Chemistry for Everyone edited by
Chemistry for Kids
John T. Moore Stephen F. Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX 75962
David Tolar
An Interactive Analytical Chemistry Summer Camp for Middle School Girls
1835 Dogwood Trail Corsicana, TX 75110-1055
Mary E. Robbins and Mark H. Schoenfisch* Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Despite significant progress over the last several decades, statistics indicate that the number of women enrolled in natural science and engineering programs remains disproportionately low (1). A recent report from the National Council for Research on Women entitled Where are Women and Girls in Science, Engineering, and Technology? highlighted the importance of correcting this problem through mentoring programs that provide opportunities for girls in the early stages of their educational careers to interact with female role models who have found their scientific endeavors to be personally fulfilling (1, 2). These types of relationships are suggested to have a positive impact on young women’s educational and career decisions. Furthermore, girls tend to excel in programs where mentors encourage a hands-on collaborative approach to problem solving with an emphasis on the relevance of science in real-world applications (1). A number of chemistry outreach programs have previously been developed to provide elementary through high school students with unique opportunities to experience the excitement of chemistry through demonstrations (3–6) and hands-on experiments (7–11). Recent studies indicate that girls in particular benefit from participation in extracurricular science programs designed specifically for young women (1). Simmons College successfully implemented an outreach program that encourages interaction between female students at various stages of their educational careers. Female under-
Figure 1. Middle school students conducting analytical chemistry experiments during the camp.
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graduate student volunteers travel to inner-city middle schools and perform chemical demonstrations for groups of girls. This program serves to generate increased interest in science, while providing a venue for girls to interact with older students who have decided to pursue a higher education in the sciences. In addition to teaching fundamental chemistry concepts and techniques, interactive programs involving student participation in laboratory experiments have the potential to promote the development of personal confidence, critical thinking, and the ability to function as a contributing member of a team. We have designed a summer outreach program, implemented for the first time this past summer (2004), that provides middle school girls with an opportunity to conduct college-level analytical chemistry experiments under the guidance of female graduate students. Thus, the girls have an opportunity to interact closely with female role modes and to learn about the diversity of experiences and opportunities for women in the sciences. The middle school students (sixth-, seventh-, and eighthgrade girls) are recruited through the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center (on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; UNC-CH) from a number of area middle schools. Teaming with Morehead enables us to tap into a diverse set of students owing to the established relationships between the Science Center and many area schools. To ensure genuine interest on the part of individual students, the girls are required to write an essay outlining the reasons that they would like to participate in the camp. Applicants are then selected based on their essay and available openings. The diversity of the local community has been well reflected in the overall demographics of our program, indicating a strong interest on the part of students from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. The goal of this camp is to provide girls with a unique opportunity to experience analytical chemistry in a way that will spark their interest in how it is studied, its roles in modern scientific research, and the diversity of educational and career opportunities that science has to offer (Figure 1). We hope to encourage this age group to enroll in science courses in high school and college. The entirely female staff is composed of five Department of Chemistry graduate students and three undergraduate Department of Education teaching fellows. Preparation for the program begins several weeks prior to the camp with the graduate students helping the teaching fellows, some of whom have limited laboratory experience, to complete each experiment. Currently, the week-long program is repeated twice throughout the summer.
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Chemistry for Everyone
Experiments Half-day experiments, adapted in part from the undergraduate chemistry laboratory manuals at UNC-CH are conducted in the chemistry department undergraduate laboratories. Each day groups of 3–4 girls (for a total of 15– 20 students per week) are paired with a different female chemistry graduate student instructor. After a brief introduction to the day’s experiment and proper laboratory safety procedures (i.e., safety glasses, gloves, use of fume hoods, etc.), one of the following experiments is performed.
Mission EPA: Determining Acids and Bases Students are to imagine that they have accepted a job with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This laboratory exercise serves as training for beginning this new job. Their task is to determine whether various samples are strong or weak acids or bases. Students measure the pH of various substances including vinegar, baking soda, lemons, limes, oranges, carbonated beverages, milk, dilute hydrochloric acid, and dilute sodium hydroxide using pH paper, colorimetric titrations, and a potentiometric pH meter. In addition to learning how to generate and interpret a titration curve, the importance of precision, accuracy, and experimental reproducibility are emphasized. Synthesis and Characterization of Aspirin Students learn about the processes involved in synthesizing and evaluating the quality of a pharmaceutical product. Students synthesize acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) by the reaction of salicylic acid with acetic anhydride. The product is filtered and purified by recrystallization. After drying, the melting point range is determined to evaluate the purity of the final, recrystallized product. Students learn about weighing by difference, solubility, and the importance of carefully following experimental procedures, documenting experimental observations, and making precise and accurate measurements. Gas Chromatography: What Exactly Is in Mouthwash and Cough Syrup? In this experiment, students collaborate to determine the concentration of alcohol in samples of Listerine, Listermint, and Nyquil. The retention time and elution position of ethanol and pentanol are determined by collecting gas chromatograms from standard solutions. A calibration curve is then generated using ethanol standards to relate percent ethanol to peak area. Solvent extraction (with pentanol) is used to separate ethanol from the mouthwash and cough syrup samples. The extracted samples are analyzed with gas chromatography. Using their calibration curve, the students calculate the percent ethanol in each sample. The concepts of chromatographic separations, solubility principles, and the generation and use of a calibration curve are stressed. Blood Chemistry Analysis Students imagine that their job in a hospital laboratory is to determine the quantity of cholesterol in patient “blood” samples. (Note: aqueous samples are used to simulate blood.) Students collaborate to prepare a series of standard solutions
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containing varying concentrations of cholesterol. A spectrophotometer is used to measure the absorbance of the colored solutions. A calibration curve is generated to correlate absorbance to cholesterol concentration. Each student then determines the concentration of cholesterol in a series of “patient blood samples” and reports on the health status of each patient. The students learn about the importance of teamwork, the relationship between absorbance and concentration, and calibration curves.
Extraction of Plant Pigments from Spinach and Blueberries: Separation and Analysis In this experiment, students separate and analyze plant pigments from spinach and blueberry samples. Acetone is used to remove the pigments via solvent extraction. The pigment extract is then separated into aqueous and organic phases by the addition of saturated sodium chloride solution. Liquid chromatography is used to separate the individual pigments from the organic layer. Students vary the mobile phase composition to elute the pigments, which are then detected using a spectrophotometer. The concepts of solvent extraction, solubility, and interpretation of chromatograms are emphasized. Discussion In total, these experiments provide opportunities for the girls to both collaborate with other members of a team and work independently to answer questions and solve problems. Through the course of the week-long camp, many ideas are revisited (e.g., calibration curves, solubility, and spectrophotometry) serving to reinforce the most important concepts. Students are introduced to the scientific process by learning to carefully document experimental procedures, observations, and record experimental data (e.g., chromatograms, calibration curves) in laboratory notebooks, which they take home at the end of the week. They are also encouraged to formulate and test their hypotheses, critically evaluate their experimental results, and draw conclusions from their findings. The girls are extremely enthusiastic and interested in learning about analytical chemistry, particularly when the experiments are interactive and involve direct hands-on participation, magnetic stir plates, and reactions with color changes. Groups of 3–4 students are ideal for ensuring that proper safety and experimental procedures are followed, and that each student receives sufficient individual interaction with the graduate student mentor and undergraduate teaching assistants. Furthermore, short instructions about the experiments are provided throughout the afternoon in place of longer prelab lectures. This strategy serves to keep the students engaged and ensures that each student has a complete understanding of the concepts and procedures. The girls do tend to become distracted and disinterested during long waiting periods. However, this problem is overcome by introducing short demonstrations and activities. For example, during the collection of GC chromatograms, paper chromatography is used to separate pigments from felt-tip pens. This helps to keep the students interested and reinforces the concepts of chromatographic separations and solubility.
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The summer camp is unique in that it is held in the undergraduate chemistry laboratories and students perform advanced experiments adapted from college-level laboratory manuals. Hence, these young girls are exposed to analytical techniques, instrumentation, and lab equipment that they are unlikely to encounter at their own schools. The opportunity to visit graduate-level chemistry laboratories also allows the girls to draw a connection between what they have learned and cutting-edge analytical research. This is a key component of the program since mentoring is critical to encouraging girls to pursue further education in the sciences. In addition to interacting with female graduate students while conducting experiments, the girls have the opportunity to relate with the mentors on a more personal level during daily scheduled breaks. The diversity of research interests, past experiences, and future career aspirations of the mentors further enhances the girls’ perceptions of the vast range of educational and career options available to women in the sciences. To assist us in evaluating the effectiveness of the program, the participants are asked to complete an anonymous survey at the end of the week. Notably, nearly all of the girls responded that they “would recommend this program to a friend”. Additionally, many of the students indicated that they were glad that this was an all-girls program, stating that they worked better with groups of girls and felt more comfortable asking and answering questions in this environment. Establishing an environment where girls can experience this level of involvement and are provided with opportunities to relate with enthusiastic role models is critical to the program’s success in terms of encouraging girls to pursue scientific endeavors. When asked “Has the program encouraged you to think about taking more science classes in the future?”, 10 of the 14 students polled responded, “Yes, I am thinking about taking more science classes in the future”. The other 4 students responded that their “thoughts about taking science classes in the future have not changed”. Nevertheless, all students polled indicated that they are “more interested in learning science” because of the program. Select responses to the question, “What did you like most about this program?” included: (i) the hands-on work; (ii) the variety of different labs, working with different people, and doing experiments both by myself and with my group; (iii) understanding what we were doing and how we could use the information to solve a problem; (iv) being surrounded by people who were not so much older than me, but who had accomplished so much and made science their line of work; and (v) how our teachers were all graduate students because it made it easier for me to ask questions and interact comfortably. Responses to the question, “What did you learn in this program about doing science or being a scientist?” included: (i) I learned more about what scientists do, all the steps it takes to do an experiment, how some of the equipment works, and how fun science can be; (ii) that you often have to wait a long time during an experiment and that you have to be careful and exact; (iii) I saw how important it was to be precise and learned how much math there is in science; and (iv) I learned that science isn’t all about memorizing formulas and learning the way life works. It’s also about the application of
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knowledge, whether it comes in the form of blood analysis or the making or synthesis of certain medications. The summer camp program proves beneficial to participants at each level. The chemistry graduate student instructors have a unique opportunity to improve their ability to communicate with a more general audience about science and research. Likewise, the undergraduate teaching fellows acquire real-world knowledge of the underlying science and its practice in the research environment. Most importantly, this program offers a memorable experience for middle school girls by coupling interactive analytical chemistry experiments with the opportunity to develop mentoring relationships with devoted female graduate students. We hope that these positive experiences will encourage young girls to further pursue scientific interests both in their educational and future career endeavors. In the future, we plan to work in collaboration with the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at UNCChapel Hill to expand both the frequency and scope of this program in the hopes of influencing greater numbers of students. Acknowledgments This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (CHE-0349091). The authors are grateful for the assistance of Carri Brodnax, Ali Racine, Joette Russell, and Melissa Villanueva in designing the experiments and serving as teaching assistants and role models during the camp. We also thank Haifa Johns and Domenic Tiani for helpful discussions and instrumentation and supplies support, and acknowledge the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, specifically Bob Gotwals, Elizabeth Fleming, Chelsea MacLeod, and Victoria Penilla for logistical support and assistance with student recruitment. Literature Cited 1. Thom, Mary. Where Are Women and Girls in Science, Engineering, and Technology?; Prentice Hall: New York, 2001. 2. Etzkowitz, Henry; Kemelgor, Carol; Uzzi, Brian. Athena Unbound: The Advancement of Women in Science and Technology, 1st ed.; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, MA, 2000; Chapters 1, 4. 3. Nowick, James S.; Brisbois, Ronald G. J. Chem. Educ. 1989, 66, 668. 4. Tracy, Henry J.; Collins, Chris; Langevin, Paul. J. Chem. Educ. 1995, 72, 1111–1112. 5. Waldman, Amy Sue; Schechinger, Linda; Nowick, James S. J. Chem. Educ. 1996, 73, 762–764. 6. Lee, Nancy E.; Schreiber, Kathryn G. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 917–918. 7. Schreck, James O.; Betts, George T.; James, M. Lynn. J. Chem. Educ. 1984, 61, 714–715. 8. Hufford, Kevin D. J. Chem. Educ. 1984, 61, 427. 9. Gabel, Dorothy. J. Chem. Educ. 1985, 62, 702. 10. Scaife, Charles W. J. J. Chem. Educ. 1986, 63, 790–791. 11. Heinze, Katarina F.; Allen, Jana L.; Jacobsen, Eric N. J. Chem. Educ. 1995, 72, 167–169.
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