Lifelong learning, one reflection at a time.
Last year when I was teaching Chemistry 12 (SCH4U) I borrowed two of Aletheia’s (@edaigle) unused diapers with which to conduct an experiment. I even dissected one diaper to get ready for the experiment; then life moved on, time ran out, and the diaper strips sat in a beaker in a lab cupboard until today. […]
Written by Leslie Farooq
We ran our first real lab today. I decided within the first block, a spare period for me, that it was time and that they were ready. “Ready for what,” you ask? Ready to handle acidic (hydrochloric acid) and basic (sodium hydroxide) substances with enough care and professionalism so as not require a trip to […]
Written by Leslie Farooq
I am a chemistry and biology teacher. I love the endless real puzzles to solve that are on offer through a combination of the periodic table of the elements and a variety of chemical quantities. I love living things, observing the nature around me, and connecting processes and systems. I seriously never get bored of […]
Written by Leslie Farooq
I meant to say a few words about this last week when it was fresh. I assigned a quick creation activity that combined stoichiometry learning with the theme of the day: Hallowe’en. I called it Spooky Real Stoichiometry and my instructions were originally handwritten on the whiteboard. Instructions: Choose a chemical reaction that is relevant […]
Written by Leslie Farooq
It has recently been drawn to my attention that the first 20 elements of the periodic table are ripe for the picking when leaders explain why educational reform is both necessary and important. Let me first admit that I am a product of my time. I fondly remember my Chemistry 11 teacher, Mr. Berry, and […]
Written by Leslie Farooq