Chemical Education Today
Especially for High School Teachers
Cabbages, Applied Chemistry, and National Chemistry Week 2000 The food chemistry theme of National Chemistry Week 2000 reminds us of the many applications of chemistry in this area. JCE Classroom Activity #30, Cabbage Patch Chemistry, explores the role of pH in food preservation, anaerobic fermentation, carbohydrate chemistry, and catalysis. There are cross-curricular possibilities for biology, history, and home economics. References to additional activities and the addresses for Web sites containing related information are provided. In contrast to many of the previous JCE Classroom Activities, this one is carried out over an entire month. Although published so that it can be used during NCW 2000, Cabbage Patch Chemistry will have lasting value as an application-oriented activity that can be used anytime—for example in conjunction with an acid–base unit, an organic or biochemical unit, or an oxidation–reduction unit. The depth of conceptual development could range from beginning chemistry through advanced chemistry. This issue also contains many articles on biochemical and biological chemistry topics. Often these are not marked in the Table of Contents with the High School Symbol (䊕) because they are targeted to upper-level college courses. However, if you have an interest in biochemistry or are trying to learn more about biochemical processes, they are likely to provide useful ideas that can be adapted to your teaching. I would like to receive manuscripts from teachers who describe how they integrate biochemistry into high school chemistry. Is it time for you to share how you have incorporated biochemistry into your courses? Award Announcement Information about the James Bryant Conant Award in High School Chemistry Teaching is provided on p 1404 of this issue. The 2000 award recipient was Frank Cardulla, who is known to many of our readers as former editor of the JCE View from My Classroom feature. This and Frank’s many other professional contributions to teaching have led to this prestigious award—a pinnacle for a high school teacher. The first step toward becoming a Conant Award recipient is to become a Regional Award Recipient. Anyone who has won
by J. Emory Howell
Secondary School Feature Articles 䊕 JCE Classroom Activity: #30. Cabbage Patch Chemistry, p 1432A.
a regional award during the past three years is eligible to be nominated for the national award. The deadline for submitting nominations for the regional awards is December 1, 2000. If you wish to be nominated or to nominate someone, application forms and a brochure describing the regional award may be requested through
[email protected]. Now is the time for action. It is very important that teaching excellence and professional service by high school chemistry teachers be recognized publicly because all good teachers benefit from the positive image that the program promotes. HS Presentations at BCCE The 16th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education in early August provided an opportunity for many high school teachers to learn about teaching innovations. But many teachers did more: 31 presented technical programs and six presented workshops. Session titles included “Chemistry ‘Fun’damentals” by Jeff Hepburn of Dowling High School in West Des Moines, Iowa; “Funky Spearmints that YOU Can Do!” by Patrick Funk of Watkins Memorial High School in Pataskala, Ohio; and “X-ray Diffraction Analysis for High School and College Freshman Students: A Powerful Tool for Understanding Molecular Structure and Bonding” by Steven J. DiMuzio of LaBrae High School in Youngstown, Ohio. While it is too late to attend or present this year, you have plenty of time to get ready for the next biennial conference in Bellingham, Washington in 2002. Also, local, state, or national conferences afford many opportunities to present innovations you have made in your classroom. I encourage you to share techniques, experiments, or other teaching innovations that have aided you in the presentation of chemistry to your students. For example, the deadline for program proposals to the ChemEd ’01 Conference is quickly approaching. See the conference Web site, www.science.yorku.ca/ chemed2001, for details. Get involved today! HS Program at National and Regional ACS Meetings
Workshop at an ACS High School Day.
High School Day is an important feature of many American Chemical Society Meetings. Teachers in the San Diego area should watch the Journal for announcements about the program that will be held in conjunction with the spring 2001 ACS National Meeting. A high school day program will be held in New Orleans on December 7, 2000, in conjunction with the Southeast/Southwest Regional ACS meeting. Teachers from New Orleans and the surrounding area will want to mark this date on their calendars now.
JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 77 No. 11 November 2000 • Journal of Chemical Education
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