Metro areas. Please look

through this newsletter for

more information about these

activities. Several of your

ACT2 colleagues are present-

ing at SWRM, CAST or both

and we have an energetic

speaker for the luncheon at

CAST. Also at CAST, Dr.

Diana Mason has some excit-

ing news about a grant that

we were recently awarded.

Lastly, we recommend that

you check out the ACT2 Net-

work on Grouply. Paul Schu-

mann has archived a great

deal of ACT2 history, includ-

ing newsletters and pictures;

and the site features opportu-

nities for you to share your

ideas in a blog format or just

contact other members with

your questions and thoughts.

Check it out.

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 I’m sure you’ve

all adjusted well and likely

have some funny things to

share about the way your dis-

trict/school is dealing with the

monetary issues. If you’ve not

adjusted, keep at it and things

will smooth out. We have, as

science people, the amazing

ability to adjust when pre-

sented 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 be-

ing bounced back because of

various reasons including:

bulk mail screening, district

firewalls, and incorrect ad-

dresses. Since that meeting I

know we’ve tracked down a

few more people and made

corrections. If you know

someone who has not re-

ceived 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 hav-

ing 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 opportuni-

ties coming up in the next

weeks and months including

SWRM, CAST, and local area

meetings in some of the

From Paul Schumann Net-

work 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 con-sider joining the network if you’ve not done so already.

President’s Message

I N S I D E

T H I S I S S U E :

Network 1

Su-Chem-Ku 2

CAST Strand 3

SWRM 4

Member spot-

light

5

STAAR 9

ACT2 Network

A S S O C I A T E D C H E M I S T R Y

T E A C H E R S O F T E X A S

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

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

Start up help

for area

Chemistry

Teacher

groups

Fun Comic

Su-Chem-Ku

CAST and

SWRM

P A G E 2

Did you know that

even though we’ve

been calling ele-

ments 110-112

Darmstadtium (Ds),

Roentgenium (Rg)

and Copernicium

(Cn) for a few years,

it only became offi-

cial after a vote by

the IUPAP (physics

version of IUPAC) on

November 3, 2011?

2011 is International Year of Chemistry

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, Hydro-

gen, Oxygen, Sulfur, Tin, Tungsten, and Xenon.

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

Stockholm during WWII.

and many other features.

There is an IYC item of the

day for each of the 365 we

have in 2011 and a virtual jour-

nal 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

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 activi-

ties, resources for teachers

to health. In each of the quar-

ters, water is a suggested fo-

cus. Check it out!

By the way, did you know that

the official announcement of

the IYC was made at the Bien-

nial Conference on Chemical

Education in 2010 at UNT?

T H E R E A C T 2 A N T

Er W

Ho Xe S Sn

H Er Xe W

S O Sn

H Er W

Ho Es Sn W

S O

Ho Es

Es

112

Cn Copernicium

ACT2 Presents: CAST Sessions

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 8 , I S S U E I I

The following list is a summary of the sessions being offered by ACT2 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 con-

tact Rhonda Alexander (Past-President and strand coordinator). Rhonda’s email is rhondaalex@gmail.com.

we were expecting. To that end, we

have purchased some extra meal tick-

ets 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 informa-

tion and get your luncheon ticket if

you have not already signed up for

one. The luncheon will be in the Dal-

las 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.

CAST Luncheon

Presenter Title

Criss Bartley ACT2 Presents; Writing Chemical Formulas.

Bryan Beck

ACT2 Presents: It’s a Gas!!!

Jonathan Bergmann ACT2 Presents: Mastering the Chaos: The

Flipped Classroom and Mastery

Paula Chastain

ACT2 Presents: Geocache for Science

Karen Compton ACT2 Presents: "Old" Demos for "New"

Teachers

Vinay Dulip ACT2 Presents: ―A Demo a Week Makes Sci-

ence Class Peak‖

Kathleen Holley ACT2 Presents: A Gentle Introduction to

Teaching Chemistry Using Inquiry.

Diana Mason ACT2 Presents Lone Star Online Solutions

Amiee Modic ACT2 Presents: ―What’s Going on During

Freezing?‖ and Other Questions

Denise Sanders ACT2 Presents: Engaging Strategies for the

Chemistry Classroom – Part 1

Denise Sanders ACT2 Presents: Engaging Strategies for the

Chemistry Classroom – Part 2

Sally Urquhart ACT2 Presents: PBLs for Chemistry

Claudia Wallace

ACT2 Presents Chemistry in a Bottle

Juan M. Ybarra

ACT2 Presents: Chemical Stoichiometry - an

easy way

Meg Young ACT2 Presents: What's the Matter?

This year, finding the CAST

luncheon on the registration was

a bit like GeoCaching—albeit 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

P A G E 4

T H E R E A C T 2 A N T

SWRM 2011 – Doubletree Hotel - Austin, TX

High School Teacher Day November 12, 2011

Proposed schedule –

Registration, Lobby 7:30am – 8:00am

($30 if you are not preregistered)

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 10:30 – 10:45am

High School Teacher Workshop, DeWitt North 10:45am – 12:30pm

Amiee Modic and Jeremy Thompson

Lunch & Project SEED Poster Session, Dovers 12:30 – 1:30pm

High School Teacher Workshop, DeWitt North 1:30 – 3:00pm Jamie Flint and Barbara Schumann

High School Teacher Workshop, DeWitt South, 1:30 – 3:00pm

Brian Anderson and Frank Walmsley

Afternoon Coffee, DeWitt North 3:00 – 3:15pm

High School Teacher "Chemistry Idol", Austin 3:15 – 4:30pm

The Mean Green Chemistry Demo Team

from the University of North Texas

High School Teacher Reception, Robertson North 4:30 – 5:00pm

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 1 8 , I S S U E I I

for beginner through advanced

students.

http://www.chemteam.info/

Nomenclature/

Nomenclature.html

Click on the links provided in

the tutorial section of the web-

If your students are like so

many I’ve 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

site to practice writing formulas

and naming compounds. There

are 360 total examples divided

up by type of compound; with

equal practice in both direc-

tions—name to formula and

formula to name. In the home-

work and lab section there are

additional worksheets you or

your students can print out.

and Associates representing Flinn

Scientific.

Eva Lou has attended many NSF

summer institutes including the AP

Chemistry Workshop at Hope Col-

lege, the Woodrow Wilson Chem-

istry 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 pre-

senter at many ACT2 Biennial

Conferences, with the Demos in

the Dark SCUD Missiles she set

off with Barbara

Schumann being

extremely memorable. Eva Lou re-

ceived the Texas Excellence Award

for Outstanding High School Teach-

ers 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 Hon-

orary Member of the Texas Chemis-

try Teachers organization in 1994.

She has presented over seventy-five

workshops at the local, state and na-

tional levels.

BS Chemistry-Texas Woman’s

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 ana-

lytical chemistry lab for Shell De-

velopment Company’s Research

Lab in Houston. For several years

she worked as an Independent

Representative for George Seidel

EvaLou Apel—Member Spotlight

Nomenclature Review Suggestion

there is a fall meeting, an early spring meeting

and a late spring meeting (usually in conjunction

with the ACS scholarship exam). Please con-

tact 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.

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! It’s 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

Start a MetroChemical Group P A G E 6

T H E R E A C T 2 A N T

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! SWRM—November 12, 2011 CAST—November 17-19, 2011

ACT2 Biennial—June 24-28, 2012

Next Two Newsletter Dates

January 10, 2012 — Articles Due January 17, 2012 — Publication

April 1, 2012—Articles Due April 10, 2012—Publication

Inside Story Headline

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 1 8 , I S S U E I I

Caption

describing

picture or

graphic.

Inside Story Headline

Inside Story Headline

Caption describing picture or

graphic.

“To catch the reader's attention,

place an interesting sentence or

quote from the story here.”

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 regis-

tration 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 can’t do inside because they are too

big or dangerous (you won’t 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/

They recorded their data in the table shown.

What is the percentage yield of MgO in this reaction?

A 97.2%

B 86.8%

C 58.0%

D 51%

Mass of Crucible 35.84 g

Mass of Crucible + Mg 38.35 g

Mass of Mg ?

Mass of Crucible + MgO 39.45 g

Mass of MgO ?

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 stu-

dent, 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 re-

leased 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)

Amiee Modic

Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas

6331 Highwy Blvd.

Katy, TX 77494

Phone: 281-386-7884

E-mail: amodic@sbcglobal.net

Associated Chemistry Teachers of

Texas

STAAR EOC can loom LARGE

Chem-is-try!

http://act2network.grouply.com/login

http://www.statweb.org/ACT2/

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 dedi-

cated to maintaining the highest levels of chemistry education in

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 meet-

ings and biennial conferences that address the needs of chemistry

teachers and the content-specific training necessary to utilize the lat-

est 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 Associa-

tion 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.