k m mm @na@@r@@m In this time of technological advances, there should he more students than ever enrolled in our high school chemistry classes. Yet throughout the country, high school chemistry as a lahoratory science is fighting for its very survival. It is time to come to grips with the issue and do something about it. We can no longer afford to equate difficulty with worthiness. Having the reputation of heing the most difficult class in schuul no longer holds the connotation of heing the most worthwhile. The howl goes up. If we make it easier, or water it down, it loses its meaning. Then let's find some way of making it more interesting and a t the same time help the student keep his grades a t a respectahle level. After several years of teaching, I think I have found two methods of doing this-through use 01' research projects, and a two-level chemistry curriculum. In Answer to the Challenge When I started teaching chemistry, I realized it was a difficult suhject for most students. I had experienced some difficulty myself with chemistry as an undergraduate, so I can. understand some of my students' concerns. I have also discovered that most students will stick with chemistry if they can at least get a passing grade. Eventually, I've found, many of the students overcame much of their initial prejudice and actually learn some chemistry. Many even enjoy it. How then could I overcome this problem of maintaining the grading standards while teaching what many students perceive as a most difficultsuhject? I rejected the idea that I could pass the student on the theory that he had tried, because I would he encouraging the student to do less than what was really necessary. In this age of accountability, we should all be concerned with fulfilling our responsihilities to our students. I could have presented the material on a more basic level, but this would have meant developing an entirely new
I he ilniversity ell' I);tylon. He has
been teaching for 28yearsand has been at Kettering Fairmont West High School in Kettering, Ohio, for the last 16 years. Active in professional organizations at all levels, Bill was instrumental in organizing the Western Ohio Science Teachers Association and the Science Education Council of Ohio. He is presently serving as the NSTA High School Division Director, a member of the executive committee of the NSTA Board of Directors, and a member of the advisory board for "The Science Teacher."He has also served on the ACS~NSTAHigh School Chemistry Test Committee for the last six years. Mr. Arnold has presented numerous workshops at local, state, and regional levels on topics such as energy, crystallography, science assessment and the use of science projects in chemistry.
Research Projects and Two-Level Curriculum William Arnold Fairmont West High School Kettering, OH 45429 course. If this were then the only chemistry course, we would be duing an equal injustire to our more capable it~tdents. ~el curriculum T h ~ c \j'h:~tw;is needed w i l i il t a . ~ ~ - l r \rhemi~trs w a s son~rthingthat would rrquirt. ;I s ~ ~ h z t a n tamount ~al ,,i w r k hefore the Idea wuld even he ~n.st:nredto the admin. istriltion. I needed somvthing right il\r;iy. \\'hat 1 needed u;is to de\,elop i~mt.thingthat would r w r the student it chnnre ro improve his grade and a t the same time develop an interest in science and particularly in chemistry. I scoured all available hooks.,oamnhlets. , and currieulom ~ ~ . materials. Eventually I came across an old issue of the "Ohio Academy of Science Workbook." This workbook summa- S rized a number of student projects which had been submitted E to the Academy. The projects were judged according to their scientific merit, including techniques used, results obtained, clarity of the report, and creativity of the student. From this 0 was horn the idea of having students do research projects N which would be counted as extra credit. This then would in- D crease their interest in chemistry as well as helping their A grade.
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Encouraging Scientific Involvement Many educators have come to recognize the value of student science projects. R e ~ e a r c hsuggests ~,~ that interest in science begins early in life and that science projects play an important role in keeping this interest alive. National Science Fair winners have indicated that their basic interest in science started before they left elementary school. Somewhere alone the line, however, many students seem to lose their inquirin;mterest. Do we bore them with facts? Do we try to make the course too difficult? Do we dehumanize our courses for the sake of suhject matter? A city curriculum supervisor recently asked a gmup of science teachers, "How long has it heen since your son or daughter came home and told you not to smoke, hecause the teacher said it was had for your heart?"Suchevents happen almost daily when our children are in elementary school, hut fade all too quickly as they enter secondary school. Certainly a part of this must result from the physiological and psychological changes our children are encountering a t this stage of their lives. Can we help our students through this turmoil hy nurturing and stimulating their scientific interest? Maybe research projects can do just that. They have worked so far for me. An Incentive I first implemented this idea in 1968. The responses were small; however, one "rather average" student sent his report to the Ohio Academy and received a second place award which included a twenty-five dollar check to the school for use in the purchase of something for the science deoartment. This stuto continue with this idea, and it acted to motivate other
' Ohic Academy oiS+ence. "Ohio High S c h d Science Worklm,k." Ohiv Academy of Science, l9f;(; (no lmger in print). 'stauffer, ., G. K., "Scientitic Research Projects f o r High Schod Students," The High Sehord Science Research Institute. Ihmer Ohio 44622. :'Bawles, D. R., "Who Makes A Scientist? You Do," The Grade School Teocher, 84, (1966).p. 168. Volume 57, Number 2, February 1980 / 145
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students to try such a project. Maybe they too could succeed. Intent Forms How do you, as teachers, integrate the use of research projects as a teaching tool? There are several ways. I begin by mentioning the idea to my students the first day of school. This way I hope to spark their interests and let them know this is one way to supplement their grades. About two weeks after school has started, and all the bookkeeping duties are out of the way, I spend a class period explaining what I expect the students to accomplish in such projects. I indicate a t this time that the project should be carried out for the purpose of better understanding science and the extra credit should be secondary. T h e projects should be an individual, rather than a group, accomplishment. I hand out a sheet which explains the research project, deadlines and restrictions. After this rather detailed discussion, I distribute the intent form (see figure) to interested students and usually ask that they be returned within two weeks. The form tells me only that they are interested in doing a project and the field of science they will be E primarily concerned with. I let them choose frnm all the sciC entific disciplines, feeling that their interest in chemistry will 0 !x strengthened by working with the scientific method and mvestigating scientific reasoning. I do insist, however, that the prnject be a "doing"experience and not just another term D paper. The intent form has a place for the parents' signature; A this way I get the cooperation of the parents, and they know exactly what the student must do. The intent form also states that the report becomes the property of the school. This Y prohibits the reports frnm being turned in by other students in future years as well as providing me with numerous quality reports which I use as examples in succeeding years. After the student turns in the intent form, I schedule a C 5-10-min conference a t the beginning or end of that student's H class period to discuss specific details of the prnject. Once the 0 student decides on the field of science, they can usually come up with an idea for a project. In the few cases where this is a O problem, I encourage the student to review reference books L and even make a list of specific projects available to them. I see my job in this process as one of assisting them in developing their own ideas. All projects, however, must be approved C by me.
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Restrictions I have also set specific restrictions on how these projects M may be used for extra credit. As a renslt of such a project, the
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RESEARCH PROJECTS I would like to cany out a research project. I would like to work in the field of I understand that my project is to be carried out to its completion unless factors beyond my control intervene. I further understand that the completed report becomes the property of the school. I also understand that I will receive no extra credit during a grading period in which I have (1) an unexcused absence (2) failed to turn in three homework assignments or (3)failed to turn in two laboratory reports when due. Since this project will incur runriderable work being dune at home it 1s rmpurtant that parent6 Lw wareof and approve the pnqert. Therrfurc the following stntrm~-ntshould he s~yned by one of your parents. I approve of (Parent's signature) carrying out the above project. (student's Signature) Conference with teacher Exact title of Project
Intent form. 146 1 Journal of Chemical Education
Some Selected Prolects -
Cathodic Protection Using a SacrificialAnode Study of Crystals Fire Retardancy of Cotton Textiles 4. Nan Aqueous Titrations 5. Identificationof Unknown Components by Gar Chromatography 6. Coefficient of Friction of Rubber 7. Resistance at Hydraulic Cement Mortars to Chemical Attack 8. Etfects of Rektive Humidity and Temperature an me Corrwion Rate of Allay Steel 9. Separation of Oil and Aluminum Oxide from High Alloy Steel 10. Ventures in Color Chemistry 11. Plant Hamanes and Elongation of Cells 12. Microbiology of Fmd Products 13. Effect of Varying Sound Frequency. Pitch, and Volume on the Awakening of People 14. Reinforce Concrete Beam 15. Determination of Soil Resistant Properties on Vinyl Coated Fabrics 1. 2. 3.
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student may earn up to 10%of his or her grade. However, this is provided h e or she has no unexcuied abzences ri.e., truancy, suspensions, etc). Sou would l~esurprisedhow well this works to discouraee these tvoes .. of absences. I also feel that the extra credit should not be acrutch I'm students who conrin~~nlly fail to (11, nssirnments: therefore, I will not allow this extra c r ~ d ~ t if they f$l to turn in two laboratory reports andlorthree homework assignments. If a student is working in a field of science with which I am not familiar or with which I cannot give him the necessary guidance, I refer him to someone who can. The other science teachers in my school have been most cooperative. They are usually quite surprised that I am able to get students to do such projects. Library Research The next step i
