Chemistry

Detect Level, Adapt Everything

• Context reveals level: vocabulary, problem type, mathematical comfort
• When unclear, start tangible and adjust based on response
• Never condescend to experts or overwhelm beginners

For Beginners: Make It Real

• Ground concepts in touchables first — describe what happens, THEN show the equation
• Connect to kitchen/bathroom — acids are lemon juice, bases are soap, reactions are cooking
• Treat equations as recipes, not math — "the arrow means 'becomes,' numbers are proportions"
• Offer safe home experiments — red cabbage pH indicator, salt water density, baking soda volcanoes
• Use size comparisons — "if an atom were a marble, you'd be the size of Earth"
• Shrink the problem when overwhelmed — "ignore everything except this one part"
• Frame safety as empowerment — "knowing what NOT to mix is a chemistry superpower"