A Humorous Comparison of Two Elements: A Secondary School Project Current emphasis in discussions of chemical education often centers on the student's involvement with the curricu l u m Various methods of motivation such as interest-captivating demonstrations, student experiments, symbol crasswords, chemical bingo, and individualized instruction are in vague. One of my students recently devised a novel addition to the above list which I believe merits consideration in the general concern of humorizing chemistry. In our unit an the Periodic Table, I assigned an independent library research project on the comparison of two elements. Each person chose those elements (preferably of the same group, in order to provide for relevant contrasts and comparisons) that he wished to learn mare about. Then a master list showing all possible handbook data as well as items relevant to their natural occurrence, abundance, discovery, and periodic properties was provided. One god of this project was familiarity with the "Chemistry Handbook." Other suggested references were chemical dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other textbooks. In addition to a tabular listing of the above, a summary of relevant comparisons stressing periodic properties was required. The mast intriguing summary 1 received was written as a play. It is indicative of a clear understanding of ehemical properties. Most importantly, it has served to thoroughly involve a student with an atherwise quite abstract subject matter. One certainly could not hope to have these elements for display or experiment in our classrooms. I have included the teat of the play as an example of a superb way to make chemistry fun for the students. In the future, I shall request such an assignment from my classes, and I hope that others of you on reading the following will think the suggestion worthwhile.
A Conversation between Ytterbium a n d Lutetium, Elements Number 70 a n d 71 Yllrrbium: l m u s t r s v t h a r v o v r n n r e i i r h i n y , likoasilver m h l e t . 1,utelium I ~ ~ ~ l talk d nif rI the" use vour. for a mirror. if'^ so rellrcti~c. Yh: If must he a family trail. W e haw t h e Grandpa. Monazite Sand. We're dp. rcmdant;ol the l h s u e h t i l ~ Yttriumline. l I'm n s m e d a h r r h i m . 1.u Yer. . . we do come from money. Hnwwer. (with a smirk1 I'm worth more t h a n Y"".
Yb: l h o i l i n l (iod'il petynu ior t h a t h t i a ! Lu: That's you Yfty, you always did have a low boiling point. And with t h e puyr!YOU melt likc butter. Now take me, I'm c m l and collected, I hardly ever melt a m u n d m e n . a n d a l m o s t n o i h i n ~ c a n make m e boil over.. . Y b Excent arn1ar ,urnace. Lu N l l w i u o u l d n ~ t f a i k Ytty. . You'd boiltoo! you l w k 80 PLUS TWOISH these days. Yb: lpauring and s t s r i n e at L u ] You know L u teurdently healed !wouldn't ynu k too if a m p o n e paid that m y m J J Oh! S h u t UP! it maker my head swim. arcas as tic ally) Today You're u, wishy~warhyin f h n t it's two. fomormw i t ' ~ three. H~~~~~ knows hat you'll d o reekP L U S SEVENTEEN!"' Yb: !ohviourly anseredl Y o u ' r e s o a b i o l u t ~ l yuseless! 1.": Imappimg hack) S o a r s o w
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1,": You'rero.. . . !veneelYllyl cubic. Yb: Well. I can't help that. You know. 1.utia. they ray you're e hexaxonsl crystal. Ha. ha, ha, ha. ha! Lu: (more t h a n parboiled now1 Well! I'm E w e there are other heraponal crystals on Lanthanide Street. Yb: !still laughing1 I wouldn't count on it. (ceasing t h e laushterl You can't think better t h a n I, you're m u c h denser. Lu: Howwould you know, you're pretty denreyounalf. Yb: Well, look at it this v a ~ other : subslancea don't like dumbdumbr, n o r d o they? Now I a d m i t , we are vew d ~ ~ f i v wo e . don't mix with commoner, like thorp nouv e a u ~ r i c h eHzO's u p t h e elley a n d around the corner. A t least alenhol will accept me. h u t who will accept you at a mixine, partyq-Nobody. Nobody likes a denso like you!. Lu: l l y o u weren't my muain. l ' d ~ m a r hyou: Yb: i c o n t i m i n g as if nothine had been said) . . and anyway, I lorm more compounds t h a n you. 1.u: That's only because you're so wiihy~ws=hy-you use your friends l i i i c ? l w h i i p e r ~ ine a n d rhowinematmnly f m a n ) which isn't niee. llonq pausel Yh: Well. I m u s t ray . . there go four hnndrome young, available chlorine5 I'm feelinp plusfwoirhfodsy. I.et'n#omake a bond. A r e y o u ~ a m e ? 1.u: (ueivinp all pmvious servpler siidol Of courre!
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed Waterford High School Waterford, Connecticut 06385
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Journal of Chemical Education
Barry Levine S a r a C. Myers'
