Alan Sherman Middlesex County College Edison. New Jersey 08817 Sharon J. Sherman John P. Stevens High School Edison. New Jersey 08817
I An Approach to Basic Chemistry
I
It's all very elementary
Our experience over the past seven years indicates that large numbers of students who are enterine science related curricula a t the community college are ill prepared to take a traditional freshman chemistrv course. It is for this reason that seven years ago we initiated a preparatory chemistry course which we call basic chemistrv. The goal of this course is to teach chemical literacy. We go about this by using a sound educational philosophy.
Educational Philosophy The major components of our philosophy are 1) Measurable behavioral objectives arranged in a hierarchical 2)
3)
4)
5)
order, such that the learning of one objective is the prerequisite for the neat. A series of oretests and owt-tests to measure the masteryof each objective. An assortment of study aides to give the student sufficient practice so that he or she can master the stated objectives.These study aides include traditional study worksheets as well as computer assisted learning. A chemistry clinic to give the student personal attention to solve any prohlehs which exist. Laboratory experiments witha list ofobjectives, not only in the coenitive domain. but also in the osvchomotor domain. so that thz student knows what skills hebishe has to master.
The goal of all this is to give the student a fundamental knowledge of chemistry so that he or she can go on and take the traditional college course needed for his or her curriculum major. The Student
Let us give you some information ahout the people who take the basic chemistry course, as represented by our students a t Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey (Table 1).
Our students have eeuerallv taken few courses in mathematics and science. T i e y mayhave taken a terminal one semester hasic mathematics course in high school where simple algebra was introduced, hut the students finished the course with moderate success. The students also have limited exposure to science. Some students have taken a high school general science course. Often many adults return to school and enroll in the Basic Chemistry course. Some of these students have had high school chemistry, but a t this point little is remembered. These students are somewhat wary about taking a science course. They are usually "rusty" in mathematics and science and need to have their minds refreshed. A simple basic approach allows returning adults to overcome their timidity and helps them Table 1. Typical Clarr Profile' of Science and Mathematics Background for Students Enrolled in Basic Chemistry
Arithmetic
NOscience background ~ i g ~ch001 h general Science ~ i g school h biology High school chemirtry (grade of 0 or F) ~ i g hhod chemistry taken more than five years ago from the date of enrollment at M.C.C.
High school High IChOOi aigebra algebra (one (two semester) semesters)
.2.. ... ...
.. .
...
...
9
2
3 2
2 2
3
...
a nata obtained over the part six years. During this period of time there were ten sections of the course per year with aporoximately 25 students per section.
Table 2 . Pretest on Denritv 1. w r i t e the following numbers: (a) five (c) five-hundred-thousand
(b) t h i r t y million Id) twenty-five hundreths (in decimal form)
(e) one-tenth (in decimal form) 2. Which o f the following objects has the greatest volume?
(a) a baseball
(b) an inflated beachball
3. which o f the fallowing has the greater marr? (b) two cubes of sugar (a) one cube of sugar 4. which o f the following has the greater marr?
(a) a man standing an the earth (b) the same man i n a space vehicle in orbit about the earth
I . .
5. YOU will be given a liquid in a container. front of you t o determine its volume.
CONCEPT OF MEISUREWEIIT
use the equipment
in
6. USE the balance t o determine the marr of the liquid in problem 5.
I
,
I
CONCEPT OF VOLUIE
CONCEPT OF MASS
CONCEPT OF RUMBER
Flow chart for teaching the principleof density. An additional flow chart could be prepared far teaching proportional reasoning.
376 / Journal of Chemical Education
7. o he college food service has a problem! They ark you for some help. ~ a c h student eats two appler for lunch. H O W many appler does the cafeteria need t o serve 500 students? 8. A" advertising firm has a great idea for showing how much heavier their car is than their comDetitorr. They will have a group of men lift their car which welghs 4000 pounds, and a comparable group of men lift their competitor's car which weighs 1000 pounds. i f i t taker 40 men t o l i f t the 4000 pound car. how many men of equal strength will it take t o l i f t the 1000 pound car?
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