Adrianne Penullar Chemistry Coaching →
Avondale, AZ · Online · U.S.

Chemistry educator,
curriculum designer,
EdD candidate.

Eleven years in the AP Chemistry classroom, adjunct instructor at Estrella Mountain Community College, and doctoral researcher at Trident University International — studying how science teachers make instructional decisions at the intersection of print and digital.

AP Chemistry Physics First CHM130 / CHM151 EdD Candidate — Instructional Design
View credentials Download CV ↓ Chemistry coaching ↗
Adrianne Penullar at her desk — stylus in hand, chemistry mug, iPad, and amber neon sign
In session — Avondale, AZ
11
Years AP Chemistry
4
Courses Active — Fall 2026
EdD
Instructional Design, Trident
EMCC
Adjunct Instructor
About

Educator, researcher,
and perpetual learner.

I'm Adrianne — I've been teaching chemistry since before I knew I'd make a career of it. I teach AP Chemistry and Physics First at Westview High School in the Tolleson Union High School District, and I'm an adjunct instructor at Estrella Mountain Community College, where I teach Fundamentals of Chemistry (CHM130AA) and General Chemistry I (CHM151AA).

Somewhere along the way I started asking questions about how we teach — not just what we teach. That led me to a doctoral program in Instructional Design at Trident University International, where my dissertation research focuses on how secondary science teachers perceive print versus digital reading formats and how those perceptions shape the decisions they make in the classroom.

Outside of school, I run a chemistry coaching practice at onlinechemtutor.com — a small, selective cohort of students I work with one-on-one throughout a full semester, online, anywhere in the U.S. And I build curriculum resources and educational materials through AnneMade.

I live in Avondale, Arizona, with my husband Albert (a nurse practitioner) and our son Rian, born May 2026.

Currently

  • AP Chemistry, Westview High School
  • Physics First, Westview High School
  • CHM130AA, Estrella Mountain CC
  • CHM151AA, Estrella Mountain CC
  • EdD dissertation research, Trident

Subject expertise

  • AP Chemistry (all 9 CED units)
  • General & Organic Chemistry
  • Physics (conceptual / inquiry)
  • Dimensional analysis & metrics
  • Lab safety & scientific writing

Location

  • Avondale, AZ (West Valley)
  • Online — available anywhere U.S.
Teaching Philosophy

Students derive the conclusion.
Chemistry is the vehicle.

My classroom isn't a place where I explain things and students write them down. It's a place where students wrestle with problems, build arguments, make mistakes, and figure out what went wrong — that's the real chemistry skill I'm teaching.

01

Guided inquiry over direct answer

Students arrive at conclusions through structured investigation, not because I told them the answer. The reasoning matters more than the result.

02

Error analysis as learning

Wrong answers are data. Every retake and reflection asks students to identify what specifically went wrong and fix it — not just try again.

03

Critical thinking as the real subject

Chemistry is the context. The actual skill being developed is the ability to evaluate evidence, question assumptions, and communicate reasoning clearly.

Selected Work

Curriculum, research, and resources.

A sample of curriculum design and instructional work — built from scratch, grounded in real classrooms, and designed so that any teacher can pick up and run with them.

AP Chemistry · Westview HS

Full-year AP Chemistry course build

Nine-unit course fully aligned to the College Board CED, with Canvas-integrated mastery gates, item-banked exams (New Quizzes), per-topic notes-practice-reflection cycles, and a constructivist "Story of Chemistry" through-line anchored to Coulomb's law and energy dispersal.

EdD Research · Trident University

Dissertation: print vs. digital in science classrooms

Qualitative case study examining secondary science teachers' perceptions of how print and digital reading formats affect student comprehension — and how those perceptions shape instructional decisions. Theoretical framework: Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988). Committee: Dr. Carey Ford, Dr. Emily Mulvihill.

CHM130AA · EMCC

Fundamentals of Chemistry — full course redesign

Rebuilt from 23 RateMyProfessor insights and real student feedback. Includes a Google Sites e-Portfolio replacing the traditional paper journal, a 16-CLO mastery contract, pooled item-bank quizzes, and a points-based grading system that runs cleanly on 1000 total points.

Physics First · Westview HS

Physics First — sub plans, labs, and unit foundations

Freshmen-level physics curriculum built for the Westview cohort: sub-plan library (Sub Plans 0/2–9), an evidence-mapped CLO design for Unit 1, and a guided Height vs. Wingspan data lab using Vernier Graphical Analysis. Designed to run as a substitute-safe, inquiry-forward sequence.

AnneMade · TpT Resources

Metric Conversions Cornell Notes & Case Study

A transferable, classroom-tested one-lesson package: Cornell notes, case study practice, worked examples, full and abbreviated keys, substitute directions, and a classroom edition. Designed around the NASA Mars Climate Orbiter as the unifying context. Color and B&W print-ready.

onlinechemtutor.com · SEO

Chemistry coaching blog — research-backed content

Three long-form posts grounded in primary research: AP Chemistry exam weights and Chief Reader patterns; failure factors in general chemistry (Bloom, Dunlosky, Beilock); and constructivist coaching philosophy (Taber, Driver, Dewey). Each post has a cited SVG infographic and Article schema markup.

Credentials

Education & certifications.

Education

  • Doctor of Education (EdD)
    Trident University International — Instructional Design
    In progress · expected 2026–2027
  • Master of Science — Chemistry
    Grand Canyon University · Phoenix, AZ
    2018 – 2019
  • Master of Education — Education
    Teach-Now Educatore · Washington, DC
    2015 – 2017
  • Bachelor of Science — Microbiology
    University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ · Minors: Chemistry & Japanese
    Graduated December 2013

Teaching & Professional

  • AP Chemistry Teacher
    Westview High School · Tolleson Union High School District
    11 years · current
  • Adjunct Chemistry Instructor
    Estrella Mountain Community College · CHM130AA & CHM151AA
    Current · Fall 2026
  • Physics First Teacher
    Westview High School · TUHSD
    Current · Fall 2026
  • Arizona Teaching Certificate
    Secondary Science — Chemistry
    Active
  • Content Creator — Chemistry
    Pivot Interactives with Discovery Channel · Remote
    July 2023 – present
  • TUHSD Science Curriculum Builder
    Tolleson Union High School District
    2016 – present
  • NHS Chapter Advisor
    Westview High School — National Honor Society
    2016 – present
Download full CV (PDF) ↓

Looking for chemistry coaching
for your student?

I run a small, selective semester-based coaching practice for AP Chemistry, high school, and college chemistry students — online, anywhere in the U.S. Six students maximum per semester. Full preparation, every session.

Visit onlinechemtutor.com Book a free intro call →
My work, beyond the classroom

Projects & businesses.

🧪

Online Chem Tutor

Semester-based, 1:1 chemistry coaching for high school and college students. AP Chemistry, general chemistry, organic chemistry. Online, anywhere in the U.S.

onlinechemtutor.com ↗ ✏️

AnneMade

Classroom curriculum resources, educational materials, and custom gifts — built small-batch with real classroom experience behind every page.

annemadecreates.com ↗ 🍚

Anne's Filipino Catering

Authentic Filipino party trays and catering for West Valley families and events. Party packages, custom orders, and vendor events.

annesfilipinocatering.com ↗