Teaching K-12

Calling New York-based teachers in grades 6-12! Join us for our New York Green Chemistry Professional Learning Team, where your professional growth aligns with New York State learning standards for pedagogy and student performance. This collaborative initiative is designed to enhance your instructional skills through demonstrations, peer reviews, and a strong emphasis on lab safety. By exploring green chemistry principles and integrating them into your current labs, you will not only expand your knowledge but also help create a safer and more sustainable learning environment for your students.

Our monthly virtual meetings foster a supportive community of practice where educators can share their experiences and learn from one another. You will have the opportunity to analyze student work and refine your teaching strategies while building a collective repository of greener laboratory practices. Together, we will improve pedagogical skills and confidence, promote educational leadership, and enhance student achievement through real-world problem-solving experiences. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to collaborate and grow alongside fellow science educators!

💬 Led by Beyond Benign Certified Lead Teacher Scott Carlson

🗓️ Third Thursday of each month from February to June 2026

⏰ 7-8:30 p.m. ET

📍 Online - Zoom link upon registration 

Are you a teacher based in New York? Attend the 130th STANYS ​Annual Conference from November 7th to 10th in Syracuse! This year’s theme, “Sensemaking – The Power of Making Connections,” emphasizes the crucial role of interdisciplinary connections in scientific discovery and problem-solving, mirroring the interconnected nature of the world around us. 

👋 If you attend, be sure to connect with Beyond Benign Certified Lead Teachers Stefanie Loomis and Scott Carlson and Community Engagement Manager Michelle Ernst Modera! These green chemistry leaders will be tabling and sharing K-8 activities you won’t want to miss. 

Submit your abstract to the Symposium: Advancing Green Chemistry Education: The Process, Research and New Developments in Curricular Activities which will take place at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2025 meeting in CA& Hybrid.

Abstract

There is an increase in educational activities aimed at enhancing knowledge and use of Green Chemistry principles and applications. However, with demands in academia, this sometimes presents a barrier to wider adoption across the curriculum. This symposium explores the process of developing Green Chemistry activities, courses, and curricular changes, sharing how educators got started and progressed through development. The discussion will cover research, theory-based methodology, and pedagogical strategies used to revamp or develop activities, as well as chemical education research on this process. The session will also discuss the pivotal role of change agents—educators and researchers who drive the adoption of innovative practices and sustainable principles in education. By sharing the developmental journey and the theoretical underpinnings of our assessment strategies, the session aims to contribute to the broader discourse on advancing Green Chemistry education and to inspire ongoing research and implementation of effective teaching methodologies. Speakers from all sectors of the CHED community are invited to share how they are integrating green and sustainable chemistry, systems-thinking, toxicology, and social/environmental justice into their classrooms, laboratory curriculum, undergraduate research and outreach activities. Interdisciplinary and international perspectives are welcome, as are student speakers at the undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral levels, including those from minority-serving institutions.

Deadline for Submission is Monday, September 30.

Discover the latest addition to the 4-H STEM Curriculum for Grades 9-12: Sustainable Polymers: Confronting the Plastic Crisis. This curriculum was created in partnership with the CSP and is designed to engage youth in understanding and addressing the environmental impacts of plastic waste.

Webinar Details:

#1: May 15, 2024

10am PDT | 11am MDT | 12pm CDT | 1pm EDT

Register at https://bit.ly/Polymer1 

#2: May 23, 2024

9am PDT | 10am MDT | 11am CDT | 12pm EDT

Register at https://bit.ly/Polymer2 

Calling all K-12 teachers! Create safer, more engaging learning environments by integrating green chemistry and sustainable science principles into your classroom. Join your peers at our monthly professional development series: Observe, Wonder, Think: A Green Chemistry Interactive Webinar Series to learn how! Register to stay in the loop about upcoming speakers.

This year, the monthly Observe, Wonder, Think webinar series will highlight the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry!  Each webinar will focus on 1-2 Green Chemistry Principles. We will bring the focus principles to life with a short, engaging classroom learning activity. Our guest speakers will share how they incorporate the focus principles into their classroom learning activities and labs. Opportunities for discussion will be integrated throughout each webinar.   

This dedicated monthly time is designed to bring the green chemistry community together to advance the field and share ideas and resources for inspiring students through green chemistry!  We encourage you to invite your colleagues and friends to join these virtual discussions. We will provide a certificate of participation at the end of each webinar that may be used for PD hours. 

September

Chemical Storage, Lab Safety, and Lab Waste

09/21/2023; 6PM EST
 

Presented by Mr. William McMahon, Lab Technician, State University of New York (SUNY) Jefferson Community College

Mr. McMahon has spent 20 years running the academic science labs and stockrooms at SUNY Jefferson. He will be presenting on chemical storage, lab waste disposal and lab safety. He will share many of the best practices that Jefferson has adopted to promote safety culture in the science division. He will share materials and devote time to a question & answer session.

More information is forthcoming.