NSTA - National Science Teachers Association

Simple Models By: William C. Robertson, Ph.D. A chapter from Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach it Average User Rating: As stated in “About This Book,” the author isn’t going to take the usual approach to the subject of chemistry. Because virtually all explanations of chemical reactions are based on our current model of atoms and molecules, the first thing to do here is...  [view full summary] As stated in “About This Book,” the author isn’t going to take the usual approach to the subject of chemistry. Because virtually all explanations of chemical reactions are based on our current model of atoms and molecules, the first thing to do here is to help you understand why we believe that atoms and molecules look and act the way they do. That’s not a trivial issue, because despite the impression you might have gotten from textbooks, no one has ever seen an atom in the sense that you can see this page in front of you. What we have are observations and experiments that lead us to formulate models of atoms. This free selection includes the Table of Contents, Preface, About This Book section, a Safety Note, and the Glossary. [hide full abstract] Member Price: Free Nonmember Price: Free Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Balancing Act By: William C. Robertson, Ph.D. A chapter from Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach it Average User Rating: We now know enough about atoms and how they combine to investigate a number of different chemical reactions. We’ll even be able to represent those reactions with symbols that tell us how many of each kind of atom we begin with and how many of each kind...  [view full summary] We now know enough about atoms and how they combine to investigate a number of different chemical reactions. We’ll even be able to represent those reactions with symbols that tell us how many of each kind of atom we begin with and how many of each kind we end up with. This is a powerful tool, and finally gets us to the point of improving upon Empedocles’ elements of earth, fire, air, and water. Before we begin, though, I want to impress upon you how much time and effort went into developing the models we’re going to use. In this chapter, I’m going to give you molecular formulas for all kinds of substances. Those formulas don’t just come out of thin air, but rather represent tons of experiments, replications of experiments, and intense thought as to how the atoms in the Periodic Table come together and how we can decide what kinds of atoms and molecules are present in a situation. [hide full abstract] Member Price: $2.79 Nonmember Price: $3.49 Grade Level: Middle School, High School

Periodicity By: William C. Robertson, Ph.D. A chapter from Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach it Average User Rating: In thinking about a title for this chapter, the word periodicity came to mind. I was sure this had some kind of pop culture reference. After discussing this with my wife, we figured I was thinking of synchronicity, which is a reference...  [view full summary] In thinking about a title for this chapter, the word periodicity came to mind. I was sure this had some kind of pop culture reference. After discussing this with my wife, we figured I was thinking of synchronicity, which is a reference to music by the band, The Police. Looking the word Periodicity up on the internet, I found that I was, in fact, a science geek and had not made a hip reference. Periodicity refers mainly to the Periodic Table, which is a focus of this chapter. No music, just science. [hide full abstract] Member Price: $2.79 Nonmember Price: $3.49 Grade Level: Middle School, High School

Organic, Dude By: William C. Robertson, Ph.D. A chapter from Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach it The word organic has lots of meanings in everyday life. Organic vegetables are ones grown without pesticides and organic beef comes from cattle that haven’t been given antibiotics. When it comes to chemistry, organic sometimes means...  [view full summary] The word organic has lots of meanings in everyday life. Organic vegetables are ones grown without pesticides and organic beef comes from cattle that haven’t been given antibiotics. When it comes to chemistry, organic sometimes means something else, and you’re about to find out what that is. [hide full abstract] Member Price: $2.79 Nonmember Price: $3.49 Grade Level: Middle School, High School, Informal Education

Better Models By: William C. Robertson, Ph.D. A chapter from Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach it At the end of the first chapter, you realized, hopefully, that the model of an atom that we have so far (Rutherford’s model of a concentrated positive nucleus with negative charges around it) doesn’t go very far in helping us explain observations. So,...  [view full summary] At the end of the first chapter, you realized, hopefully, that the model of an atom that we have so far (Rutherford’s model of a concentrated positive nucleus with negative charges around it) doesn’t go very far in helping us explain observations. So, why not try to make that model better? This chapter shows you how it’s done. [hide full abstract] Member Price: $2.79 Nonmember Price: $3.49 Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Let’s Get Together … Yeah, Yeah, Yeah By: William C. Robertson, Ph.D. A chapter from Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach it Ah yes, the theme song from one of the strangest movies of all time—Parent Trap. The original, that is, with Hayley Mills. I was in love with her back then. So naturally, I would choose that phrase to title a chapter on how atoms combine to form...  [view full summary] Ah yes, the theme song from one of the strangest movies of all time—Parent Trap. The original, that is, with Hayley Mills. I was in love with her back then. So naturally, I would choose that phrase to title a chapter on how atoms combine to form molecules. Sometimes atoms of the same kind combine, but most often it’s different kinds of atoms. There are three main ways atoms get together, and we’ll discuss all three in this chapter [hide full abstract] Member Price: $2.79 Nonmember Price: $3.49 Grade Level: Middle School, High School