDox, Thermodynamics, etc.

Given a myriad of extremely good, yet very time consuming things going on in my life this month (expecting twin boys, moving, etc.) I did what I told myself I WOULD NOT DO: I slipped on posting a classroom update to this blog each day. In lieu of accessing my slightly perfectionist side by visiting my lesson plan journal and posting 16 separate updates, I thought a simple reflection with a few pictures would do.

Upon conclusion of the acid-base equilibrium unit, I moved directly into solubility equilibrium for the first time. This led into ReDox chemistry with an emphasis on Galvanic Cells, then into an analysis of the chemistry of chargeable vs. rechargeable batteries. Salt-Bridge analysis in various batteries opened up space for us to re-visit precipitation in the context of anode/cathode solution reactions with salt bridge ions.

ReDox led to combustion reactions and calorimetry which fed nicely into Thermodynamics. Outside of the classroom, I took our STEM scholars to Autodesk for a field trip to look their "Imagine-Design-Create" ethos and help students gain a more thorough understanding of the 3D printer we recently acquired from a generous donor. The below pictures are just a few examples of the past 16 days of class and life at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Apologies for the lag-time.

Day 48: Buffers

Introduced buffers today but so excited with the thought of next week's lesson! Going to have students investigate the components of buffered vs. regular aspirin. Thinking about simply grinding each, putting them in water and monitoring change in pH via vernier probe. More soon.

Days 41-46: More Titration

Find myself making a big stink about titration this year. We have done at least one titration each day over the last week and I'm gearing up for a qualitative review of buffers. Never seek to teach acid/base equilibrium corr stay and trying to take a more algorithmic approach with calculations to automate the quantitative moves faster in hopes of greater conceptual understanding. In search of a true connection to viticulture and enology I can do in class as well.

Day 40: New Tables!

Check out the new tables we got!

Day 39: Titration cont.

Continue titration activity by standardizing an unknown concentration of aqueous KHP.

Day 38: Titration

Began reactions unit by pitching titration as the central lab technique. I have a goal of TRYING a to leverage titration in everyday throughout this unit as we move from acid/base to redox as a way of positioning the content in a lab context but also pre-training students for titration curves and buffers. Excited to replace pH meter with conductivity probe and see how students negotiate the different dependent variable.

Days 33-37: Final Exam Review

Final review cumulated with a day of thought experiments and good times with magic sand as a way of interacting with intermolecular forces!

Day 32: Molarity Practice

Boring day in class. No pics from class so here's me with a guerrilla.

Days 26-32: Beer's Law, etc.

Have done a bunch of stuff in the past 6 days and have lagged on posting updates. Favorite activity was derivation of Beer's Law using blue dye of varying concentrations and path lengths via an overhead projector.

Day 25: Magic Sand

Post quiz Lab practical comparing traditional sand and magic sand. Students worked to induce chemical structures of both to explain observed differences in IMFs.

Day 24: FRQs

Sorta boring day working through AP FRQs on IMFs. However...TETRIX bots for FTC arrived today and the team was stoked!

Day 23: Document Analysis

Leverages chromatography to solve a mock crime scene.

Day 22: Solubility

Used hexane, water, iodine demo to spark interest in hexane, water, copper sulfate solubility. Reversal of solute properties provided nice dissonance.

Day 21: Mass Structure Quiz

Quiz day and Lewis Structure tattoos!

Day 20: Formula of an Oxide

Applied hydrate analysis technique to silver oxide analysis. Not sure why all teams arrived with AgO rather than Ag2O? Going to force next class to perform 5 constant mass measurements.

Day 19: Hydrate Analysis Again

Repeated analysis with Epsom Salt with an emphasis on heating to constant mass.

Day 18: Hydrate Analysis

Students worked to determine the formula for an unknown copper (II) sulfate hydrate. I was shocked at the number of lab teams who arrived with the "penta hydrate" formula. I think emphasizing the "weigh to constant mass" procedure helped their answers approach the actual salt to water ratio. In the past, 3  or even 4 water molecules for every one copper (II) sulfate compound was the norm. 

Day 17: Lewis Structure Quiz

To be honest, really screwed up this quiz. Too long, lack of appropriate prep on resonance, bond order, polarity, etc. But...did get the below text from an absent student who was traveling, so terse that... :)

Day 16: Lewis Structures

Lewis Structure relay races in preparation for quiz.

[no picture today]

Day 14: Covalent Bonding

Did a cr@p ton of Lewis Structures and then students shaved my head. #assimilation #teammusallam