Low temperature preservation is a widely used postharvest preservation technology for fruits and vegetables. Glycine betaine (GB) is considered as a natural, green and safe preservative for fruits and vegetables as a non-toxic small-molecule osmotic regulator. And from the perspective of chemistry, the synthesis of GB and its mechanism of alleviating cold damage of fruits and vegetables by stabilizing protein structure were introduced. The chemical knowledge of cold damage of fruits and vegetables was revealed, so that students could feel that chemistry is closely related to life.

Through the comparative analysis of the four dimensions of personal characteristics, external influences, academic research, and textbook presentation of the “scientist image” portrayed in Chinese and American high school chemistry textbooks, it is found that the Chinese version of the textbook highlights the advantages of local scientists, attaches importance to the cultivation of scientific methods, and presents most of them with pictures and texts, but the personality of scientists is not three-dimensional, the life image is slightly lacking, and the background characteristics are relatively weak. The American version of the textbook depicts the appearance of scientists vividly, the academic attitude is profound, and the research scene is described, but the team scientists have few materials and the research value of scientists is insufficient. In view of these characteristics, this paper provides suggestions for textbook writers and front-line teachers to better integrate the spirit of scientists into chemistry teaching.

On the basis of analyzing the background and content of the teaching theme and the current situation of junior high school chemistry infiltration of traditional culture, this paper introduces the idea of infiltrating the teaching design of traditional culture, and takes “widely used acids, bases and salts” as an example, based on the ancient book Tian Gong Kai Wu, introduces the teaching practice of infiltrating the traditional culture in detail. This paper discusses practical reflection from three perspectives: enhancing teachers’ humanistic literacy, viewing ancient books scientifically and dialectically, and valuing traditional cultural practices, providing reference for teachers to infiltrate traditional culture in middle school chemistry classroom teaching.

Traditional teaching methods that focus on the imparting of knowledge can not embody the fundamental disciplinary concepts inherent in VSEPR, resulting in students being unable to analyze complex problems. The key teaching points of VSEPR model construction include: (1) establishing the covalent bond repulsion theory, then introducing lone pairs to develop it into VSEPR; (2)calculating the number of lone pairs and valence electron pairs from Lewis structures; (3)employing Coulomb’s law to recognize the differences in repulsive forces between single bonds and multiple bonds, lone pairs and valence electron pairs; (4) extending the VSEPR analysis method and calculation formulas from molecules to ions, as well as to complex molecules. The teaching effectiveness, existing issues, and directions for improvement are analyzed through students’ learning performance.

In accordance with the topic of “electrolytic cell” within the framework of the “chemical reactions and energy” section of the chemistry selective compulsory curriculum for senior high schools, as well as the associated school-based elective comprehensive practical activities, students are encouraged to engage in a project-based learning focused on the design and construction of an electrolysis elimination pen. Throughout the project investigation, students will develop models of electrolytic cells in various scenarios, systematically decompose the associated challenges, and address them in a progressive manner. In the process of project exploration, this article constructs electrolytic cell models in different contexts, decomposes problems in a layered and progressive manner, and solves them one by one, promoting students’ understanding of electrolytic cell models, deepening the principles of electrochemistry, and inspiring students to form higher-order thinking and scientific spirit.

Taking the reaction between hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide for example, this paper guides students to conduct four rounds of experimental inquiry under evidence reasoning: What kind of reaction occurs between hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide? Whether iodine can catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide? What influences do external conditions and substance quantity have on the reaction? In a rational style, this paper completes the construction, application, consolidation, and improvement of the basic model of experimental inquiry; forms a general path and method for solving abnormal phenomena in experiments, and improves the basic operational ability of experimental and the cognitive level of scientific practice.

Taking “design solid hydrogen storage materials” as the learning context, the disciplinary value and practical application of electronegativity are well combined. Through the achievement of real problems and tasks, students are driven to experience the necessity of electronegativity, understand the concept and simple application of electronegativity, and use electronegativity to design hydrogen storage materials. This advanced deep learning process emphasizes the fundamental understanding of electronegativity, focuses on the microscopic essence, condenses the cognitive perspective with transfer value, and forms a structured approach to qualitatively and quantitatively measure the strength of atomic electron attraction ability. It enhances the disciplinary understanding of electronegativity, realizes deep learning, unleashes the educational value of disciplinary knowledge, and implements the disciplinary literacy of scientific attitude and social responsibility.

This study based on Kapur’s productive failure teaching and the systems thinking hierarchy model. Teaching practice was conducted on the topic of “ionic reactions and equilibria in aqueous solutions” in high school chemistry. By comparing the performance of students in the experimental class and the control class before and after teaching, this study explored the impact of the productive failure teaching mode on students’ systems thinking in chemistry teaching.

This study explored the application effect of Argumentation-Based Teaching (ABT) in the teaching of “carbon and carbon oxides” unit of junior high school chemistry. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, and 122 ninth-grade students were selected as the research subjects. And assessed students’ critical thinking tendencies and argumentation skills using the UF-EMI scale and argumentation evaluation rubrics. The results showed that: (1) ABT significantly improved students’ argumentation skills and critical thinking tendencies; (2) Argumentation skills were significantly positively correlated with critical thinking tendencies, and the former was an effective predictor of the latter. The research provided empirical evidence for the application of ABT in chemistry education and provided new teaching strategies for improving students’ higher-order thinking abilities.

By analyzing the deficiencies of the current experiment on “electrolyzing copper chloride solution” in the People’s Education Press textbook and the current research status of this experiment in China, optimized improvement plans for the experiment are proposed. The experiment is improved using a homemade double-chamber electrolysis cell. The improved plan specifies the required voltage and the mass fraction of the solute, and elaborates on the reasons behind these specifications. On this basis, in order to reduce the dosage of reagents and increase the portability of the device, a bottom-cut syringe is used as the electrolytic cell to shorten the electrode distance and optimize the experimental plan. The improved experiments exhibit more pronounced and faster phenomena, clearly indicating the direction of ion flow in the solution during electrolysis. The experimental operation is simple and quick, environmentally friendly, and the experimental setup is low-cost and reusable, making it conducive to group experiments and widespread adoption by teachers.

With the help of conventional experiment and digital experiment technology, the phenomenon of the reaction of the metal Zn with different solid surface area and the FeCl₃ solution, the product and the change of the solution pH during the reaction process were explored. The experimental results show that the reaction of Zn tablet and Zn powder with FeCl₃ solution, from the perspective of the reaction phenomenon: the reaction of Zn sheet and Zn powder and FeCl₃ solution produces reddish-brown colloid and gas, the reaction rate of Zn powder is faster than that of Zn tablets, and the pH changes faster during the reaction, the generated Fe particle is easy to be observed due to the small area of Zn sheet, while the dispersed deposition on the surface of zinc powder is difficult to be observed due to the large area of zinc powder; From the perspective of reaction product: H₂, ZnCl₂, FeCl₂ and elemental Fe are generated during the reaction of Zn sheet and Zn powder with FeCl₃ solution, red-brown Fe(OH)₃ was precipitated between pH = 3 and 4 of the reaction solution.

This paper investigated the reaction effects of six different living substances in the production of carbon dioxide, improved the filling method of carbon dioxide, and utilized recycled plastic products to assemble a carbon dioxide preparation and property testing device. The device has been used to conduct experiments on the density of carbon dioxide, its reaction with water, and its non-combustible and non-combustion-supporting properties, demonstrating its advantages of controllability, easy operation, and safety and environmental protection. The entire exploration process cultivates students’ scientific attitude of daring to question and innovate, effectively enhances their experimental operation and scientific exploration abilities, and also subtly cultivates their sense of social responsibility.

By adopting self-made plastic experimental boxes, with the help of “high and low sandalwood” reignition, “high and low candles” extinguishing, and “dry and wet roses” changing color and using oxygen sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, etc., the “properties of oxygen and carbon dioxide” experiment is improved, making the demonstration visual, interesting and integrated, breaking through the bottleneck of traditional teaching that is difficult to demonstrate, and promoting the deep learning of chemistry.

This paper designs and manages a learning environment based on real problems, providing middle school students with authentic research experiences. The real question is whether hydrogen molecules can pass through the wall of plastic mineral water bottles. This paper implements hypotheses and plans, designs experiment, collects data, analyzes and demonstrates experimental data, and further explores experimental analysis to experience the “real” process of scientific research, learns scientific research methods, cultivates students’ scientific spirit, and enhances their scientific literacy.

Taking “electrolysis of water” as an example, this study explores the effect of voltage on water electrolysis by applying electrical knowledge and quantitatively examines the energy conversion during the process. From the perspective of interdisciplinary learning between physics and chemistry, the study investigates the factors influencing energy efficiency in electrolytic water and analyzes measures to improve it. The paper also introduces the future development of energy storage technology based on electrolytic water and explains energy-saving measures in new chlor-alkali industrial processes.

The nature of models is a core component in the development of chemistry core literacy, enabling students deeply understand the essence and laws of chemical knowledge by constructing and applying chemical models. This study analyzes 17 empirical studies related to the nature of models in China through a systematic literature review, aiming to reveal the current state of the nature of models in chemistry. The results of the study show that: (1) In recent years, there has been a growing number of studies on the nature of models, predominantly focusing on high school students and utilizing survey methods. (2) In terms of the theoretical framework and dimension construction, although there are differences in the division of sub-dimensions of the nature of models across various studies, the core viewpoints remain largely consistent. These dimensions can be integrated into a three-dimensional analytical framework encompassing representational attributes, functional attributes, and dynamic attributes. Furthermore, some studies have expanded their frameworks by incorporating a dimension of modeling practice to explore the understanding of the modeling process. (3) Students generally have inadequate cognition of models and exhibit varying levels of understanding across multiple dimensions. Pre-service teachers show a need for improvement in their overall understanding of models, while in-service teachers, despite recognizing the variability and multiple representations of models, often overlook their predictive functions. Based on these findings, this study proposes several recommendations for future empirical studies on the nature of models in China’s chemistry education.

The exploration and integration of the history of chemistry is an important means for cultivating core competencies in high school chemistry. It helps to construct the knowledge structure, feel the context and consider specific questions in scientific research. With the order of theoretical speculation and verification of its extraction, as well as the development and application of the concept of sodium element, this paper summarizes the development history of metallic sodium element. Combining the analysis of sodium element and electrochemical related content in high school chemistry textbooks and general high school chemistry curriculum standards, educational value of development history of sodium element is explored for related content, including improving the conversion path of sodium species, providing situational materials, and designing specific chemical questions.

The construction principle is a conceptual model for studying the arrangement of electrons outside the atomic nucleus. Using the construction principle to illustrate the principle of construction can reduce the difficulty of students memorizing the order of energy level filling. By studying the historical facts of chemistry, it could be known that the schematic diagram of construction principles was first proposed by Chinese scholar Yi Bao-fang. Later, many teaching researchers had improved it to varying degrees and developed various forms of mnemonic diagrams, which had achieved good teaching effects, such as reducing the difficulty and errors of using schematic diagrams of construction principles, and further enhancing students’ learning interest. In the teaching of construction principles, if the history of schematic diagram of construction principle and more types of mnemonic diagrams are reasonably introduced, it is conducive to creating problem scenarios, improving students’ model cognition and visual literacy, and enhancing students’ emotional experience.