With Experience Chemistry, we’ve transformed the traditional textbook into a modern interactive notebook that students will actually use. Students DO chemistry first - by interacting with phenomena and completing hands-on inquiry labs and activities. Then students complete readings, formative assessments and math practice in their Student Experience Notebooks. This gives them real-world context for their readings and the background knowledge necessary to tackle more elaborate activities such as engineering design challenges and peer review.
The Student Experience Notebook is a place for students to write, clarify ideas, and make a record as a scientist. It’s an interactive tool that promotes scientific understanding and anchors phenomena-based, experiential learning.
Does this sound too familiar?
“Our chemistry books sit on a shelf in the back of the room, and we just use them for practice problems.”
We reinvented the chemistry book to improve science learning.
Advance Student Thinking
Deepens students’ understanding as they write and sketch their observations, generate questions, and gather data
Develops students’ reasoning as they explain phenomena while completing hands-on and digital activities
Focuses students on science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts through targeted question prompts
Apply Claim-Evidence-Reasoning
Inspires careful observation of phenomena, poses critical thought questions, and promotes the development of initial claims
Encourages repeated data analysis, reflection, and revision of ideas while uncovering new information
Stimulates the synthesis of ideas and conclusions using evidence
Write and Talk about Science
Strengthens literacy and communication skills through frequent journaling – increasing comfort level with academic language
Lets students practice nonfiction writing – descriptive, labeling, procedural, explanatory, and narrative
Cultivates important skills of analysis and critical thinking while encountering new data points
