“Structure determines properties” is one of the core concepts in chemistry.By regulating material structure to achieve performance optimization,it can meet the diverse needs of practical applications.The heat treatment process optimizes the properties of metals by changing their microstructure (such as austenite,martensite,etc.),reflecting the cross fusion of chemistry and materials science.This article systematically analyzes the regulatory mechanisms of quenching,normalizing,annealing,and tempering processes on the microstructure and mechanical properties of materials,revealing the inherent relationship between temperature,cooling rate,and material properties,and providing vivid examples for the theme of “material structure and properties” in high school chemistry teaching.

Glycemic homeostasis monitoring is crucial for maintaining human health. The evolution of blood glucose detection technology is a microcosm of the progress in analytical science driven by chemical principles. This work systematically deconstructs the transition in chemical principles underpinning these technologies-from chemical colorimetry to enzymatic methods and then to electrochemical sensing-revealing the advanced pathway of core knowledge such as redox reactions, electrochemistry, and enzyme catalysis. From the three dimensions of structured knowledge integration, scientific thinking modeling, and the cultivation of disciplinary literacy, this article refines its unique teaching value for activating the high school chemistry knowledge system, training model-based cognition and innovative thinking, and implementing STSE (Science, Technology, Society, Environment) education.

Interdisciplinary practical activities themed on the exploration and production of food-grade oxygen absorbers are carried out by leveraging information-based tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) and digital experiments. Through three tasks-exploring food-grade oxygen absorbers, manufacturing specialized food-grade oxygen absorbers, and recycling food-grade oxygen absorbers: the integration of chemistry with disciplines such as biology, information technology, and the humanities is achieved. Students acquire information through artificial intelligence (AI), complete product development via experimental inquiry and group collaboration, and achieve a thinking progression of “understanding scientific principles through practice, enhancing practical abilities through application, and cultivating core competencies through innovation”.

This teaching case takes fluorescein, a practical organic compound, as the situational material and applies the general methods for researching organic substances. It conducts research on fluorescein from six aspects: its preparation, separation and purification of crude fluorescein by column chromatography, determination of the empirical formula by elemental analysis, determination of the molecular formula by mass spectrometry, determination of the molecular structure by infrared spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and its application. The entire lesson case is designed based on the real research process, guiding students to experience the complete path of organic research in an immersive way. Through the interaction between practice and thinking, it effectively enhances core competencies in the field of chemistry, such as evidence reasoning and model cognition, scientific inquiry and innovation awareness.

This study reorganizes the high school chemistry unit on acetic acid, esters, and carbohydrates by using “exploring fruit flavors” as a real-world context. Through three progressive tasks of probing the origin of acidity, analyzing aroma components, and tracking sweetness conversion, students are guided from macro-flavor experiences to their micro-origins, establishing the core concept that “structure determines properties, and properties govern uses”. The first lesson focuses on examining the carboxyl group structure in acetic acid and ester synthesis to understand functional groups and their relationship to properties. The second lesson employs bananas at different ripening stages as the subject of study, moving beyond the traditional starch hydrolysis model to investigate the enzyme-catalyzed natural transformation pathways of sugars. This practice ignites learning motivation, cultivates experimental inquiry skills, and elevates health-conscious decision-making through chemistry.

Following the teaching logic of “experimental inquiry-model construction-transfer application”, this lesson explores the factors influencing the oxidizing properties of Fe³⁺ and I^- through experimental investigation, and constructs a three-dimensional thinking model of “conditions-potential-properties” to understand the factors affecting the oxidizing and reducing properties of substances. The model is then applied to explain the formation of concentration cells, and further refined by exploring the conditions for laboratory preparation of chlorine gas. Through solving real-world problems, this lesson cultivates students' systematic thinking and evidence-based reasoning, while demonstrating the essential characteristics of scientific research. Guided by the concept of integrating teaching, learning and assessment, the lesson design embeds assessment within the teaching process.

High School Chemistry Curriculum Standards (2017 Edition, Revised in 2020) and Compulsory Education Chemistry Curriculum Standards (2022 Edition) both explicitly demand the teaching of Socio-scientific Issues(SSI) in various aspects. However, the implementation of SSI teaching in actual classrooms is characterized by low implementation rates and low achievement rates in corresponding academic requirements. Therefore, this study aims to explore and address the challenges faced in the design and implementation of SSI, based on the improvement study of SSI conducted by the team of “experimental research project on implementation the chemistry curriculum standards” in Weifang, Shandong. At last, the study provides practical teaching methods and strategies for teachers.

The new curriculum standards have set higher requirements for the coherence between primary and junior secondary science education. However, current teaching practices still face issues such as content gaps and repetitive instruction. To address this issue, this study systematically constructs five developmental levels for the concept of “solubility” across primary and junior secondary stages, based on the theory of learning progression. Correspondingly, five conceptual coherence teaching strategies are proposed: (1)Life relevance and observational experience; (2)Experimental inquiry and quantitative perception; (3) Conceptual transformation and quantitative construction; (4)Model transformation and systemic application; and (5) Authentic context and transferable application. The teaching strategies are elaborated in detail through teaching segment examples and the design of assessment methods, aiming to provide frontline teachers with a practical and actionable new approach for teaching conceptual coherence.

Experimental teaching is an important way to cultivate innovative talents. In response to the low rate of experimental teaching and the problems of incomplete experimental plans in some textbooks, a research approach of “learning by doing, researching, creating, using, and evaluating” has been adopted. Through pre training group project research, in training achievement display and optimization improvement, post training achievement application and summary promotion, a training path for high school chemistry teachers has been constructed, which promotes the professional development of participating teachers, innovates some teaching material experimental projects, and provides reference for experimental research project-based teacher training.

This course takes “assembling water-based zinc-ion battery packs towards driving a toy car” as the exploration project. Design a series of progressive experimental tasks centered on battery electrode fabrication and processing, simple battery assembly and external packaging optimization, battery performance enhancement, and the design and fabrication of series-connected battery packs. This approach deepens students' understanding and transfer ability of the working principles of primary batteries, guides students to pay attention to academic frontiers, focuses on actual product needs, analyzes and learns from industrial battery structures, comprehends the basic process of practical battery research and development, and appreciates the importance of electrochemistry in life.

Regarding the aspects that can be improved in the experimental scheme for determining chemical reaction rate in textbooks, such as the insufficient airtightness of glass syringes and the relatively large internal friction when switching to plastic syringes, the accuracy of reaction rate determination has been improved by designing a long-necked funnel to judge pressure changes and using a piston pumping device modified from a toy guitar to adjust pressure. Through the exploration of the reasonable dosage and particle size of marble as well as the appropriate concentration of hydrochloric acid, the volume of generated gas and the experimental time are controlled, making the experiment more suitable for classroom demonstration. The improvement of the experimental scheme can be used as material for project-based learning, which is conducive to developing students' evidence-based awareness of seeking truth from facts and their rigorous scientific attitude of striving for excellence.

Magnetic fields have extensive and important applications in numerous interdisciplinary fields. Based on Maxwell's equations and magneto electric coupling, design relevant chemical experiments to explore in depth the influence of Lorentz force on the migration path of microscopic particles under different magnetic field environments, and provide a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis and explanation of the regulation of chemical reactions by different magnetic field environments. By utilizing the unique color changes of purple cabbage juice, the microscopic motion of particles is presented in a macroscopic dynamic form, fully demonstrating the beauty of chemistry and the abstraction of physics. In the interdisciplinary practice of exploring fun experiments in electromagnetic fields, breaking down barriers between different disciplines, fields, and ability dimensions, establishing a development system that is interrelated, permeable, and integrated, and promoting the dynamic development of chemical science literacy from knowledge accumulation to ability advancement and value internalization.

Based on the redox reaction between ferric chloride and vitamin C, integrating the basic biological principle that “antioxidants scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS)”, this study simulates and investigates the antioxidant activity of vitamin C in vitro. Experimental results show that: with the increase in the molar concentration of vitamin C in the solution, the degree of reduction of Fe³⁺ (tan) to Fe²⁺ (pale green) is enhanced; the pH of the solution decreases from 2.3 in group 0^# to 0.9 in group 4^#; through the KSCN colorimetric test, the solution gradually changes from blood-red in group 0^# to colorless in group 4^#. These findings confirm that vitamin C possesses in vitro antioxidant activity. The study aligns with the core competencies of senior high school chemistry, such as “macroscopic identification and microscopic analysis” and “evidence-based reasoning and model cognition”, providing a practical case for interdisciplinary learning and the implementation of the assessment orientation of the “new college entrance examination”.

The 2024 high school chemistry textbook revised the “inquiry experiment on hydrolysis of ferric chloride” to the “inquiry experiment on hydrolysis of ferrous sulfate”. This study reviews domestic and international literature to explore the mechanisms by which chloride ions and sulfate ions influence the hydrolysis equilibrium of ferric ions. Findings reveal that chloride ions inhibit iron(III) hydrolysis through coordination interactions, causing abnormal solution coloration due to yellow complex formation that obscures direct observation of experimental phenomena. Conversely, sulfate ions—despite stronger coordination ability—form pale (nearly colorless) complexes and promote iron(III) precipitation. Therefore, substituting ferric sulfate for ferric chloride avoids color interference, better meeting the requirements of teaching observation and experimental design. This study provides theoretical support for textbook revision and deepens the understanding of anion effects on the hydrolysis behavior of ferric ions.

Ethyl acetate is a typical representative of ester compounds, and high school textbooks generally emphasize its “insolubility in water”. However, through literature review and experimental investigation, it has been demonstrated that lower esters can dissolve in water. Theoretical analysis shows that the ester group is a hydrophilic group, which explains why lower esters are soluble in water. Larger hydrocarbon groups hinder the interaction between the ester group and water molecules, thereby reducing solubility. This study elucidates the relationship between the structure of organic compounds and their solubility, emphasizing the core concept of “structure determines properties” in the field of chemistry, providing valuable insights for the teaching of organic chemistry in new textbooks.

The digital writing standard is an important component of scientific expression, which directly affects the rigor of experimental data recording, calculation result presentation, and academic expression in middle school chemistry teaching. This article takes the Usage of Numbers in Publications (GB/T 15835-2011) as the standard, and combines core scenarios such as experimental operations, chemical calculations, and concept expression in middle school chemistry teaching to systematically analyze the applicable rules of Arabic numerals and Chinese numerals. Through typical cases, this paper illustrates the normative requirements of digital writing, such as scientificity, integrity, and correspondence, and proposes a fourth-order teaching strategy of “rule disassembly-scene matching-error analysis-habit formation”, providing case references for improving the standardization and scientificity of middle school chemistry teaching.

As the simplest aromatic hydrocarbon, benzene (C₆H₆) has become one of the core molecules in organic chemistry research due to its unique structure and stable chemical properties. The clarification of its structure has undergone a lengthy process from experimental discovery to theoretical breakthrough. The elucidation of the benzene ring structure not only broke through the theoretical bottleneck faced by chemists in the 19th century, but also laid a crucial foundation for the structural characterization and reaction mechanism research of aromatic compounds. From the dual perspectives of historical development and theoretical construction, this study sorts out the evolutionary path of benzene ring structure models as well as their key roles and application prospects in drug molecular design and functional material development. The process of clarifying the benzene ring structure vividly interprets the dialectical unity of intuitive inspiration, theoretical deduction and experimental verification in scientific discoveries, as well as the rigorous and realistic scientific spirit of generations of chemists.