Past projects 55
What's the Matter?
Funded Sep 4, 2015Thank you so much for this wonderful project. The students truly enjoyed the chance to explore the physical and chemical properties of matter. Normally, I would simply teach the concepts and hope that the students would remember the facts but with this lab, everyone collaborated and used critical thinking during their investigation to obtain their results and complete the lab report. Students were coming up to me thanking me for assigning this three day project but I remind each class that it actually comes from generous parents such as yourselves.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Snodgrass
Model Mastery
Funded Mar 21, 2015Thank you so much for your generous donation of the molecular orbitals. The students were able to spend time studying the geometries and electron repulsion between the valence pairs. They were able to discuss their previous knowledge of molecular shape geometry and couple it with the newly learned concepts of electron configuration.
Most of the time, students have difficulty understanding VSPER (valence shell electron pair repulsion) but this model kit gave them a better three dimension perspective to understand.
For those students that decide to enroll in AP chemistry next year, then hopefully they will have an increased level of confidence when they study the modern atomic theory which includes electron configuration and VSEPR.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Snodgrass
Get Balanced With These Two Equilibrium Labs
Funded Jan 29, 2015Thank you so much for your generous donations to the equilibrium lab. The students were able to spend two days in which they used collaboration, communication, and critical thinking to determine the effects of dynamic equilibrium. This lab included three different activities.
In the first activity, students were able to manipulate a reaction using a weak acid and observe the effects on equilibrium. Then in the second lab, the performed a titration using an acid and a base. Lastly, the students were actually able to apply the concepts that were taught regarding Le Chatelier's principle.
I ran into a student at Starbucks and she commented on how cool it was to actually perform labs that had everything to do with what we learned in class.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Snodgrass
An Important Lab for Students to Determine Reaction Rates
Funded Jan 18, 2015Thank you so much for your generous donation to the kinetics lab. The students spent three days on this hands-on activity in which they collaborated, communicated, and used critical thinking skills with each other to determine the effects of reaction rate when variable, such as concentration, were changed. They were able to measure the time it took for a chemical reaction reaction to occur when they changed the concentrations of potassium iodide, hydrogen peroxide, and hydrochloric acid. Overall, this wonderful lab gave them an opportunity to actually use the concepts that they learned in class.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Snodgrass
Students Will Strongly Benefit From Acid/Base Investigations
Funded Jan 2, 2015Thank you so much for your generous donation of the acid and base titration labs. I felt that this lab was necessary for the students to have the opportunity to work with acidic solutions, basic solutions, and different types of indicators. The lab was well organized and the students were able to work to groups no more than four people per station. Because of your contribution, the students performed experiments that I have never had the chance to assign and I encouraged them to use critical thinking in their process of collaborating and communicating with each other.
Last week the students were involved in learning about the effects of titrating an acid into a base and a base into an acid and the concentrations of each process. Then the students needed to complete a graph which is shown in some of the pictures.
Some of these students may enroll into Advanced Placement chemistry next year and I know that titrations is a topic that is discussed. By introducing them to this topic, I feel that they are better prepared and will be more confident when the concept is covered.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Snodgrass