ASSOCIATED CHEMISTRY TEACHERS OF TEXAS

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:

The ReACT2ant
V O L U M E 1 8 , I S S U E I I N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

Start up help for area Chemistry Teacher groups

Presidents Message
I hope your school year is off to a good start. I know things are a little busier for all of us with cutbacks and budget crunches; and Im sure youve all adjusted well and likely have some funny things to share about the way your district/school is dealing with the monetary issues. If youve not adjusted, keep at it and things will smooth out. We have, as science people, the amazing ability to adjust when presented with data regardless of whether we like the data! At our fall board meeting, one of the areas of discussion was the difficulty of making sure we have an accurate address for contacting members. Some of the emails were being bounced back because of various reasons including: bulk mail screening, district firewalls, and incorrect addresses. Since that meeting I know weve tracked down a few more people and made corrections. If you know someone who has not received this newsletter or other eblast items and should have received them, please let us know so we can try to fix the problem. We anticipate having a new system in place at the CAST booth that should help us alleviate some of these problems. Stop by and check it out. There are several opportunities coming up in the next weeks and months including SWRM, CAST, and local area meetings in some of the Metro areas. Please look through this newsletter for more information about these activities. Several of your ACT2 colleagues are presenting at SWRM, CAST or both and we have an energetic speaker for the luncheon at CAST. Also at CAST, Dr. Diana Mason has some exciting news about a grant that we were recently awarded. Lastly, we recommend that you check out the ACT2 Network on Grouply. Paul Schumann has archived a great deal of ACT2 history, including newsletters and pictures; and the site features opportunities for you to share your ideas in a blog format or just contact other members with your questions and thoughts. Check it out.

Fun Comic Su-Chem-Ku CAST and SWRM

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Network

1 2 3 4 5

Su-Chem-Ku

CAST Strand

SWRM

Member spotlight STAAR

ACT2 Network
From Paul Schumann Network Consultant In recent months Paul has archived nine years worth of newsletters and provided an avenue for many of our members to share and learn through blog posts and links to resources. Please consider joining the network if youve not done so already.

PAGE

Su-Chem-Ku
The Su-Chem-Ku below is just like a Su-Do-Ku logic puzzle. The goal is to get 9 different symbols in each 3x3 square, 9 different symbols across each row, and 9 different symbols down each column. The symbols used, in alphabetical order are for: Einsteinium, Erbium, Holmium, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Sulfur, Tin, Tungsten, and Xenon.

112

Cn
Copernicium
Did you know that even though weve been calling elements 110-112 Darmstadtium (Ds), Roentgenium (Rg) and Copernicium (Cn) for a few years, it only became official after a vote by the IUPAP (physics version of IUPAC) on November 3, 2011?

Er Ho Xe S H S H Er Ho S Ho Es W

W Sn Er Xe O Sn Es Sn W O Es W

Clue: The shaded area describes what Lise Meitner may have needed during her exile to Stockholm during WWII.

2011 is International Year of Chemistry

http://iyc2011.acs.org/ This URL will take you to the American Chemical Society page where you can access links about the International Year of Chemistry suggestions for community outreach activities, resources for teachers and many other features. There is an IYC item of the day for each of the 365 we have in 2011 and a virtual journal that is updated monthly with articles, stories, and facts related to the topic of the quarter. The 3rd quarter of 2011 is devoted to materials and the 4th quarter is devoted to health. In each of the quarters, water is a suggested focus. Check it out! By the way, did you know that the official announcement of the IYC was made at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education in 2010 at UNT?

THE

REACT

ANT

VOLUME

18,

ISSUE

II

PAGE

ACT2 Presents: CAST Sessions

The following list is a summary of the sessions being offered by ACT 2 during the strand. Some of the sessions will be offered more than once, so take a good look at your program so you can squeeze in as many sessions as possible. If you have questions about the strand please contact Rhonda Alexander (Past-President and strand coordinator). Rhondas email is rhondaalex@gmail.com.

Presenter Criss Bartley Bryan Beck Jonathan Bergmann Paula Chastain Karen Compton Vinay Dulip Kathleen Holley

Title ACT2 Presents; Writing Chemical Formulas. ACT2 Presents: Its a Gas!!! ACT2 Presents: Mastering the Chaos: The Flipped Classroom and Mastery ACT2 Presents: Geocache for Science ACT2 Presents: "Old" Demos for "New" Teachers ACT2 Presents: A Demo a Week Makes Science Class Peak ACT2 Presents: A Gentle Introduction to Teaching Chemistry Using Inquiry. ACT2 Presents Lone Star Online Solutions ACT2 Presents: Whats Going on During Freezing? and Other Questions ACT2 Presents: Engaging Strategies for the Chemistry Classroom Part 1 ACT2 Presents: Engaging Strategies for the Chemistry Classroom Part 2 ACT2 Presents: PBLs for Chemistry ACT2 Presents Chemistry in a Bottle ACT2 Presents: Chemical Stoichiometry - an easy way ACT2 Presents: What's the Matter?

Diana Mason Amiee Modic Denise Sanders Denise Sanders Sally Urquhart Claudia Wallace Juan M. Ybarra Meg Young

CAST Luncheon
This year, finding the CAST luncheon on the registration was a bit like GeoCachingalbeit a hair more difficult. (Perhaps we should all attend that session!) As a result, the number of people signed up for the Affiliate Luncheon at CAST is less than we were expecting. To that end, we have purchased some extra meal tickets in anticipation of people needing to buy them as a separate item. Please come by the booth to visit, look over some new items, update your information and get your luncheon ticket if you have not already signed up for one. The luncheon will be in the Dallas Convention Center near the exhibits and session rooms, so it will be convenient and you already know, it will also be fun! See you there.

PAGE

SWRM 2011 Doubletree Hotel - Austin, TX High School Teacher Day November 12, 2011 Proposed schedule Registration, Lobby ($30 if you are not preregistered) 7:30am 8:00am

Chemistry Careers Breakfast, Dovers 8:00 9:30am Presenters are Dr. Alan Hall, Azar Owlia, Dr. Rene Garza, and one TBA EOC Tools & Opportunities for Students, DeWitt North 9:30 10:30am Presenters are Don Wharry, Joshua Pak, Bonnie Brown, and Welch Summer Scholar Rep. TBD Morning Coffee, DeWitt North High School Teacher Workshop, DeWitt North Amiee Modic and Jeremy Thompson Lunch & Project SEED Poster Session, Dovers High School Teacher Workshop, DeWitt North Jamie Flint and Barbara Schumann High School Teacher Workshop, DeWitt South, Brian Anderson and Frank Walmsley Afternoon Coffee, DeWitt North High School Teacher "Chemistry Idol", Austin The Mean Green Chemistry Demo Team from the University of North Texas High School Teacher Reception, Robertson North 10:30 10:45am 10:45am 12:30pm

12:30 1:30pm 1:30 3:00pm 1:30 3:00pm 3:00 3:15pm 3:15 4:30pm

4:30 5:00pm

THE

REACT

ANT

VOLUME

18,

ISSUE

II

PAGE

EvaLou ApelMember Spotlight

BS Chemistry-Texas Womans University. Graduate work --Texas A&M University, Hope College, University of California at Berkeley and the University of Arizona. Eva Lou taught physical science, chemistry and AP chemistry for 26 years in the Waco, Texas Public Schools, Houston, Texas Public Schools, and at Westlake High in Austin, Texas before retiring in 1993. She also worked in the analytical chemistry lab for Shell Development Companys Research Lab in Houston. For several years she worked as an Independent Representative for George Seidel and Associates representing Flinn Scientific. Eva Lou has attended many NSF summer institutes including the AP Chemistry Workshop at Hope College, the Woodrow Wilson Chemistry Institute at Princeton in 1986, the ICE Institute at Berkeley, and the ICE Institute at the University of Arizona. She has also been a regular and crowd favorite presenter at many ACT2 Biennial Conferences, with the Demos in the Dark SCUD Missiles she set off with Barbara Schumann being extremely memorable. Eva Lou received the Texas Excellence Award for Outstanding High School Teachers from the University of Texas in 1987, the Outstanding Chemistry Teacher Award from the Central Texas Section of the ACS in 1988 and was named as a Life Time Honorary Member of the Texas Chemistry Teachers organization in 1994. She has presented over seventy-five workshops at the local, state and national levels.

Nomenclature Review Suggestion

If your students are like so many Ive seen over the past 28 years, there is a good chance that they make nomenclature much more difficult than it has to be. If you feel like you just keep repeating yourself to no avail, here is a website with TONS of practice that is good for beginner through advanced students. http://www.chemteam.info/ Nomenclature/ Nomenclature.html Click on the links provided in the tutorial section of the website to practice writing formulas and naming compounds. There are 360 total examples divided up by type of compound; with equal practice in both directionsname to formula and formula to name. In the homework and lab section there are additional worksheets you or your students can print out.

PAGE

Start a MetroChemical Group

Are you interested in starting a metro area or regional group of chemistry teachers so you can keep in touch better? The ACT2 board will provide you with start up money if you just apply! Its that simple. You can use the money for speakers, supplies, coffee, etc. The DFW area and the Houston area already have meetings several times each year. In Houston there is a fall meeting, an early spring meeting and a late spring meeting (usually in conjunction with the ACS scholarship exam). Please contact Claudia Wallace of the DFW group (WallaceC@cfbisd.org) or Amiee Modic of the MHCTA in Houston (amodic@sbcglobal.net) if you have any questions. See the application form in the section below.

Application for Area Chemistry Teachers Group Funding

In a state the size of Texas, one way we can lead chemistry education is to encourage teachers to meet and share in their geographic zones as well as at CAST and Biennial Conferences. Any group of chemistry teachers from a Regional or Metropolitan area that wants to have regular meetings for the exchange of ideas through workshop or discussion, or to have a guest speaker, may apply for $200 seed money to put toward expenses. The application below should be completed and submitted online to ACT2 for consideration by the board. Please submit to act2.tx@gmail.com and reference area application as the topic. Name of Group Applying: Name and Contact information for the person that will be the main contact person for your group and receiver of funds: Name: Address: Email: Phone: What will your group do to ensure the money is handled fairly?

How do you plan to use the money?

Mark Your Calendars!

SWRMNovember 12, 2011 ACT2 BiennialJune 24-28, 2012

CASTNovember 17-19, 2011 Next Two Newsletter Dates

January 10, 2012 Articles Due April 1, 2012Articles Due

January 17, 2012 Publication April 10, 2012Publication

THE

REACT

ANT

VOLUME

18,

ISSUE

II

PAGE

Inside Story Headline

Caption describing picture or graphic.

To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the story here.

Inside Story Headline

Inside Story Headline

Caption describing picture or graphic.

ACT2 Biennial Conference

Chemistry Makes the World Go Round

When: June 24-28, 2012 Where: The University of Baylor Mary Hardin in Belton, TX
(173 miles from Houston, 140 miles from Dallas, 61 miles from Austin, 140 miles from San Antonio)

Cost: $250 (early bird pricing until May 25th) includes registration, all meals from Sunday night through breakfast Thursday, and lodging in a private dorm room from Sunday night until Thursday. (or $125 for registration and all meals except breakfast-no lodging) ** Presenters save $50 off the above prices!!!

Why should I go:

Get all of your Professional Development hours for the year! The lowest cost chemistry conference you will find anywhere! The University of Mary Hardin Baylor is a small beautiful campus with FREE PARKING! Many workshops covering all levels of Chemistry from your lowest academic students to your brightest AP students! It will be 5 days of Chemistry Fun! Gets tons of ideas to implement in your classroom! Door Prizes- everyone will win something! Come see old friends and meet lots of new friends that you can network with! World renowned presenters (*Robert Becker and Ken Lyle)! 10. Demos in the Dark- all the demos you cant do inside because they are too big or dangerous (you wont want to miss this)!

Where can I go for more info and to register:

the ACT2 website and click on the biennial link. http://www.statweb.org/ACT2/ index.htm or https://sites.google.com/site/act2tx/

The Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas, ACT2, is a statewide 501(c)(3) organization of elementary through college teachers and supervisors and those interested in science education who are dedicated to maintaining the highest levels of chemistry education in

Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas

Amiee Modic Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas 6331 Highwy Blvd. Katy, TX 77494 Phone: 281-386-7884 E-mail: amodic@sbcglobal.net

Texas schools. The major objectives of ACT2 are to recognize and support those interested in teaching chemistry on all levels in a learner-centered environment, to provide common ground for the exchange of ideas, and to improve the quality of chemistry teaching and chemical education throughout the state of Texas. The fulfillment of these objectives is in part accomplished through annual state meetings and biennial conferences that address the needs of chemistry teachers and the content-specific training necessary to utilize the latest advancements in chemical education. Active membership consists of all parties interested in the teaching of chemistry and those who shall assent to the constitution and pay the regular dues. The Association is an affiliate of the Science Teachers Association of Texas, the largest organization in the state committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning.

Chem-is-try!
http://act2network.grouply.com/login http://www.statweb.org/ACT2/

STAAR EOC can loom LARGE

The sample question that follows was one of several sample test items for the Chemistry EOC or STAAR. If it strikes fear in your heart for the non-honors student, find a friend and start a conversation about it. Join the ACT2 Network and ask questions. Attend CAST and pop in for the session on Stoichiometry. The link that follows will take you to the entire released document for chemistry and the other subjects should you like to peruse them. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/ Question: Some students burned magnesium in excess oxygen, as described by the equation 2Mg(s) + O2(g) > 2MgO(s) What is the percentage yield of MgO in this reaction? A 97.2% B 86.8% C 58.0% D 51% They recorded their data in the table shown. Mass of Crucible Mass of Crucible + Mg Mass of Mg Mass of Crucible + MgO Mass of MgO 35.84 g 38.35 g ? 39.45 g ?