The Magic of Chemistry
chemistry course. The modules covered at BHS include the following: 1)
Learning It is Fun! George R. Hague, Jr. Bernards High School, Bernardsville. NJ 07924
I personally believe that chemistry is truly a "neat subject." It is far more interestine than most suhiects. . . and students. for the first time, can f i n i a practical application for all those mathematical theories thev did not know what to do with! Most people are truly fascinated hy chemistry, that is, until thev run in to n "stuffed shirt, purist" chemistrv teacher. You know the person I mean, the one who says "I wifi not lower my standards. Chemistry is hard work, not fun." Perhaps, the comic strip characte; Pogo has a message for the chemistry teachers of the world: "We have met the enemy and he is us." No fun, no magic! No wonder chemistry enroilments are declining. I am not advocating that the standards in chemistry classes be lowered. What I am suggesting is that a little hit of humor and some gimmicks may he used to spice up a chemistry course and, as a result, will make students want to learn chemistry. By holding out "carrots" or "gimmicks" in front of students, students can he motivated toward higher achievement. The job of the high school chemistry teacher is to sell chemistry as an intellectual pursuit. The ultimate goal is to make students like chemistry. Student Population At Bernards High School, a t least 75% of our students will have completed a t least one course in chemistry prior to graduation. Bernardsville is a small town located in the northernmoat part of Somerset County, 35 miles west of New York City. The population of the town is over 7,000. Students came from Bernardsville and the surrounding communities which, in general, includes average-to-high income families from a great variety of endeavors. Bernards High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students in grades 7-12 and approximately 850 of these students are enrolled in the high school grades 9-12. About 80%of BHS graduates continue their education beyond high schwl, with 65%going on to four-year colleges. An interesting note is that all school budgets have passed with favorable mareins since the district was oreanized. Chemistry is considered to he a prestige course a t Bernards Hieh School. A verv aeeressive nuhlic relations nroeram . . is u t k e d to attract students. Chernlsiry Currlculurn Two chemistry courses are offered at the first year level. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Chemistry (IAC) meets seven 45-minute periods per week and is a collene preparatory course specifially designed for our liberal arts oriented students. The course was developed by the University of Marvland and, instead of using a-textbbok, has a series of seven modules published by Harper & Row. The IAC Chemistry attempts to make chemistry both fun and relevant. Fifty percent of class time is spent in the laboratory. Less emphasis is placed on theoretical and mathematical theories than in a "normal"
Introductory chemistry
21 Inor~anicchemistry 3) Organic chemistry 4) Environmental chemistry
Usually 3-4 sections of IAC are offered per regular school year plus a six-week, four-hour per day summer school course. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors may enroll in the course. The alternative first year chemistry course is honors CHEM Study. Chemistry Experimental Foundatiom (Prentice-Hall Inc.) by Parry, Bassow, Merrill, and Tellefsen is used as a textbook, The course is highly theoretical and lahoratoryoriented and is offered to students with strong mathematical backgrounds interested in a career in the sciences, mathematics, engineering, or medicine. Usually, 3-4 sections of this course are offered. The course meets seven 45-minute periods ner week and the first 17-18 chanters of the textbook are covered. Approximately 20-25 laboratory experiments are performed by students during the year. The majority of the experiments come from the CHEM Study laboratory manual and some are from outside sources. The maioritv " .of students enrolled in CHEM Study are usually juniors or high ability sophomores. The second-year course offered in Bernardsville is Advanced Placement Chemistrv. This course meets eight 45minute periods per week. ~ r e r e ~ u i s i t are e s CHEM study, a strong mathematical background, and recommendation of the teacher. Until this present school year, my typical class load was to teach all three CHEM Studs sections being offered plus the AP chemistry course. students desiring to take a c o k e in AP chemistry would have to take two years of chemistry with me-CHEM Study and AP. No AP Chemistry student could ever try to con me by saying they never used significant figures, didn't know how to write-up a laboratory report, etc. I know what was taught to my AP Chemistry students in CHEM Study because I taught the course to them. The textbook used in my AP course is Masterton and Slowinski's Chemical Principles (SI Version). Approximately 35-38 freshman college experiments are done by students per
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Gamge Hague. Jr, is a veteran of 20t years of teaching at lhs sacondary level; the last 12 at Bernards High School, Bemardsville, NJ, where he teaches CMM STUDY, AP, and iAC levels of chemistry. Haoue received both his BA in science and MA in chemistrv from Manlcla r Stale Ca lege rie a "en,mvolvea m scnence earntoon serv ng an many local an0 sale sclence aosocmon ooardr. g vmg talks an0 p m g r m dealing wim chemishy to various organizations and mwinuing to improve the chemistw cuniculum at Bernards High Schwl. He also gives chemical demonstrations to the general public performing with three other North Jersey chemistry teachers in a group known as me ''Wizards of Chemistry." Some of the ''Wizards" programs have been In addition. Haoue has oresented to orouos . . - . as laroe as 15.000oeooie. pub s k u many an cles oeal ng w:th lne tescn ng of scoence rlag* has rece ved a vmew of awaros aver me years fw 0Jtotandmg cnemomry team ng The mon recenl was the 1982 CMA Regsonal Catalyst Award.
High schwl chemistry teachers from mound the counhy open their classrwm, through this feature, for all to see. Teachers are invited to Share their techniques,methods, and ideolalies. Contributions should be sent to the feature editor. --
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school year. No particular laboratory manual is used. Experiments are drawn from a number of sources:Equipment utilized includes burets, potentiometers, analytical balances, pH meters. infrared spectrophotometer, a polarimeter, centrifuees. and Soec-20's. ?hk studeits enrolled in AP Chemistry are usually juniors and thev are stronelv -.ureed - to take the Chemistrv AP examination offered in May. The usual class size is from 10-16 students. Additional books used in the course include A Brief
Slowinski text is covered. Major chapter k s t s are all two periods in length. AP-type questions are frequently used. All lab reports from CHEM Study and AP chemistry are kept in the same CHEM Study laboratory notebook. These books are returned to me a t the end of the course and are kept on file until the September following the student's graduation from BHS. Students desiring to take these lab hooks to college, may pick them up some time between graduation and September 30. In addition to the three chemistry courses offered a t BHS, chemistrv students are eiven the oooortunitv to compete in e e a & eand the Chemistry Division $the New je& ~ c i i n c ~ in State Science Day. Approximately 100 schools are involved in the monthly competition held by the Science League on the second Thursday of each month, January through April. State Science Day is held the second Saturday in May. Separate examinations are offered in the Science League for first- and second-year students. The competition is friendlv and hiahlv competitive. I sincerelv believe that such compeiition helps my better students to learn even more chemistry. BHS chemistry teams have generated a tremendous amount of positive public relations for the school, the science department, and the chemistry program in local newspapers and school publications as a result of Science League and State Science competition. For the past five years, Bernards High School has been the only school in the United States (World?) to have Chemistry Team Cheerleaders. I normally will use three varsity cheerleaders that have taken or are currently taking CHEM Study and have them doctor their uniforms with pictures of flasks, beakers, etc. The girls will give two or three chemistry cheers prior to all home chemistry meets. Bernards' Chemistry Teams have done very well in competition. For the past eleven years, BHS has been declared the number one school in chemistry in Somerset County as a t e sult of State Science Day competition. The advanced teams have never finished lower than 24th in the State and have finished as hieh as third in all of New Jersev. One gimmick that has worked well for me is to have my advanced chemistry students present two or three Chemistry Magic Shows to local elementary schools. This is a "carrot" which seems to appeal to most students. Such prwrams also serve to drum-up interest in science a t the elementary level and are an excellent means of future recruitment in chemistry. Making Chemistry Fun Chemistry should he fun and, since it is usually an elective, the course should do its best to answer student expectations without lowering standards. Students should he made to want to take a chemistry course. Gimmicks, if used properly, will not lower your standards, hut will help to increase enrollments. Remember, a successful experience for a student in chemistry will result in making that student a chemistry advocate who in turn will help sell chemistry to his friends and relatives. After all, you can't teach chemistry unless you have students to teach! Some of my most successful gimmicks include the following: 742
Journal of Chemical Education
1) Chemistrv Masrots. Make two stuffed tov moles. Paint a gram molecular voluke (GMV) to look like the home of Max and Milli Mole. The address: 22.4 Mole Hole Lane. 2) Miss Significant Figure. Chemistry students have a great deal of difficulty rounding off answers to the proper number of significant figures. I keep a Barhi Doll in the front of my clssroom. A Ken Doll may he used to represent Mr. Significant Figure. 3) Decorate Chemistry Rooms. Too many rooms look sterile. For a conducive learning climate, use walls and ceilings as teaching aids. a ) Hang several wall charts such as periodic tables, safety, orbital, and valence charts. American Chemical Society and Canadian chemistry bumper stickers should also be used. h) Put up posters of famous scientists, especially chemists. c) Hang molecular models from ceilings, light fixtures, and walls. d) Post chemistry jokes, cartoons, and science news. Original student work should be encouraged and displayed. 4) Build a "Chemis-tree" during the month of December. During the last day of classes prior to Christmas vacation, have your students gather around the tree and sing "Chemis-tree Carols!" You may even want to take your students caroling in the hallways. Don't forget the principal's office. 5) Use Unusual Props. Teach the bent linear structure of a water molecule while wearing apair of Mickey Mouse ears. You students will crack-up, hut they will never forget the shape of the molecule. 6) Chemistry Assembly Programs. Nothing seems to an u s r an intrrwt i l chemistry ~ more than a good old-fashiont,d chemical magic show. I'vrotechnir displayc usually p r w e to he the most Go~ular.Besides havine-mv.students oresent assembly programs in local elementary schools,,we have also done nroerams for our own hieh school students. In our last .. presentatim, we used cwrumes and scenery ah we performed n show entitled "Thp \Vienrd and the Nut Readv fc~rPrime Time Chemists." Characters such as Captain 'Chemistry, Kune-fu Chemist. and the BHS Chemistw Cheerleaders were ,part of the program. One of the hiehliahts of the show dealt with mv students trying to grow hiir i n my bald head. As part of the show, my head chemistrv cheerleader and I switched places. She came labcoat, shirt, out with a baldcap on her head and wearing watch, key chain, etc., while I appeared in a wig and cheerleader's uniform complete with a sweater and a very short kilt. (Believe me, it brought the house down, especially when I did a cheer with therest of the cheerleaders.) Could you picture yourself or your own high school chemistry teacher doing such a crazy thing? Do not ever he afraid to make fun of yourself or to do sbmething silly to make a point. The sillier and more corny you pet, the more your students will love it and the sooner they will learn that you do not have to he a "stuffed shirt" to love chemistry. 6) Birthdays of Famous Scientists. Post birthdays of famous scientists on your bulletin board. Do it on a daily basis and see how many you can work into your lesson for the day. 7) Golden Test Tube Awards and Certificates. Spray paint old test tubes gold. During the last s e e k of school, give the awards (at least two ner class) to students for memorable events in class; most glassware broken, most fouled up lab results. etc. These awards should he eiven "toneue in cheek" to those students who can take a jike. In m;second year course, a "Golden Scoopula" is awarded to "two-time" winners. Reg Friesen a t the University of Waterloo in Canada sells
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my
Chemistry Award Certificates in a humorous vain which I issue to all of my students. 8) Demonstrate Kinetic Energy in a Molecule. Rotational, vibrational, and translational energies in a molecule may be demonstrated by having the teacher assume the role of a molecule. You may look like a "GO-GODancer" when you do this demonstration, but your students will never forget the concept. 9) Develop Good Props. Items every chemistry room should contain include a can of dehydrated water, hricks from the original "van der Waals," a lone "pear," and "ekamouse.'' I love teaching chemistry, and I love my students. I do not advocate that chemistry teachers become clowns, but showmanship must become an important part of the teacher's game plan. Jokes, humor, chemical and personal stories, poems, songs, games, and effective and well-timed demonstrations
plus many hands-on laboratory experiments are a must for any effective chemistry program. My goal in teaching is to transmit my love of chemistry to each and every student I come in contact with during the school year. T o this end, I work 55-60 hours per week on chemistry. It is my hope that each and every one of my students will learn chemistry to the maximum of herhis abilities. I believe in academic excellence. hard work, and having fun! The magic of tenrhing and learninr chemistry is that these three things can he combined. An unusually large number of my students have pursued careers in science, medicine, and engineering. Letters from these former students and their professors indicate that a strong chemistry background was obtained a t Bernards High School. Is chemistry fun? You better believe it! Just ask my students.
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September 1983
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