A new teaching resource comprised of raw X-ray diffraction data sets from crystallography experiments has been compiled. The aim of this resource is to provide a tool with which to plug the teaching gap between crystals and chemical structures present at various levels of education, as well as providing examples for early stage researchers and…

Biological interactions and associations underlie life's processes at every level of organization. Here, we present a classroom activity that allows students to visualize and understand the connections within almost any biological system, from cell functions to ecological relationships. We recommend that instructors implement this activity to…

The use of mass spectrometry (MS) is becoming widespread and rather routine in all levels of industry, government, and academia. Coupled with chromatographic methods, this powerful instrumental technique can be used to elucidate the composition of a complex sample and definitively identify constituents while offering the benefits of high-precision…

Purpurogallin (PPG), an orange-red crystalline compound from nutgalls and oak bark, is an exemplar of numerous, ubiquitous natural colorants, biosynthesized through oxidative dimerization-decarboxylation of phenolic compounds. It possesses antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Herein, a robust method is presented to allow…

Given the severe pollution caused by traditional plastics, biodegradable plastic products (BPPs) have received great attention and are appearing in people's lives in the form of packaging bags, tableware, etc. Whether a wide variety of BPPs can truly degrade depends on the environment. Aerobic composting is the arbitration method to evaluate the…

The galvanic cell is a typical interdisciplinary topic, which is primarily taught in chemistry but its underpinning is closely related to physics. Student learning in galvanic cell has been extensively studied in chemistry education, which has revealed a large number of misconceptions that are difficult to change through traditional instruction. A…

Biochemistry is a data-heavy discipline, yet teaching students to work with large datasets is absent from many undergraduate Biochemistry programs. Ensuring that future generations of students are confident in tackling problems using big data first requires that educators become comfortable teaching big data skills. The activity described herein…

Enzymes are nature's catalysts, mediating chemical processes in living systems. The study of enzyme function and mechanism includes defining the maximum catalytic rate and affinity for substrate/s (among other factors), referred to as enzyme kinetics. Enzyme kinetics is a staple of biochemistry curricula and other disciplines, from molecular and…

This book provides teachers with 50 dynamic activities to teach science, through music, food, games, literature, community, environment, and everyday objects. The authors share tried and tested ideas from their collective 75 years of teaching experiences. For the busy teacher with little time to plan lessons, resources are provided that include…

Effective teaching requires the use of techniques and strategies to counter student passivity and enhance engagement. Research demonstrates that drawing improves memory retention, increases motivation to learn, provides an opportunity to learn what makes an image an effective communication tool, allows demonstration of conceptual understanding,…

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many professional development programs have been canceled or postponed. Many teachers are working from home, at least in part, limiting how frequently they can interact with colleagues and interrupting the ease of popping in on the teacher next door. Because these common resources are out of reach, teachers…

Graphic novels are everywhere! The popularity of graphic novels is not surprising. They are colorful and engaging, marrying text to images, with diverse characters doing everything from struggling with their tennis game to solving engineering problems to battling villains from the Multiverse. Graphic novels promote both language and scientific…

The purpose of this article is to describe a modeling sequence about the digestive system. "What happens in your body when you have lactose intolerance?" is the initial question that will guide the activities. Students will build a 3D plaster cast of the digestive system as part of a modeling cycle through which they are expected to…

With policies that strongly emphasize reading, teachers need interdisciplinary strategies that not only represent professional scientists' practices but also support students' engagement and learning in both science and reading. Opportunities abound for teachers to help students recognize the fluid connections between disciplines such as science,…

Have you ever taught "head on the table" physics students and wondered how to increase engagement? If so, I have two stories for you! Davon and Cynthia--both case study students--struggled with traditional physics but showed great promise with developing personalized physics problems.