Presented by
- Dani Jackson
- Veteran public-school teacher
- STANYS Chemistry SAR
- NYS Master Teacher (Mid-Hudson)
- Extensive NYSSLS experience
- Email: chemteacher914@gmail.com |
and Presented by
- Marsilio Mark Langella
- Retired AP Chemistry instructor (31 years)
- STANYS College SAR
- Founder, Mini-Concepts
- Director, PWISTA
- Chemistry Professor, Mercy University
- Email: langella@pwista.com
Chemistry Program Overview
The Chemistry Institute supports teachers of all experience levels in understanding updates to the Regents Chemistry course and exam, including:
- Modifications to the Reference Tables
- New test question formats
- Chemistry Investigations aligned with NYSSLS
Teachers will analyze NYSED resources—such as Performance Level Descriptions and the Educator Guide—to clarify expectations of three-dimensional (3D) learning and compare NYSSLS to the previous Core Curriculum.
A major focus will be hands-on framing labs designed to prepare educators for the NYS Regents Performance Lab Investigations. Teachers will learn how to assemble lab kits and facilitate the activities in their classrooms.
Laboratories Included
- Structured Inquiry: Intermolecular Attractions & Polarity
- Adhesion vs. cohesion, capillary action, molecular structure, hydrogen bonding, evaporation rate, IMF effects.
- Guided Inquiry: Intermolecular Attractions
- Polarity and solubility relationships in molecular substances.
- Natural vs. Synthetic Polymers
- Phenomenon: “What is plastic?”
- Core question: How does molecular structure influence material properties?
- Mini-Scale Titration
- Use of 1-mL syringes for accessible, accurate titration.
- Exploration of indicators, pH, neutralization, antacids, and acid–base reactions.
These modules are designed to support chemistry teachers as they adapt traditional laboratory exercises into guided inquiry–based investigations. Each sample experiment begins with detailed Teacher Notes that explain the underlying philosophy, instructional methodology, and rationale for the inquiry approach.
Purpose and Pedagogical Foundation
Inquiry is widely recognized as an effective strategy for promoting deep conceptual understanding and advanced scientific reasoning. However, to ensure students benefit from inquiry, teachers must skillfully manage student cognitive load during open-ended activities.
These modules focus on framing—a targeted form of scaffolding that equips students with the background knowledge, context, and skills they need before they begin an inquiry investigation. Framing helps clearly define the problem space and lowers cognitive demand, enabling students to think more scientifically and confidently.
What the Training Provides
Teachers will learn how to:
- Introduce inquiry systematically through progressive framing activities.
- Establish the foundations for more complex guided-inquiry experiments using simpler, preparatory labs.
- Integrate questioning strategies and experimental techniques that enhance student reasoning.
- Transition from traditional to guided-inquiry laboratory practices with small but impactful changes in approach.
Sustainable and Efficient Lab Design
To model best practices, the sample labs:
- Replace traditional equipment (burets, pipets, etc.) with safer, lower-waste alternatives.
- Use ≤ 15 mL of reagent per trial, minimizing chemical consumption and waste.
- Require ≤ 10 minutes per trial, allowing multiple iterations within one class period.
- Maintain exposure to fundamental theory and introductory laboratory techniques.
This streamlined approach creates additional room in the curriculum for more challenging inquiry-based activities without sacrificing essential skills.
Class Level and Adaptability
These experiments are designed for Regent’s level chemistry courses.
4 days Mon-Thu. 8:30-4:30 each day
Date: June 29th to July 2th, 2026
Time : 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
Cost: $499.99
Place: Yonkers Public Schools TBA
Sponsored by: PWISTA
Credit : A 30-hour certificate toward in-service credit will be issued for use according to your school district’s policy.
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