VIPEr

Molecular Structure and Bonding

Electrochemistry

f-block Chemistry

Introductory Chemistry

Main Group Chemistry

Course Level:

Corequisites:

Prerequisites:

Implementation Notes:

Since this can be used for any level or any topic, there are plenty of variations you can try! Some things to consider:

1. You can allow students to select any topic from the entire semester for their activity- this can be helpful prior to a final exam when you want a comprehensive review. You can also restrict topics if you have areas that you feel your students need to focus on or if you want to assign this before a specific exam. One of my students also suggested having a sign up sheet for topics on a first-come, first-served basis so that you don't end up with 20 balancing redox reactions and zero crystal field splitting.

2. I have tried students designing plans individually and also working in partners to create acitivties (both outside of class). Both methods worked well, but in a class of 150, that many individual submissions to grade was a bit overwhelming!

3. The peer review was new this semester (based on a previous student suggestion). My original plan was have them use a recitation section to work in groups through randomly assgined activities. Due to COVID, they completed the activites on their own- they enjoyed it, but the group experience would ave been more fun.

4. Depending on your timing, you could have them go through the peer review process and then give them a chance to revise the activity based on the feedback prior to you grading it.

5. The student reflection questions are given as a survey on Canvas after they have completed both the lesson plan and the peer review process.

19 Mar 2020

Online Seminar Talks

Submitted by Amanda Reig, Ursinus College

Evaluation Methods:

Student summaries are simply graded as complete/incomplete and are checked to see that they did in fact watch the video. If student summaries are felt to be lacking substance or incomplete, we will indicate areas they can improve on future summary reports.

Description:

In an attempt to find a substitute for our chemistry seminar program, I have found a number of YouTube videos of chemists giving seminar lectures, mostly between 2017-2020. The topics span a range of chemistry disciplines, and are all around 1 hour in length (typical seminar length). I have not watched them, so I cannot vouch for video quality. Feel free to add additional links in the comments below if you know of or find any great talks.

We will ask students to select and watch a certain number of lectures from the list and then write and submit a one-page summary of the talk.

Prerequisites:

Subdiscipline:

Electrochemistry

Course Level:

Upper Division

Learning Goals:

A student should be able to summarize the key points of a lecture presented by a seminar speaker.

Corequisites:

Topics Covered:

Bioinorganic chemistry

Catalysis

Communication skills

Organometallic chemistry

Bonding models: Extended systems

Time Required:

1 hour

14 Mar 2020

Solid State Structures tutorial

Submitted by Terrie Salupo-Bryant, Manchester University

Evaluation Methods:

I grade the Solid State Structures tutorial answer sheet (44pts) in conjunction with the Problem Set to Accompany the Solid State Structures tutorial (26 pts) that incorporates concepts from the tutorial.

Evaluation Results:

The average score (n=32) is 60pts out of 70 (86%). Scores on the Problem Set tend to be about 5 percentage points higher than on the tutorial. Students usually spend some time calculating the length of the unit cell edge, a, in terms of the radius (r) of an ion/atom for each of the basic unit cells. Commonly they substitute diameter for radius or make errors in their trigonometry (see doi.org/10.1021/ed400367x for derivation). They also have difficulty seeing an empty hole which causes their percentage of filled octahedral and tetrahedral holes to be incorrect. I added Figures 6 and 7 for fcc in order to help students in the future know where to look for the holes. Visualizing 3D structures can be a challenge even to visual learners. The average score indicates that manipulating structures on the computer makes them more tangible to students. Wrestling with the questions is often a group effort and an opportunity for students to explain their thinking to others.

Description:

This tutorial will introduce students to some of the three-dimensional crystal structures exhibited by ionic and metallic solids. They will examine the simple cubic, body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic, and the hexagonal closest-packed systems. To facilitate visualization of the structures at the atomic level, they will use the Crystal Explorer website at Purdue University.

Corequisites:

Prerequisites:

Course Level:

Topics Covered:

Extended structure

Visualization

Learning Goals:

After completing this tutorial, students will be able to:

Identify and describe basic crystal structures from their unit cells.
Describe the relationship between crystal packing and unit cell.
Determine whether atoms/ions in a crystal structure are closest packed.
Locate tetrahedral, octahedral, and cubic holes in a unit cell.
Apply geometric relationships to determine the length of a unit cell edge in terms of the radii of its atoms/ions.
Determine the coordination number of an atom/ion in a crystal structure.

Subdiscipline:

Visualization of Solid State Structures using CrystalMaker and Physical Models

Related activities:

Crystallographic Resources at Otterbein University

Investigating the structures of close packed solids in metal sulfide nanocrystals

Close Packing Activity

Solid State Models with ICE Solid State Model Kits

A model for every student: Visualizing solid state structures

Visualizing solid state structures using CrystalMaker generated COLLADA files

Metal and Ionic Lattices Guided Inquiry Worksheet

Looking at Solid State Structures

Implementation Notes:

The Crystal Explorer website is a free resource that contains all of the images needed to complete this tutorial.

When I teach my foundations-level inorganic chemistry class, I have students use Ludwig Mayer’s Solid State Structures JCE Software to complete this tutorial; however, the software is no longer commercially available. It utilizes the PCMolecule application which I am still able to access on newer computers by adjusting the compatibility settings. The images in the software use the same color schemes as the structures in the Solid State Model Kit. See Teacher Notes for further information. I don’t have students use the model kits, though I do assemble one or two structures for them refer to if they need.

Students can complete the tutorial in one lab session or in multiple lecture sessions. I currently use one lecture session to get them started and have them complete it outside of class as a homework assignment.

Time Required:

2.5 hours (longer if using the Solid State Model Kit)

Web Resources:

Crystal Explorer

8 Oct 2019

1FLO: Post-Synthetic Modifications for Tunneling Electrical Connection to the Interior of Metal-Organic Frameworks

Submitted by daniel kissel, Lewis University

Evaluation Methods:

assessment of students will be preformed by grading their answers to the questions in the activity.

Description:

This is a 1 Figure lit discussion (1FLO) based on a Figure from a 2015 JACS article on synthesizing conductive MOFs. This LO introduces students to Metal-Organic Frameworks and focuses on characterization techniques and spectroscopy.

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Topics Covered:

Coordination chemistry

Electron transfer

Electronic spectroscopy

Course Level:

Learning Goals:

As a result of completing this activity, students will be able to...

define what metal-organic Frameworks and Post-synthetic Modifications are
understand MOF terminology and notation
discover how mass transport and electron mobility effect conductivity
calculate energies of electronic transitions in electron volts
make connections betweeen diagrams and material sturctures
compare optical and microscopy techniques
discover the concept of photocurrect and how it could be used in different applications

Subdiscipline:

Energy Nuggets: MOF’s for CO2 Sequestration

Related activities:

Implementation Notes:

Students should be able to complete the activity without any prior knowledge of MOFs, although some introduction to MOFs and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy would be nice.

Web Resources:

Tunneling Electrical Connection to the Interior of Metal-Organic Frameworks

8 Jun 2019

VIPEr Fellows 2019 Workshop Favorites

Submitted by Barbara Reisner, James Madison University

During our first fellows workshop, the first cohort of VIPEr fellows pulled together learning objects that they've used and liked or want to try the next time they teach their inorganic courses.

Subdiscipline:

Atomic Structure and Periodicity

Molecular Structure and Bonding

Electrochemistry

Introductory Chemistry

Main Group Chemistry

Science Skills, Practices, and Resources

Spectroscopy and Structural Methods

Prerequisites:

No Prerequisites

First Semester Inorganic Chemistry / Foundation Course in Inorganic Chemistry

Physical Chemistry: Quantum Mechanics

Organic Chemistry

Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics

Corequisites:

Physical Chemistry: Quantum Mechanics

Organic Chemistry

Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics

Course Level:

First year

Shirley Lin, United States Naval Academy

Upper Division

7 Apr 2019

Encapsulation of Small Molecule Guests by a Self-Assembling Superstructure

Submitted by Shirley Lin, United States Naval Academy

Additional Authors:

Evaluation Methods:

I have not yet implemented this LO. As with other literature discussions, instructors could collect the completed worksheets (by an individual student or in groups of students) for evaluation.

Evaluation Results:

I have not yet implemented this LO so there are currently no evaluation results to share.

Description:

This literature discussion focuses upon two journal articles by the Rebek group on the synthesis and host-guest chemistry observed with the "tennis ball."

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Course Level:

Subdiscipline:

Molecular Structure and Bonding

Intermolecular interactions

Learning Goals:

After completing this literature discussion, students will be able to:

provide examples of supramolecular systems in nature that use reversible, weak noncovalent interactions
define terms in supramolecular chemistry such as host, guest, and self-complementary
identify the number and location of hydrogen bonds within the "tennis ball" assembly
draw common organic reaction mechanisms for the synthesis of the "tennis ball" subunits
describe the physical and spectroscopic/spectrometric techniques used to provide evidence for assembly of a host-guest system
explain the observed thermodynamic parameters that are important for encapsulation of small molecule guests by the "tennis ball"

Topics Covered:

Molecular structure

Supramolecular Chemistry Videos

Reaction mechanisms

Synthesis and reactivity

Visualization

Related activities:

Nanomaterials Chemistry

Energy Nuggets: MOF’s for CO2 Sequestration

Implementation Notes:

This LO could be used at the end of a traditional 2-semester organic chemistry sequence as an introduction to organic supramolecular systems, as an organic chemistry example within a discussion about inorganic supramolecular chemistry, or in an upper-division elective course about supramolecular chemistry. The LO topic, the "tennis ball," has a published laboratory experiment in J. Chem. Educ. (found here). Time permitting, instructors could have students read the article and complete the literature discussion before executing the experiment in the lab.

As usual, instructors may wish to mix-and-match questions to suit their learning goals.

Time Required:

depends upon implementation; minimum of 20-30 minutes for the literature discussion if students read an d answer questions outside of class

Web Resources:

Rebek "tennis ball" laboratory experiment

3 Mar 2019

Supramolecular Chemistry Videos

Submitted by Shirley Lin, United States Naval Academy

Additional Authors:

Shirley Lin, United States Naval Academy

Evaluation Methods:

I have yet to use this resource with students and therefore have no assessment of student learning to share at this time.

Evaluation Results:

I have yet to use this resource with students.

Description:

The Rebek Laboratory homepage contains information on and molecular visualizations of a variety of host-guest systems developed by the research group over several decades. The theme behind this set of examples is the use of hydrogen-bonding to achieve self-assembly. Under the "Research" tab, one can find four videos with narration: an introduction to molecular assembly and three videos of specific examples of self-assembled host systems (the cavitand, the cylinder and the volleyball). In addition, at the bottom of the tab, there are links to JSmol files for 5 host systems (tennis ball, jelly donut, cylindrical capsule, softball, and tetrameric capsule) that allow the assemblies to be visualized interactively.

This is a great resource for faculty looking for ways to incorporate the new ACS Committee on Professional Training guidelines to discuss macromolecular, supramolecular, mesoscale and nanoscale systems within the framework of their existing curricula.

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Course Level:

Topics Covered:

Intermolecular interactions

Visualization

Learning Goals:

I have not yet used this resource with students but here are some possible relevant learning goals.

After viewing the Rebek Laboratory Homepage web source, students will be able to:

1) classify various self-assembled host-guest systems by the number of molecular components forming the assembly

2) identify the number and position of the hydrogen bonds that are responsible for the assembly of each host

3) identify the functional groups on the components of the host systems that are responsible for hydrogen bonding

4) state the experimentally determined percent volume of space generally occupied by guests that are encapsulated in these host systems

Subdiscipline:

Energy Nuggets: MOF’s for CO2 Sequestration

Related activities:

Education Resources at Beloit College - Materials Chemistry, Nanoscience and Solid State Chemistry

Implementation Notes:

I have yet to use this website in my teaching but I hope that it may be a resource in expanding our curriculum in supramolecular chemistry.

Time Required:

depends on use

Web Resources:

Rebek Laboratory Homepage

3 Jan 2019

Venn Diagram activity- What is inorganic Chemistry?

Submitted by Sheila Smith, University of Michigan- Dearborn

Evaluation Methods:

I did not assess this piece, except by participation in the discussion

Evaluation Results:

I asked my students to write an open ended essay to answer the question (asked in that first day exercise): What is Inorganic Chemistry.

Interestingly, 2 of my 15 students drew a version of this Venn Diagram to accompany their essays.

Description:

This Learning Object came to being sort of (In-)organically on the first day of my sophomore level intro to inorganic course. As I always do, I started the course with the IC Top 10 First Day Activity. (https://www.ionicviper.org/classactivity/ic-top-10-first-day-activity). One of the pieces of that In class activity asks students- novices at Inorganic Chemistry- to sort the articles from the Most Read Articles from Inorganic Chemistry into bins of the various subdisciplines of Inorganic Chemistry. As the discussion unfolded, I just sort of started spontaneously drawing a Venn Diagram on the board.

I think Venn diagrams are an excellent logic tool, one that is too little applied these days for anything other than internet memes. This is a nice little add-on activity to the first day.

Your Venn diagram will likely look different from mine. You're right.

Learning Goals:

The successful student should be able to:

identify the various sub-disciplines of inorganic chemistry.
apply the rules of logic diagrams to construct overlapping fields of an Venn diagram.

Prerequisites:

No Prerequisites

Corequisites:

Equipment needs:

colored chalk may be handy but not required.

Topics Covered:

Bioinorganic chemistry

Coordination chemistry

Descriptive chemistry

Organometallic chemistry

Course Level:

First year

Upper Division

Subdiscipline:

f-block Chemistry

Introductory Chemistry

Main Group Chemistry

IC Top 10 first day activity

Related activities:

Cool first day activities?

Introducing Inorganic Chemistry - First Day Activities

Implementation Notes:

I used this activity in conjuction with a first day activity LO (also published on VIPEr).

I shared a clean copy (this one) with the students after the class where we discussed this.

Time Required:

10-15 minutes

15 Jun 2018

Developing methodology to evaluate nanotoxicology: Use of density.

Submitted by Tori Forbes, University of Iowa

Evaluation Methods:

I typically evaluate this activity through class participation although the answer key is posted after class to let the students evaluate their own understanding of concepts. The students do know that they will be tested on the material within the activity and usually I have a density problem on the exam.

Evaluation Results:

This activity is designed to give the students more freedom as they move from the first density calculation to the last set of calculations. Within the last set of calculations, they encounter a hexagonal unit cell so that may require some additional intervention to get them to think about how to calculate the volume of a hexagonal unit cell.

Description:

This activity is designed to relate solid-state structures to the density of materials and then provide a real world example where density is used to design a new method to explore nanotoxicity in human health. Students can learn how to calculate the density of different materials (gold, cerium oxide, and zinc oxide) using basic principles of solid state chemistry and then compare it to the centrifugation method that was developed to evaluate nanoparticle dose rate and agglomeration in solution.

Learning Goals:

A student should be able to calculate a unit cell volume from structural information, determine the mass of one unit cell, and combine these two parameters to calculate the density for both cubic and hexagonal structures. In addition, students will have an opportunity to read a scientific article and summarize the major findings, place data in a table, and explain the similarities and differences between the densities calculated in the activity and the experimental values that are reported in the literature.

Corequisites:

Subdiscipline:

Course Level:

Equipment needs:

None

Topics Covered:

Extended structure

Will it Float? Density of a Bowling Ball Activity

Prerequisites:

No Prerequisites

Related activities:

Investigating the structures of close packed solids in metal sulfide nanocrystals

An ion exchange method to produce metastable wurtzite metal sulfide nanocrystals

Implementation Notes:

I have used this activity in our first semester inorganic chemistry course when we cover solid-state materials. One thing to note is that I do use 2-D projections to describe structures and we cover that in a previous activity. You could remove 2-D projections from this activity if it is not something that you previously covered.

Time Required:

This activity usually takes about 40 to 45 minutes.

Web Resources:

DeLoid et al, 2014, Nature Communications

13 Jun 2018

The Preparation and Characterization of Nanoparticles

Submitted by Kyle Grice, DePaul University

Evaluation Methods:

Students are evaluated on their participation in lab, lab safety, lab notebook pages, and a lab report turned in a week after the last day of the experiment.

Evaluation Results:

This lab was first run in spring of 2016, and again in spring of 2017 and 2018 (a different instructor carried out the lab in 2018).

In general, students do well on the lab report and seem to enjoy the experiment.They often need guidance when interpreting the Analytical Chemistry article and selecting the correct equations. Discussing their values with them in office hours ("does that make sense?") helps them understand their calculations.

A sample lab report that scored above 90% is included in the faculty-only files.

Description:

This is a nanochemistry lab I developed for my Junior and Senior level Inorganic Chemistry course. I am NOT a nano/matertials person, but I know how important nanochemistry is and I wanted to make something where students could get an interesting introduction to the area. The first time I ran this lab was also the first time I made gold nanoparticles ever!

We do not have any surface/nano instrumentation here (AFM, SEM/TEM, DLS, etc... we can access them at other universities off-campus but that takes time and scheduling), so that was a key limitation in making this lab.

While it was made for an upper-division course, I think It could be adapted and implemented at many levels, including gen chem. I do not spend much time on nano in the lecture (none in fact), so this lab was made to have students learn a bit about nanochemistry somewhere in inorganic chemistry. We have one 10-week quarter of inorganic lecture and lab, offered every spring quarter.

This lab takes approximately 2-3 hours if students are well prepared and using their time well, but is usually spread over 2 days. Students are concurrently doing experiments for another lab or two because we have a lab schedule that overlaps multiple labs, and can do these during one day or across two days. The lab space is an organic chemistry laboratory, so we have access to the usual lab synthetic equipment

Students in thelaboratory write lab reports,which are the due the week after the last day of the lab experiment. In the lab report they use their UV-Vis data to calculate information about the AuNP.

The lab has been posted, as well two photos from students' ferrofluids (these were posted with permission on our departmental blog). A rubric has been posted as a faculty-only file. I have also included a student submission that received over 90% on the lab with their identifying information removed. Students write and introduction and need to cite journal articles in their report, so they are expected to do reading on nanochemistry topics outside of the lab period as they write their reports.

I am sure the lab can be improved, this was what i came up with the materials and time I had. I plan on continuing to revise and edit it as time goes on. Any suggestions are very welcome!

Course Level:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Subdiscipline:

Spectroscopy and Structural Methods

Learning Goals:

A student should be able to perform a chemical laboratory experiment safely and follow proper lab notebook protocol.

A student should be able to determine the average size of AuNPs from spectroscopic data and primary literature.

A student should determine atomic and nano-scale information from physical properties.

A student should be able to construct a lab report in the style of an ACS article (Students in my lab wrote lab reports for each experiment).

Topics Covered:

Bonding models: Extended systems

Chemical literature

Descriptive chemistry