This manuscript describes the implementation of a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) sequence in chemistry that uses research to link a lower division, organic chemistry course to an upper-division, analytical chemistry course. In the CURE sequence, students created a library of modified sugar molecules during CURE-1, Organic,…

Learning progressions (LPs) present a potential tool to guide students toward deeper understanding of core concepts as they move through a curriculum. In addition to providing a theoretical scheme for education researchers, LPs can provide a powerful framework for instructors and students in organizing curricula. We have developed the outline of a…

This article describes the impact of starting with gases in an introductory chemistry course at a community college. Students in the author's class frequently are very weak in algebra skills, and this has a cumulative impact over time that culminates in student struggles when moles and reaction stoichiometry are discussed. The rationale behind…