The Younger Chemists Committee

(Special Issue for Chemistry Education in High School)

This month's newsletter looks at chemistry in high school. My high school teacher was my introduction to chemistry and is the reason I went on to study chemistry in college. Thanks Ms. Tayler! -Dorothy (Dotti) Miller, YCC committee member

A student's perspective of relating chemistry to my life

Jannah Din, Student, Ponderosa High School, Parker, Colorado

Every day in math class someone asks the same question: Why are we learning this? Every kid wants to know why they’re spending 240 minutes each week doing what they are doing, but that’s where the problem comes in; either the teachers don’t have reasons, or the reasons are irrelevant in the mind of a student. Why do I need to perfect the graphing of the inverse tangent of a function? So I can pass next week’s test. It is more than likely I will never in my life need to know much of the information I learn in school past next week’s tests, yet I consume the majority of my teenage life sitting in uncomfortable desks tiring my writing hand learning these same things. When in the real world will I see it? Answer this question, and anyone can get into a student’s head. Much of what is taught in school becomes irrelevant outside classroom doors. Chemistry is relevant. Chemistry is everywhere. Chemistry is the world.

In four years, when I get out of bed it is not likely I will need to know the oxidation numbers of the components in my laundry detergent. I probably won’t need to balance the equation of the lactic acid reactions in my muscles. I would be surprised if I even remember what Avogadro’s Number is, but that’s ok. The point is, the chemistry of everything in my life is all around me, and from high school chemistry I understand that. I understand the basics of a world I never knew existed.

Every time it snows and I make my daily commute to school, I see chemistry beneath my car before I even get to the class. I understand the reason road salts help keep my tires between the lines. When I enjoy my daily lollipop before softball practice, I realize the evaporation, crystallization, and saturation of the 100 calories I’m about to digest. I then realize the acidic reactions occurring in order to digest my sugary product.

The world is made of chemistry, everywhere around us. It’s inescapable. Even if you tried to escape the world of periodic tables and reactions, it is all still right beneath your own skin, your flesh and bones. You are chemistry. Your body naturally contains 26 elements and undergoes so many chemical reactions on a daily basis, scientists say to number these reactions would be inaccurate. Too biochemistry to look inside? Then look outside.

Global warming is all about the chemistry. Every year when someone else asks you to save the polar bears, again, blame chemistry. It may be credited for some problems outside and a few too many sunburns, but it may also, one day, present the solution. The understanding of chemistry has presented us with many solutions over the years. While we still may not have quieted Al Gore, we have learned how to purify water, make shampoo, clean oil spills, mass produce coffee, run our cars off of algae, terminate blood clots, and through chemistry, the “biggie sized” fries I found in my car from last month look like they did the day I bought them.

The better we know chemistry, the better we know our world—and it’s the only place we have at the moment, so until establishing life on other planets is drilled into our high school skulls, I’d say chemistry presents a practical and vital knowledge to the future of our people, our progress, our planet.

Figures...What's significant about them?

by Molly Kemble and Kymbre Lovell, Students, Ponderosa High School, Parker, Colorado

Significant figures have proven to be a significant problem for many chemistry students, ourselves included. They were taught in the beginning of the year and have shown up on tests, worksheets, and labs, and yet they have consistently been one of the biggest struggles. The rules of significant figures may seem quite simple at first glance, but even after hours of studying, when the test comes around, they flee your memory. We both thought that points being deducted for incorrect significant figures would just be something we would have to deal throughout our year in chemistry, but it turns out, a few points can really add up. We never once realized that a simple extra credit project would do more for us than just raise our grade.

Each break we have off of school our chemistry teacher, Mr. Miwa, would assign us an optional extra credit project. He had assigned essays in the past, but the most recent was to write a song regarding a chemistry topic we had learned and record our original lyrics and melodies. We were much more intrigued by this assignment than the essays and thought it would be fun to make a music video with our song as well.

When we first set out to do the assignment, we decided significant figures would be a good topic for a song. We were determined to do this assignment. Not just for the extra percentage point added to our grade or the hopes of winning the class contest to see who can write the best song, instead, we wanted to do it so we could finally learn something that was so important that we had been missing out on the entire year.

We picked out a song with a great beat and started plugging words in. We looked at our notes and decided it would be best to talk about every rule. Well we decided we wouldn’t just sing about the rules, we would also gives examples to our rules. When the song was done, we pieced everything together. We rolled the video camera and started dancing and singing and ultimately teaching ourselves about significant figures, and we had an enjoyable time doing it.

Projects like this really motivate students because they are much more interesting than writing an essay. All an essay calls for is using a computer, a keyboard, and Google. When students are actually told to do something unique and original it sparks all kinds of imagination, and it’s really no task for us to get the job done. This project did have some perks, like earning the extra credit points, but also we gained so much more than a better grade. We gained knowledge that had been lost the entire year, and we learned it in a fun way. This is the best way to learn because it gets students involved in what they are learning. We would do a project like this anytime because it had so many benefits and it really opened our eyes to new concepts of chemistry.

Chemistry Song

I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna,
Really, really, really wanna learn some chemistry
If you wanna get good grades and pass the test
You better lean sig figs and make it fast
Now don’t go waste’in your study time
If you learn these rules then you will be just fine!
I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna,
Really, really, really wanna learn some chemistry
Significant figures, consist of this
All known digits and 1 estimated digit
You will use these all year long
And that’s the way it is
Now what you think about that you know how Mr. Miwa feels
Here comes the first rule, it’s about zeros
Zero’s appearing between non-zero digits
They are significant, all the time
I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna,
Really, really, really wanna learn some chemistry
Now for the zero’s that appear infront
Of a non zero digit are not significant
Zero’s at the end of a number are significant
Look for the decimal at the end of a number
So here’s the story from A to Z,
Chemistry can be easy, so listen carefully
You got Miwa in the place who likes it in your face
He’s like an MC cuz he podcasts all the time
We’ve got Carol whose blind cuz she didn’t wear her goggles
And as for us, ahh you’ll see
Put you goggles on and mix up all the chemicals
Put you goggles on and mix up all the chemicals
Adding and subtracting look at the digits to the right
Of the decimal and you’ll be alright
Multiplying and dividing use the sig figs,
That are in the measurement with the fewest sig figs
Now that you know the rules you gotta,
You gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, put, put, put, put….
Put you goggles on and mix up all the chemicals
Put you goggles on and mix up all the chemicals
Put you goggles on and mix up all the chemicals
Put you goggles on cuz chemistry is awesome!
Now you can pass chemistry!

Motivating high school students in chemistry

by Ryan Miwa, Chemistry Teacher, Ponderosa High School, Parker, Colorado

The average high school student views chemistry as one of the hardest classes offered. For many students, this impression is so powerful that they decide not to attempt taking the class but would rather take an “easier” science course or stop taking science all together. This major dilemma faces not only high school students but high school chemistry teachers as well. It brings about two important questions. First, how do we motivate students today to take chemistry? Second, how do we make students successful in chemistry without changing the rigor of the course?

For the most part, today’s students are not as motivated as past generations. Previous generations could be solely motivated to meet a challenge as presented, with an intrinsic sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when a solution to a problem was discovered. However, today’s students do not have this same motivation. Their sense of accomplishment comes from beating expert-level songs on Guitar Hero. So when asking students why they do not choose to take chemistry, the standard response is, “I want a easy junior year” or “why take a hard class when I can take…”.

How can we encourage students to rise to the challenge of a chemistry course? It’s simple: relevancy! We must make a chemistry class relevant to their lives. Students need to discover that chemistry surrounds us. Not only that, but students need to see that the skills learned in chemistry, like problem solving and logical thinking, applies to their lives. However, these points do not answer the question of how we encourage the students to sign up for chemistry. Well, the answer is the same: relevancy. Showing demonstrations and real life applications to students before they sign up for the class is a perfect way to motivate them to pursue chemistry. Chemistry can explain everything from water forming on the outside of their cold tea glass, to how fireworks get their colors, to how taking Tums can relieve heartburn. If we can show students that chemistry explains life, we have created the anticipatory set to entice students to take chemistry. Today’s students are not motivated by solving a challenging problem but rather are motivated by the question, “How does this matter to me?” The answer: relevancy.

So, the first challenge is motivating students to take chemistry. The second challenge is how to deliver a rigorous course but at the same time enable students to succeed. The abstract concepts learned in chemistry need to be taught in such a way that students can assimilate the information quickly. The best way to do this is to teach chemistry on multiple levels, addressing multiple learning styles. Every major concept should be taught at the macroscopic, particulate, and symbolic levels to incorporate kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning. Chemistry at the macroscopic level is achieved by students performing labs and watching demonstrations. At this level, students can visually identify chemical reactions. Labs also provide an important opportunity for kinesthetic learning and relate chemistry to real-life applications. Labs are a great way to keep students motivated throughout the course. The particulate level is the hardest for students to understand and for teachers to teach. This is the level at which students cannot see what is going on, but it is where the “real chemistry” occurs. The best way for students to understand what is happening on a molecular level is for teachers to use visual aids such as props, skits, or even analogies. At the symbolic level lies a huge disconnect between teaching and learning. Since the symbolic level is second nature to teachers, oftentimes teachers assume students understand these complex concepts. However, for students, it is difficult to learn. Teachers will often move through the material quickly, and with much assumption. Teachers expect that the students’ background in math is adequate enough that they can follow along, which is not the case most of the time. Most of the “learning” occurs as teachers lecture the material and students watch. Yet, as students leave the room, they have already forgotten most of the content. This discrepancy needs to be addressed in order to make students successful. Overall, chemistry teachers must be willing to teach all three levels to all three types of learners.

Overall, chemistry is one of the hardest classes offered to high school students. Today’s students frequently lack motivation to take a challenging course. However, if they are shown how relevant it is to their lives, they will be willing to work towards understanding it. Chemistry is important, not just for school, but to help understand life. By encouraging high school students to take chemistry, these students will be better prepared for college and other endeavors in their lives.

Book Review of Bad Science

by Stephen Canham

Ben Goldacre is a London physician and a columnist who exposes bad science and flawed reason for the Guardian newspaper. The book is a humorous and engaging read on the media/publics fallacy and misinterpretations of science.

The lack of a strong educational foundation in science has left many people with a science illiteracy. This has made them vulnerable to the “snake oil salesmen”, who profiteer from hypocrisy and half-truths. Dr. Goldacre attacks the media hype behind the good/bad for your health fads published and the idea that all social and physical problems can be solved with the help of a pill.

Challenging how science the media reports science, he tackles drug company deception, alternative medicine, vitamins, and nutrition fads. He leaves the reader with an awakening, spurring them to question and judge the evidence for themselves. Using excellent examples—the placebo affect, the Vioxx case, and the purported connection between the MMR vaccine and autism—he makes a defining case between the public’s perceived understanding and medical fact. The very entertaining book draws a clear line between the pseudoscience and evidence-based medicine.

While you won’t find the book at your local bookstore (it is currently only sold in the United Kingdom), you can find a copy online or through the website www.badscience.net; you should manage to land a copy for your bedside table.

Bad Science
By Ben Goldacre.
Fourth Estate; 352 pages www.badscience.net