Chemical Education Today
Reports from Other Journals
The Science Teacher : Summer 2001 Reading by Steve Long
A variety of chemistry activities and pedagogies are included in this review of articles published from December 2000 through April 2001 in The Science Teacher (TST ). “Projecting the Scientific Method”, by R. E. Uthe, combines commonly taught concepts of gas laws and scientific process thinking into a practical unit of study. The author states, “Teaching and training students to use the scientific method as a series of steps and as a way of understanding chemical and physical changes is best done in context.” Students study gas pressure–volume relationships in a controlled experiment on the overhead projector. They progressively evaluate the data and draw conclusions. Observations, hypothesis development, experimental design, data collection, data analysis, and formation of conclusions are incorporated in the project. Mills, Sweeney, Marino, and Clarkson also use gases to teach mathematical relationships, processing experimental data, and using scientific models; they report this in “A New Approach to Teaching Introductory Science: The Gas Module” in JCE (1). A concept used in most areas of science—exponents and orders of magnitude—is the focus of “Teaching to the Power of 10” by Laubach, Royce, and Holzer. The authors provide a variety of activities to teach exponential concepts and magnitude including number lines, videos, models, and a scavenger hunt. Both macroscopic and microscopic scaling are included. The authors stress that “Traditional scaling activities put students through the paces of the exercise but do not provide relevant associations with the idea of size and how greatly size varies in our universe.” While not directed at chemical concepts, the article includes information easily adaptable by chemical educators to teach pH or the magnitude of Avogadro’s number. A nontraditional lab report is the focus of “Versatile Vee Maps”. Authors Roehrig, Luft, and Edwards detail how to set up, use, and assess (using a rubric they supply) Vee maps. They explain what Vee maps are and why they are effective in replacing traditional student lab reports. An example of a student-generated Vee map is included in the article. For a first-day or back-to-school activity, David Olney developed a safe, simple, easy experiment to allow students to experience the scientific method. “Mystery Mixture” explains the author’s variation on the classic five-solution problem that does not require students to possess special knowledge of chemistry. Teamwork, inquiry, observation, and excitement are incorporated into the activity. This Journal has published a more complex microscale separation suitable for general organic chemistry, “Separation of a Five-Component Mixture in the Microscale Laboratory” (2). This laboratory exercise introduced six basic organic techniques in addition to using acid–base chemistry concepts. “Boiling Ice” is an article written for physics teachers, but the activity is a favorite demonstration of many chemistry teachers, too. The triple point of water provides an excel856
lent illustration of the kinetic molecular theory of matter. Ernesto Abad details his method of producing this interesting equilibrium condition. He states that the triple point of water has a pressure and temperature of 0.61 kPa and 0.01 °C. In a JCE article, “The Triple Point of Water”, Swinton provides a brief but enlightening discussion of errors in textbooks made in calculating and reporting this point (3). The need to make learning meaningful for students was the motivation behind a curriculum redesign explained by Strain and Pearce in “Active Learning in the Lab”. A change from textbook teaching to interactive learning by using constructivist pedagogy had a positive influence on student attitudes toward chemistry. The authors also describe the changes required in student assessment. “A Review of Laboratory Instruction Styles” (4), published in this Journal, compares four styles of laboratory instruction that the author claims have been used in teaching chemistry. The effectiveness of each style of instruction is evaluated against the desired learner outcomes. Christopher T. Hill and Leon M. Lederman collaborated on an article “to explain, from fundamentals, how the periodic table became the way it is, and, in doing so, it touches on quantum theory and all the important aspects of symmetry.” This description of Bohr quantum mechanics may provide an understandable background for high school teachers who wish to increase their depth of knowledge in this content area. Numerous equations and explanations are incorporated throughout the article. The authors provide a Web site with an expanded discussion of the topic (5). Using plastic 35-mm film canisters and effervescent antacid tablets, Brian Rohrig challenges his students in “Making a Mini-Submarine”. The article includes student directions for the open-ended activity as well as completed conclusion questions and potential discussion questions for the teacher. The concepts of density and buoyancy are explored in this seemingly simple, but challenging task. Sarquis and Woodward described another activity using effervescent tablets and film canisters in this Journal. “Alka Seltzer Poppers: An Interactive Exploration” (6 ) challenges students to design experiments and investigate a variety of chemical concepts including pressure–volume relationships of gases, gas and solid solubility in liquids, and the kinetics of the reaction of Alka Seltzer in water. “From Petroleum to Tomatoes” describes an integrated lesson developed by Avi Hofstein and Rachel Mamlok. By using links among crude oil, plastics, NPK fertilizers, pesticides, and tomatoes, students develop awareness and understanding of scientific principles, environmental and health issues, technological applications, and societal implications. Although the article describes a project developed in Israel, the approach can be easily adapted to almost any region. High school ChemCom (7 ) teachers will recognize numerous
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 78 No. 7 July 2001 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
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Chemical Education Today
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opportunities to incorporate ideas from this article into their classes while studying petroleum, food, or industrial concepts. A multidisciplinary activity, “Tie-Dye Chemistry”, incorporates the chemistry of indigo dye as a review of general chemistry concepts with art or social sciences. Detailed lab procedures for synthesizing and collecting indigo are provided in the article. Traditional cloth tying patterns and vat dyeing directions are included, also. Chemistry concepts involved in the indigo project include chemical and physical changes, percent yield, oxidation/reduction reactions, solubility and polarity, and heat of reaction. In JCE “A Microscale Synthesis of Indigo: Vat Dyeing” (8) provides greater detail of the chemical structures and reactions involved in indigo synthesis. Also, Boykin (9) describes an apparatus and procedure for indigo dyeing that requires less reducing agent and generates less odor than open dye-bath processes. “Chemistry on Camera” provides a method of collecting digital images of students performing a laboratory activity and then using the images during the post-lab review and discussion. Hargis and Stehr state that the benefit from using this technique is that “students view themselves as scientists.” This use of technology improves learning by increasing curiosity, retention, and motivation. The article uses an activity
“Projecting the Scientific Method”, by R. E. Uthe (TST 2000, 67 (9), 44–47) “Teaching to the Power of 10”, by Christyna Laubach, Christine Anne Royce, and Margaret Anne Holzer (TST 2000, 67 (9), 48–52) “Versatile Vee Maps”, by Gillian Roehrig, Julie A. Luft, and Mary Edwards (TST 2001, 68 (1), 28–31) “Mystery Mixture”, by David Olney (TST 2001, 68 (1), 42– 43) “Boiling Ice”, by Ernesto A. Abad (TST 2001, 68 (1), 44– 45) “Active Learning in the Lab”, by Robin Strain and Kristi Pearce (TST 2001, 68 (2), 30–32) “Understanding the Elements”, by Christopher T. Hill and Leon M. Lederman (TST 2001, 68 (2), 33–37) “Making a Mini-Submarine”, by Brian Rohrig (TST 2001, 68 (2), 38–41) “From Petroleum to Tomatoes”, by Avi Hofstein and Rachel Mamlok (TST 2001, 68 (2), 46–48) “Tie-Dye Chemistry”, by Stephen Cessna and Gretchen Cessna (TST 2001, 68 (3), 25–28) “Chemistry on Camera”, by Jace Hargis and Jim Stehr (TST 2001, 68 (4), 24–27) “Surveying Safety”, by Jack A. Gerlovich, John Whitsett, Shelley Lee, and Rahul Parsa (TST 2001, 68 (4), 31–35)
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titled “Water Filtration” that is very similar to the ChemCom “Foul Water” lab (10). A simple analysis of student achievement showed a 40 percent improvement when the technology-enhanced approach was used. An alternative that uses less technology than required in the article is provided by the authors. The need for a constant focus on K–12 safety issues and training is emphasized in “Surveying Safety”. Gerlovich, Whitsett, Lee, and Parsa share how they addressed science safety in Wisconsin classrooms. Their three-phase program included assessment of safety conditions, safety training and tools, and a statewide chemical clean-sweep. Even with the continued emphasis on safety issues, the authors discovered in a survey that about 53 percent of Wisconsin teachers had never received any safety training. The survey also uncovered a variety of other safety concerns. The program developed in Wisconsin to address the safety issues proved to be so successful that it is being adapted and applied in ten additional states. Readers may participate in the NSTA Science Safety Survey conducted by Gerlovich by visiting the Web site (11). This Journal has long promoted science safety. The column “Accident Anecdotes,” edited by Jay A. Young (12, 13), provides readers with evidence for the need for vigilance in using safe procedures in the classroom. The new JCE series Chemical Laboratory Information Profile (CLIP), also edited by Jay A. Young, translates technical information from a Material Safety Data Sheet into “a document that describes the hazards of a chemical in a manner more useful for teachers and their students” (14). The CLIP is both easy to read and understand, and Young suggests several ways that teachers and students might successfully use them. Literature Cited 1. Mills, P.; Sweeney, W. V.; Marino, R.; Clarkson, S. J. Chem. Educ. 2000, 77, 1161. 2. O’Hara-Mays, E. P.; Yuen, G. U. J. Chem. Educ. 1989, 66, 961. 3. Swinton, F. L. J. Chem. Educ. 1967, 44, 541. 4. Domin, D. S. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 543. 5. Hill, C. T.; Lederman, L. M. Teaching Symmetry in the Introductory Physics Curriculum; http://www.emmynoether.com/ (accessed May 2001). 6. Sarquis, A. M.; Woodward, L. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 385. 7. Chemistry in the Community, 4th ed.; Heikkinen, H., Ed.; Freeman: New York, 2002. 8. McKee, J. R.; Zanger, M. J. Chem. Educ. 1991, 68, A242. 9. Boykin, D. W. J. Chem. Educ. 1998, 75, 769. 10. Chemistry in the Community, 4th ed.; Heikkinen, H., Ed.; Freeman: New York, 2002; pp 8–13. 11. NSTA Science Safety Survey; http://www.nsta.org/pubs/tst/ safetysurvey.asp (accessed May 2001). 12. Young, J. A. J. Chem. Educ. 2000, 77, 1214. 13. Young, J. A. J. Chem. Educ. 2000, 77, 1294. 14. Young, J. A. J. Chem. Educ. 2001, 78, 444.
Steve Long teaches at Rogers High School, Rogers, AR 72756;
[email protected].
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 78 No. 7 July 2001 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
