The Confident Chemistry Teacher

🎙️ Ep. 21 – Simple Semester Exam Review Strategies that Keep Students Engaged

Episode Intro

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing my favorite strategies for reviewing before semester exams — without losing your sanity or your students’ attention. You’ll discover how to keep students engaged during review days, balance independent and active learning, and design meaningful practice materials that actually prepare them for success.

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to:

✅ Create and organize a semester exam review that balances student independence and active learning.

✅...

Duration: 00:14:18

🧪 Ep. 20 – Inside the Unit: Chemical Nomenclature Episode I

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m walking you through how I teach one of the foundational chemistry skills—chemical nomenclature. You’ll hear how I structure the unit, keep students engaged, and help them build confidence while naming and writing chemical formulas.

Key Takeaways

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to:

• Determine when to teach nomenclature in relation to bonding

• Use bonding types to scaffold naming conventions

• Help students understand ionic vs. covalent...

Duration: 00:14:25

Episode Intro

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing a real and honest reflection about what happens when graduation rates take priority over student learning.

You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes challenges of adjusting to a new school environment, supporting struggling students, and finding your balance between accountability and empathy.

You’ll walk away with practical classroom management strategies, structure ideas, and tools that help you refocus your students on learning — even when motivation feels low.

 

Key Takeaways

By the end of this episode...

Duration: 00:13:22

🎙️ Episode: My Go-To Periodic Table Unit -Activities, Trends, and Timing Tips

A practical walkthrough of my Periodic Table unit—history hooks, must-teach trends, hands-on labs, and lots of low-prep practice to cement understanding.

Episode Description

In this episode, I run through exactly how I teach the Periodic Table in Chem I and Honors: how I hook students with music and history, scaffold core periodic trends (atomic radius, ionization energy, electronegativity, ionic radius), and build fluency with smart practice and a few fan-favorite labs. You’ll hear when and why I bring back electron configura...

Duration: 00:11:35

Welcome back to the Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast!

Episode Summary

In this episode, I’m breaking down one of my favorite quick-and-fun isotope activities — the Marshmallow Isotope Lab! This hands-on lab helps students visualize isotopes by building models of hydrogen’s three isotopes using mini marshmallows and toothpicks. It’s simple, colorful, and perfect for reinforcing the difference between ions and isotopes in a memorable way.

I’ll walk you through:

✅ Why this lab helps students truly see isotopes instead of just reading about them 🍬 How to organize the materials (and yes — students...

Duration: 00:12:33

Episode Summary

Hey Chemistry Friend! In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, Chem walks you through her Electrons Unit — from the evolution of atomic models to light and energy calculations, and finally, electron configurations. You’ll hear how she sequences lessons, which labs and demos make the biggest impact, and how she builds connections between math skills, color emissions, and atomic structure. Whether you’re teaching high school Chemistry or honors-level students, you’ll get ideas to simplify your planning and make this concept-packed unit more engaging and hands-on!

In This Episode, You’ll Learn...

Duration: 00:12:02

Sometimes the simplest tools make the biggest impact.

In this episode, I’m sharing one of my favorite organization hacks: the daily Google slide.

Each day of the school year gets its own slide with the date, learning intentions, success criteria, warm-up, agenda, and links to resources.

It’s a straightforward system, but the benefits are huge—for me, my students, parents, co-teachers, and even admin.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

What goes on a daily slide (date, objectives, warm-ups, agenda, and more). Why slides beat paper planners, calendar...

Duration: 00:12:15

Episode Summary

In this episode, Chem walks through a practical sequence for teaching Atoms—from subatomic particles to isotopes and average atomic mass—plus why some topics don’t live in this unit (history of the atom, moles) and where to spiral in ions and the octet rule.

You’ll get easy-to-run activities (Google Slides checks, PBS ChemThink, isotopes/average-atomic-mass activities), labs, and clear expectations for Chem 1 vs. Honors.

Freebie Links:

Atomic Structure Review & Practice worksheet

PBS ChemThink worksheet

Duration: 00:14:58

Parent communication isn’t anyone’s favorite part of the job (hi, same 🙋‍♀️), but it can be calm, professional, and effective.

In this episode, I share a simple 6-step framework I use for emails and phone calls so conversations stay factual, collaborative, and student-focused—without eating your whole prep period. You’ll also hear practical examples, boundary tips, and how to document contacts the smart way. You’ll learn why consistent, professional communication is essential for protecting instructional time and fostering strong relationships.

The 6-Step Framework:

State the facts, not your emotions. Be specific and quantifiable (e...

Duration: 00:11:43

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing how I used the Lab Day Starter Kit in my own classroom and why it made a “simple” lab run smoother and more meaningful for both me and my students.

I’ll walk you through each piece of the kit, show how it supported my Cooling Rate of Hot Water Lab, and give you practical tips for making your own lab days less stressful.

 

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to:

Use the Lab Day Checklist to plan ahe...

Duration: 00:08:52

Ep. 11 – Inside the Lab: Matter & Change 

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m kicking off a new series: Inside the Lab. Today, I’m taking you inside my Matter & Change Lab—an 8-station activity that gives students confidence, reinforces key vocabulary, and sets safety expectations early in the year.

I’ll highlight my 4 favorite stations and share teacher hacks that make setup, timing, and safety a whole lot smoother.

Key Takeaways

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to: Reinforce Chemistry vocabulary with hands-on practice Use station l...

Duration: 00:14:55

AI is everywhere right now, but what does it really look like in a high school classroom?

In this episode of the Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing 3 practical ways I use ChatGPT to save time, reduce stress, and support student learning — including one that completely surprised me.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

Parent emails made easier — how I use ChatGPT to polish tone, grammar, and professionalism (especially when I’m frustrated 🙃). Better post-lab questions — how I generate new, customized questions and answer keys that connect more closely to my lesson goals. Student skill sup...

Duration: 00:08:32

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m taking you inside the Matter & Change unit—one of the most important foundations for the rest of the year. This unit helps students:

Build vocabulary they’ll use in every future Chemistry topic Practice classification skills through hands-on activities Gain lab confidence while still early in the year See the difference between physical vs. chemical properties and changes

I also share how I structure this unit in my own classroom, when I like to teach it in the sequence (sometimes 2nd, sometimes 3rd), and why it’s so val...

Duration: 00:13:19

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing three powerful lab shifts that helped my students learn more deeply from hands-on activities—and stopped them from just “going through the motions.”

From rethinking your lab timeline to using quizzes and videos strategically, these small changes make a big impact on engagement and retention.

You'll hear: Why I no longer squeeze labs into one class period, How lab quizzes improve accountability, What kinds of videos I create for better student prep and review. 

Plus, I share how these strategies connect to my upc...

Duration: 00:08:11

Today we’re hitting pause on the lab shifts and diving into something timely — your very first day with students. If you’ve ever dreaded starting the year with a dry syllabus read-through or found yourself doing all the talking, this episode is for you.

I walk you through my Models in Science lesson — an interactive, movement-based activity that gets students collaborating, thinking scientifically, and laughing together. We’ll talk about how this lesson sets expectations, introduces scientific modeling (a major NGSS practice), and builds class community from the moment they walk through the door. This has been my go...

Duration: 00:13:50

🎙️ Episode 6: Inside the Unit – Scientific Math How I Use Sig Figs, Density, and Real-World Connections to Build Chemistry Confidence

Show Notes:

In this episode, I break down my Scientific Math unit—a standalone unit designed to give students the foundational math skills they need to succeed in Chemistry. I’ll walk you through: Why I teach Scientific Math as a standalone unit, how I tackle topics like sig figs, scientific notation, and density My favorite labs, demos, and student engagement strategies Why this unit helps calm chaos before we even hit stoichiometry What to do when studen...

Duration: 00:13:45

How Student Jobs Can Empower Your Students and Streamline Your Day

Show Notes:

Student jobs aren’t just for elementary school — they’re a game-changer in high school Chemistry too!

In this episode, I share how assigning classroom roles has helped me manage chaos, build community, and empower students in meaningful ways.

From emergency roles to door monitors and celebration managers, I walk you through: Why student jobs work (even with high schoolers!) The 11 jobs I use in my classroom (and why) Tips for introducing and rotating jobs throughout the year How cl...

Duration: 00:15:04

🎧 Episode 4 – Inside the Unit: Lab Safety & First Lab Day

How I Teach Procedures, Set Safety Norms, and Start Labs with Confidence

Show Notes:

Labs are where the magic happens in Chemistry — but only when students understand the importance of safety, expectations, and responsibility. In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I'm walking you through exactly how I set the tone for a safe, engaging, and well-run lab experience from the very beginning of the school year. Whether you're a first-year teacher or a seasoned pro looking to streamline your systems, you'll walk aw...

Duration: 00:18:10

🎧 Episode 3 – How I Plan My Year as a Chemistry Teacher- Flexible Framework for Mapping Out a Meaningful School Year

Show Notes:

Does planning the school year feel overwhelming? Or maybe you're a planner at heart but want to streamline the process? Either way, this episode is packed with real-world strategies to help Chemistry teachers create a year-long plan that works — even with labs, assemblies, testing days, and surprise pumpkin explosions. 🎃

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m breaking down exactly how I plan my school year — from gathering key calendars to m...

Duration: 00:19:29

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, we’re kicking off a new series called Inside the Unit — and we're starting with how I teach the Nature of Science and Introduction to Chemistry in the first two weeks of school. I’ll walk you through my exact game plan for this foundational unit, from setting classroom expectations to reviewing variables, lab procedures, graphing, and even the difference between qualitative and quantitative observations. You'll hear how I integrate interactive notebooks, POGL activities, and even lab safety without overwhelming students — plus why I save the heavy math for later. I’ll als...

Duration: 00:15:09

Feeling overwhelmed as a new Chemistry teacher? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to do it all. In this kickoff episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing the 7 things I wish someone had told me when I started teaching Chemistry. From making answer keys and reviewing middle school content, to setting boundaries and being honest with your students, this episode is packed with practical advice and encouragement, whether you're brand new or just need a reset. 🎁 Don’t miss the free Lab Station Laugh Cards to bring a little humor to your next lab day! http...

Duration: 00:12:27

🎙️ Episode 0: Welcome to The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast Welcome to The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast! I’m Chemberyle — pronounced Kimberly — and I’m so glad you’re here. In this short intro episode, I’ll share who I am, what this podcast is all about, and how it can support you as a Chemistry teacher. Whether you're in your first year or your fifteenth, this space is here to help you teach with clarity, confidence, and (maybe) a little fun along the way. ✨ Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode: Who this podcast is for What kind of content you can expe...

Duration: 00:02:55