EDSC 519 - Fostering Active Learning in Chemistry

Many students struggle to learn core concepts in chemistry, and teaching chemistry can be equally challenging at times. New discoveries are being made all the time, and chemistry teachers have to constantly familiarize themselves with new concepts and figure out how to effectively teach them to students. That’s why the American Chemical Society created guidelines and recommendations for teaching the four big ideas that all high school chemistry classes should explore.

In this course, you will learn how to implement the 5E model of science instruction to introduce students to the big ideas in chemistry that have traditionally been hard to teach. Using the 5E model will help you create lesson plans that are inquiry-based and engaging for students. With the 5E model in place, you can build hands-on activities to help your students reach beyond memorizing content and start thinking critically and scientifically. You will also learn how to make sure that your teaching aligns with NGSS standards for chemistry.

Using the strategies from this course, you will be able to confidently teach your students about the ever-evolving field of chemistry with a focus on the American Chemical Society’s four big ideas that all students should know.