Because chemistry is so cumulative, I’d argue one of our biggest challenges is ensuring students are retaining the knowledge they gain in class. Parts of chemistry require memorization but more importantly, requires a deep understanding of concepts. On top of that, students then need to apply that knowledge! Fortunately, there are several strategies you can implement to enhance student retention. Here are some effective strategies to help your students remember and understand the material better.
Spice Up Your Lecture
One of the most effective ways to help students retain knowledge is to engage them in active learning. This involves moving beyond traditional lectures and incorporating activities that require students to actively participate. Techniques such as turn and teach, group work, problem-solving, scaffolding and hands-on experiments encourage students to process information more deeply, making it easier to remember. The best way to learn is by doing, of course!
Tip: Use lab experiments, in class demos or videos to illustrate key concepts. This not only makes the material more engaging but also helps students see the real-world applications of what they’re learning.
Assess Cumulatively
I don’t like to make my test cumulative. In the schools I’ve taught at the tests were always high stakes. (70% of the class average is CRAZY!) But I do like to make my classwork cumulative! My favorite way is with informal questioning during lessons. The number of times I ask “what’s the charge of an electron?” “ what happens when a bunch of negatives are in the same place at the same time?” Mind-numbing, honestly.
I also like to start each of my lessons with a Question of the Day. Typically it’s an open ended question that sets us up for the day’s lesson. They often recall a key fact. Like when we learn molecule polarity, the question of the day references electronegativity. Which we wouldn’t have really talked much about since learning the periodic table. Good recall!
You could incorporate more quizzes and smaller assignments that require students to pull from old content. Typically my sub plans are worksheets I was never able to assign, even though they were already printed. If I don’t have anything lying around, I make my sub plans something “review” in nature. I typically use all my sick days in a school year (and if not all, most). So this is usually a one day a month situation, on average.
Repetition
I really like to use task cards, card sorts and other games in my class! If it’s something I’ve taken the time to laminate, it’s probably something we are going to use more than once. If I find we have 10 minutes in class left over, you best believe we are going to redo an old card sort. Maybe we’ll do some vocabulary dominoes.
Spiral Review
If you like a bit more structure and aren’t as “go with the flow” as me, here’s a good one. Take the time to intentionally add old content to your current lessons. It’s a good idea to pull in things that your students aren’t strong with. That makes this strategy the most effective. I have a PD on spiral review, you can check out here. The gist is that you’ll want to revisit old but relevant concepts as the year progresses. Things will increase in complexity as you go, but that’s just the nature of chemistry! This will help reinforce learning and ensure students retain core principles.
Use of Mnemonics
Mnemonics are memory aids that help students remember information by associating it with something familiar. Acronyms, rhymes, and visualization techniques can make complex information more manageable and easier to recall. I’ve got quite a number that I use in chemistry class. Here’s a few:
- BEND: Bond ElectroNegativity Difference, tells you if a bond is polar or nonpolar
- SNAP: Symmetrical Nonpolar, Asymmetrical Polar, tells you if a molecule is polar or nonpolar
- BAAD: Bases Accept Protons, Acid Donate Protons
- Chemistry Home Run: Particles need proper energy and orientation to have a reaction (like a baseball hitting a bat)
- Present Pacific, Absent Atlantic for counting the number of significant figures
Real-World Connections
Students are more likely to retain knowledge when they see its relevance to the real world. Incorporating real-world examples and applications of chemistry concepts can make the material more engaging and memorable. Sometimes this is easier than others. Check out a free list of demos for Kinetics & Equilibrium for some help. If you’re struggling with this, Youtube is a great place to look.
Collaborative Learning
Two heads are better than one! Collaborative learning strategies, such as group work and peer teaching, can majorly enhance student retention! Students can explain concepts to each other and learn from their peers. This social aspect of learning can make the material more engaging and easier to remember. Encourage your students to get into study groups where they work together outside of class too!
Consistent Review
I always take the time to review before a test. I know that some students take that as an opportunity to learn the entire unit in a day. Whatever. For most students, it’s a last chance to fill in the blanks and get themselves in order before a unit test. I like to pull old activities and use them again. Why create something brand new if you don’t have to? Combine this with students working together and you’ve got a triple whammy!
Reteaching
If you know your students flopped on a particular concept, take the time to reteach it. You don’t have to (and probably shouldn’t) reteach your original lesson. I have a podcast episode where you can learn ways to incorporate reteaching that won’t destroy your entire curriculum calendar.
Encouragement
Last of all, encourage your students to desire retaining knowledge. I know that’s kind of silly, because I know you do it. But I think it’s important to remind them that chemistry is cumulative by its nature. You don’t do this because you’re a mean teacher. Them taking the time to really learn the basics of atomic structure, periodic table and chemical bonding will make the back half of the year (applied chemistry) MUCH easier. My students know this because I tell them this. I’m telling you, it’s worth the shot. For a handful of students, the idea that the second semester is easier for them if they bust their tails now is warning enough! If you want to read more about how I structure my chemistry course, check out this free guide!
