October 2025 In October, the Cracking Chemistry Working Group gathered twice to explore practical strategies for aligning classroom activities with the new Regents chemistry standards while keeping experiments affordable, engaging, and skill-focused. Teachers discussed creative ways to adapt required laboratory experiences and…
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The March 2025 meetings of the Cracking Chemistry Working Group brought together educators to share engaging resources and creative strategies for teaching key chemistry concepts
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The Cracking Chemistry Working Group first February meeting focused on strategies for supporting struggling students and exploring engaging, hands-on methods for teaching chemistry concepts. In the first session, members shared best practices for helping students grasp challenging material, emphasizing the importance of…
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This January, the Cracking Chemistry working group focused on assessing student mastery of foundational chemistry concepts, engaging students in hands-on projects, and discussing professional development opportunities for educators. A major discussion point was the challenge of evaluating students’ prior knowledge to ensure…
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December 2024 In December, the Cracking Chemistry working group focused on engaging strategies to teach key chemistry concepts through hands-on experiments, real-world applications, and collaborative learning. Participants shared methods for exploring atomic structure, including a flame test activity where students investigate how…
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This November Cracking Chemistry Working Group focused on strategies for teaching key chemistry concepts through engaging, real-world applications. Participants discussed effective approaches to teaching atomic structure using the PhET “Building an Atom” simulation, which allows students to explore atomic properties, isotopes, and…
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