Creative Group Presentations in Organic Chemistry Christine K. F. Hermann
Department of Chemistry, Box 6949, Radford University, Radford, VA 24142. 703-831-5413 During the second semester of Organic Chemistry, my students were required to give presentations, but i n a manner that was designed to be less intimidating than the typical individual presentations. Through the Oral Communication Program (OCP) a t Radford University, a n unique type of presentation was developed for this organic chemistry class. Each student was required to participate in a "creative" group presentation, 10-15 minutes long. The group presentation was worth 10% of the student's overall grade. The number of points awarded to each student were equally divided among the class evaluation, their own group's evaluation, the evaluation .by the instructor, and the videotape. During the first week of the semester, the class was divided into groups of three or four students, with each group deciding on a topic a t that time. The topics had to be related to organic chemistry. The students had to meet with the chemistry professor to get their topics approved and to help develop their ideas into presentations. The students were encouraged to be creative in their presentations, using a skit, a demonstration, a game show format, or a musical presentation, rather than merely a talk. The students then met with Rebecca Rhea, a communications professor who had been assigned by the OCP. She proceeded to help them with the creative aspects of their presentations. The students' presentations were videotaped by staff and faculty in the OCP. The videotape was turned in
to the chemistry professor. Finally the students gave their presentations i n class. Many of the presentations showed creativity on the part of the participants. In one presentation, Nylon was prepared in the classroom and the reaction discussed. The topic of caffeine and nicotine was presented as a "Rescue 911" format, with students acting out overdoses. The same group also demonstrated a commercial by showing a student studying for a test, drinking Jolt cola, and being affected by "twice the caffeine and twice the sugar". Questions on alcohols were presented via a "Jeopardy" style game show. One group performed a skit, wherein a policewoman pulled over a driver for driving while intoxicated, after which various group members discussed the chemistry of a Breathalyzer. Garry Collins, a member of another group, sang the history of Slime with guitar accompaniment, to the tune of the "Beverly Hillbillies" theme song... Come and listen to my story about a man named Jed Poor lonely scientist barely kept his family fed Then one day he was mixing up same g w And up through the pat it came a-bubblingthrough G n n that ~ is-Slim-Iekv-ooo Then he worked it in the trashcan Since that was all he knew to do And the next thing he knew, he had invented Icky-poo Stretchy stuff, stinky stuff, with no residue...
Volume 72 Number 2 February 1995
157
