Chemistry Everyday for Everyone edited by
Chemistry for Kids
John T. Moore Stephen F. Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX 75962
David Tolar
An Elementary Outreach Program— Have Demo Will Travel
R. C Fisher School Athens, TX 75751
James Swim Bentonville High School, 402 Tiger Blvd., Bentonville, AR 72712;
[email protected] This Journal has published numerous articles about outreach programs in which college instructors and college students provide demonstration programs or conduct workshops for high school and elementary school students (1) (see also ref 2). I wish to share an outreach program, now in its fourth year, in which high school students visit elementary schools to promote chemistry and science. The program, entitled “Have Demo Will Travel”, has high school students as presenters under the supervision of their instruc-
Table 1. Hands-On Activities and Demonstrations Reference
Demonstration
Third Grade Cartesian diver bottle
3, p 22
Soft drink can crushed
3, pp 26–27
Inflated balloon in a flask
4, pp 12–13
Pencil through side of a water-filled Ziploc bag 5 Boiling water with ice
4, pp 81–84
Inverted glass of water
6, p 21
Needle through balloon
7, pp 139–142 4, pp 131–136
Activity of H2 and O2
Fourth Grade Wave bottle
3, p 90
Float diet Pepsi & Pepsi
8
Hot & cold water densities
8
Floating soap bubbles over CO2
8
Pouring CO2 over a candle
8
Superabsorbent polymer
9
Elephant's toothpaste
10, pp 101–102 8
Combustion in a bottle
Fifth Grade 11, pp 362–363
Slime Liquid nitrogen's effects: shattering a carnation condensation of O2 on side of soft drink can ball and ring set a bimetallic bar using a banana as a hammer shattering a racket ball effect on inflated balloons Meissner effect frozen finger in glove Egg in a flask
628
12, pp 5–6 12, p 10 12, p 7 12, p 7 12, pp 5–6 12, p 5 12, p 6 12, pp 8–10 12, p 12 12, p 7
tor. The supervision assures the use of safe demonstration practices and allows for interaction between elementary teachers, students, presenters, and instructor. Objectives The outreach program has the following objectives: To provide science role models for elementary students To increase elementary students’ interest in science To provide a resource to the elementary teachers To show that science is fun and exciting To provide high school students an opportunity to demonstrate their skills before an audience To strengthen the knowledge of the presenters To model the scientific method To encourage development of higher-level thinking skills To illustrate the use of problem solving strategies
Program Description Hands-on activities and concepts covered include pressure, density, solubility, chemical reactions, physical and chemical properties, states of matter, superconductivity, and polymers. Scientific method and key concepts of the demonstrations are discussed with the students, and a questions/answer period is provided. The demonstrations are shown in Table 1 by grade level (3–11). High school students perform demonstrations for all five of the district elementary schools. Each grade level has a three- to five-member high school team assigned. The high school students watch the instructor do each demonstration and follow the explanation. Each high school student is then given the opportunity to repeat the demonstrations for his or her peers before the teams begin to visit the elementary schools. Third, 4th, and 5th grade classes are visited once annually, allowing “Have Demo Will Travel” to reach about 1500 students. Safety Safety is a major concern. The presenters are required to wear the proper goggles, chemical gloves, and lab coats when doing their presentations. The audiences are informed when their ears should be protected and are shown how to cup their hands over their ears to muffle any loud noises. A safety shield is used when needed and a fire extinguisher is transported to each site. The modeling of the safety equipment generally elicits a few questions from the students concerning the purpose of the equipment.
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 76 No. 5 May 1999 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
Chemistry Everyday for Everyone
Results
Literature Cited
The outreach program has been very successful. The high school students involved in the presentations have developed a better appreciation of chemistry and a better understanding of the concepts they are presenting to the elementary students. As a result of their understanding, the high school students exhibit better verbal communication skills and are not as timid while performing before an audience. Feedback from former high school students indicates they are more comfortable in their college chemistry classes, and particularly in their laboratory work. On the elementary side, the students are very attentive, focused, inquisitive, and excited. The interaction between the high school students and elementary students provides a good experience for both groups. Correspondence from the elementary students conveys their excitement about the program and their desire to emulate the presenters once they reach high school. A few examples are as follows.
1. The following were all published in J. Chem. Educ. Cohen, S. H. 1979, 56, 736-737. Norwick, J. S.; Brisbois, R. G. 1989, 66, 668. Carlson, N.; Strickland, T.; Shen, A.; Zoller, W. H. 1991, 68, 1021–1022. Koppang, M.D.; Webb, K. M.; Srinivasan, R. R. 1994, 71, 929–931. Mazzeo, A. 1995, 72, 165–166. Burnett, D. 1995, 72, 166. Mitchell, D. J. 1995, 72, 166. Heinze, K. F.; Allen, J. L.; Jacobsen, E. N. 1995, 72, 167–169. Craney, C.; Mazzeo, A.; Lord, K. 1996, 73, 646–650. Waldman, A. S.; Schechinger, L.; Nowick, J. S. 1996, 73, 762–764. Powell, D. L.; Bromund, R. H.; Haynes, L. W.; McElvany, K. D.; Pedersen, J. D. 1975, 52, 737–738. Hanson, R. H. 1976, 53, 577–578. Haynes, L. W.; Powell, D. L. 1976, 53, 724–725. Borer, L. L. 1977, 54, 703. Bergmeier, B. D.; Saunders, S. R. 1982, 59, 529. Waterman, E. L.; Bilsing, L. M. 1983, 60, 415–416. Giachino, G. G. 1983, 60, 743–744. Hufford, K. D. 1984, 61, 427–428. Schreck, J. O.; Betts, G. T.; James, M. L. 1984, 61, 714–715. Steiner, R. 1984, 61, 1013–1014. Gabel, D. 1985, 62, 702–704. Barnes, R. D. 1986, 63, 56–57. Jones, M. B.; Monley, R. 1986, 63, 698. Scaife, C. W. J. 1986, 63, 790–791. Seager, S. L.; Swenson, K. T. 1987, 64, 157–159. Greco, T. G.; Greco, C. B. 1987, 64, 537– 538. Carlson, G. L. 1988, 65, 58–60. Howard, R. E.; Barnes, S.; Hollingsworth, P. 1989, 66, 512–514. Sullivan, D. M. 1990, 67, 887–888. Kelter, P.; Hughes, K.; Murphy, A.; Condon, K.; Heil, P.; Lehman, M.; Netz, D.; Wager, T. 1994, 71, 864–866. Deavor, J. P.; Deavor, J. W. 1995, 72, 798. Tracy, H. J.; Collins, C.; Langevin, P. 1995, 72, 1111–1112. Bailey, P. S.; Bailey, C. A.; Andersen, J.; Koski, P. G.; Rechsteiner, C. 1975, 52, 524–525. Fenster, A. E.; Harpp, D. N.; Schwarcz, J. A. 1985, 62, 1100– 1101. Hermens, R. A.; McCoy, K. E. 1986, 63, 696. Kelter, P. B.; Paulson, J. R.; Benbow, A. 1990, 67, 892–895. Shaw, C. F. III; Greenier, R. G.; Lasca, N. P. Jr.; Brooks, A. S. 1992, 69, 1020– 1023. Gammon, S.D. 1994, 71, 1077–1079. Nolan, W. T.; Gish, T. J. 1996, 73, 651–653. 2. Freemantle, M. Chem. Eng. News 1996, 74(13), 24–27. 3. Summerlin, L. R.; Borgford, C. L.; Ealy, J. B. Chemical Demonstrations: A Sourcebook for Teachers; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1987; Vol. 2. 4. Shakhashiri, B. Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry; University of Wisconsin Press: Madison, 1985; Vol. 2. 5. I will provide a full explanation for this demonstration upon request; email:
[email protected]. 6. Herbert, D.; Ruchlis, H. Mr. Wizard’s 400 Experiments in Science; Book Lab: North Bergen, NJ, 1968. 7. Fun with Chemistry: A Guidebook of K–12 Activities, Vol. 1; Sarquis, M.; Sarquis, J., Eds.; Institute for Chemical Education: Madison, WI, 1991. 8. Deese, W. C. Dead Chemists’ Society handout; 9th Annual Statewide Mathematics and Science Leadership Conference; University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR, July 29, 1994; (Department of Chemistry, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272; Email:
[email protected]). 9. Dugdale, T.; Katz, D. Superabsorbent Polymers; ChemFax #755.10; Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL, 1994. 10. Summerlin, L. R.; Ealy, J. L. Jr. Chemical Demonstrations: A Sourcebook for Teachers, 2nd ed.; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1988; Vol. 1. 11. Shakhashiri, B. Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry; University of Wisconsin Press: Madison, 1989; Vol. 3. 12. Marek, L. R. Be Cool to Your School: Uses of Liquid Nitrogen; Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL, 1992.
Thank you for the Cartesian divers. I have so much fun with it. I can’t wait to show my grandma that you can do all kinds of neat things. I will show her the Cartesian diver too. I bet she will be amazed like me! Jennifer Davis, 4th grade I think you all done a good job. If you asked me my opinion? I’d say I liked the slime the best! Whenever I get into high school I’m going to take chemistry class. Crystal Lucas, 5th grade
Elementary teachers indicate that they are able to use the demonstrations as examples when teaching science. Some of the comments from the elementary teachers are as follows: The looks of excitement on the children’s faces is all the evaluation we need. They were enthralled. 3rd grade teacher The only suggestion I would have, would be that they come 2 or 3 times a year. They do an excellent job and the kids thought they were fantastic! I think this “sparks” them to want to be scientists when they grow-up! Kari Hale, 4th grade teacher
Examples have more meaning to the students and provide a ready reference when needed. Better communication between the elementary teachers and the high school staff has also resulted from this program. Elementary faculty and students have been encouraged to email science questions to the student presenters for assistance. Acknowledgments This work was supported in part by Bentonville Public Schools Foundation grants, an Arkansas Department of Education grant, and by building Parent–Teacher Associations. The Bentonville High School administration has given support by providing professional leave for the presentation days. I also wish to thank J. Emory Howell for his suggestions and encouragement concerning this manuscript.
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