Book excerpt: Laboratory Manual to Accompany Chemistry: Atoms First by Gregg Dieckmann and John Sibert from the University of Texas at Dallas. This laboratory manual presents a lab curriculum that is organized around an atoms-first approach to general chemistry. The philosophy behind this manual is to (1) provide engaging experiments that tap into student curiosity, (2) emphasize topics that students find challenging in the general chemistry lecture course, and (3) create a laboratory environment that encourages students to “solve puzzles” or “play” with course content and not just “follow recipes.” Laboratory Manual represents a terrific opportunity to get students turned on to science while creating an environment that connects the relevance of the experiments to a greater understanding of their world. This manual has been written to provide instructors with tools that engage students, while providing important connections to the material covered in an atoms-first lecture course.