Bringing Chemistry to Life or Bringing Life to Chemistry?

Bringing Chemistry to Life or

Bringing Life to Chemistry?

Teaching in general is not an easy task. Students come with concepts already built in their minds. To correct some concepts we should retrieve them first which is not easy to do for all students. In addition, some ideas are really "sticky" so a umble effort cannot wipe them.

Most of the teachers' concern these days is how to deliver  information. This is why we started studying about the brain, the memory, alternative conceptions, mnemonic devices, concept mapping and other types of starter activities and plenaries which should be of interest to us, but not the sole interest.

"Chemistry is all around you". "Chemistry is much related to your life, more than you think!". "Chemistry is not Maths" and many other statements we often repeat at the beginning or during teaching.

But are students aware of what we are talking about? We say Chemistry is not Maths but aren't we giving them formulas and asking them to apply them? Aren't we explaining what is in the textbook without relating them to their lives? Isn't our primary concern how to deliver the information in the "smoothest" way instead of showing them how to invest the information?

"Daily life is Science" then daily life is Chemistry. Giving examples from daily life motivates students but this is not enough. Students should learn how to invest the info in their lives and how to benefit.

In grade 10, I usually start explaining about % yield by telling the students a story about a man who wanted to build a factory to synthesize ammonia. I raise questions like what are the factors to be considered when building such a factory. Students start using what they were taught in economics and chemistry (stoichiometry) to come up with answers, but still do not know about the yield. I tell them that the man considered all these factors but in the end he was broke! There is still another factor to be considered which is % yield … (He expected to get this amount and sell at this price to have a profit of.., he got less!) And then after doing this, students start asking about the "why" and the "what can be done". In this same class we teach them how to calculate the molar mass of hydrated compounds but do we teach them that hydrated cobalt chloride can be used to guess if it is going to rain or not?

Continuing Education

In grade nine and grade 11 we teach students about addition reactions of alkenes. When doing so it is helpful to tell them about hydrogenation of oil and to evaluate the product obtained in this case. Also in addition reactions it is worthwhile to tell them about how scientists invested the addition of iodine to calculate the degree of unsaturation of oils. We teach them hydration reaction, hydrogenation reaction, and fermentation reaction, but we don't tell them about biofuels and how to make them on their own. In addition, we stress the importance of alkenes in plastic industry and making anti-freeze.

Hydrogen in peroxide is mentioned throughout the different grades. Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is given as an equation; the catalyst used is a piece of liver or manganese dioxide. How about blood? What happens when peroxide is used on a cut? Hydrogen peroxide can be also used as a decolorizing agent. Isn't commenting on the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with permanganate better than just giving the redox couples and telling students to write the equation of the reaction? Where else can hydrogen peroxide be used as a decolorizing agent? How about removing blood stains?

Titration is another interesting subject, but unfortunately students hate it. They come to class with the idea that they will not grasp it. This is why I always start with the purpose and uses of titration. I ask students to collect information about where we use titration other than in chemistry labs and then students present their work about it.

These are some examples but this is not all. Some students may complain about "going into too many details that are not required" they say, but many more students are happy about it, as chemistry is meaningful to them. Moreover, they start looking at things around them in a different way. They know now that this world around them exists and many constituents of this world do exist. The more we know, the more we see and discover, the better we benefit .

Bringing Chemistry to Life or Bringing Life to Chemistry?

Bringing Chemistry to Life or

Bringing Life to Chemistry?

Teaching in general is not an easy task. Students come with concepts already built in their minds. To correct some concepts we should retrieve them first which is not easy to do for all students. In addition, some ideas are really "sticky" so a umble effort cannot wipe them.

Most of the teachers' concern these days is how to deliver  information. This is why we started studying about the brain, the memory, alternative conceptions, mnemonic devices, concept mapping and other types of starter activities and plenaries which should be of interest to us, but not the sole interest.

"Chemistry is all around you". "Chemistry is much related to your life, more than you think!". "Chemistry is not Maths" and many other statements we often repeat at the beginning or during teaching.

But are students aware of what we are talking about? We say Chemistry is not Maths but aren't we giving them formulas and asking them to apply them? Aren't we explaining what is in the textbook without relating them to their lives? Isn't our primary concern how to deliver the information in the "smoothest" way instead of showing them how to invest the information?

"Daily life is Science" then daily life is Chemistry. Giving examples from daily life motivates students but this is not enough. Students should learn how to invest the info in their lives and how to benefit.

In grade 10, I usually start explaining about % yield by telling the students a story about a man who wanted to build a factory to synthesize ammonia. I raise questions like what are the factors to be considered when building such a factory. Students start using what they were taught in economics and chemistry (stoichiometry) to come up with answers, but still do not know about the yield. I tell them that the man considered all these factors but in the end he was broke! There is still another factor to be considered which is % yield … (He expected to get this amount and sell at this price to have a profit of.., he got less!) And then after doing this, students start asking about the "why" and the "what can be done". In this same class we teach them how to calculate the molar mass of hydrated compounds but do we teach them that hydrated cobalt chloride can be used to guess if it is going to rain or not?

Continuing Education

In grade nine and grade 11 we teach students about addition reactions of alkenes. When doing so it is helpful to tell them about hydrogenation of oil and to evaluate the product obtained in this case. Also in addition reactions it is worthwhile to tell them about how scientists invested the addition of iodine to calculate the degree of unsaturation of oils. We teach them hydration reaction, hydrogenation reaction, and fermentation reaction, but we don't tell them about biofuels and how to make them on their own. In addition, we stress the importance of alkenes in plastic industry and making anti-freeze.

Hydrogen in peroxide is mentioned throughout the different grades. Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is given as an equation; the catalyst used is a piece of liver or manganese dioxide. How about blood? What happens when peroxide is used on a cut? Hydrogen peroxide can be also used as a decolorizing agent. Isn't commenting on the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with permanganate better than just giving the redox couples and telling students to write the equation of the reaction? Where else can hydrogen peroxide be used as a decolorizing agent? How about removing blood stains?

Titration is another interesting subject, but unfortunately students hate it. They come to class with the idea that they will not grasp it. This is why I always start with the purpose and uses of titration. I ask students to collect information about where we use titration other than in chemistry labs and then students present their work about it.

These are some examples but this is not all. Some students may complain about "going into too many details that are not required" they say, but many more students are happy about it, as chemistry is meaningful to them. Moreover, they start looking at things around them in a different way. They know now that this world around them exists and many constituents of this world do exist. The more we know, the more we see and discover, the better we benefit .

Bringing Chemistry to Life or Bringing Life to Chemistry?

Bringing Chemistry to Life or

Bringing Life to Chemistry?

Teaching in general is not an easy task. Students come with concepts already built in their minds. To correct some concepts we should retrieve them first which is not easy to do for all students. In addition, some ideas are really "sticky" so a umble effort cannot wipe them.

Most of the teachers' concern these days is how to deliver  information. This is why we started studying about the brain, the memory, alternative conceptions, mnemonic devices, concept mapping and other types of starter activities and plenaries which should be of interest to us, but not the sole interest.

"Chemistry is all around you". "Chemistry is much related to your life, more than you think!". "Chemistry is not Maths" and many other statements we often repeat at the beginning or during teaching.

But are students aware of what we are talking about? We say Chemistry is not Maths but aren't we giving them formulas and asking them to apply them? Aren't we explaining what is in the textbook without relating them to their lives? Isn't our primary concern how to deliver the information in the "smoothest" way instead of showing them how to invest the information?

"Daily life is Science" then daily life is Chemistry. Giving examples from daily life motivates students but this is not enough. Students should learn how to invest the info in their lives and how to benefit.

In grade 10, I usually start explaining about % yield by telling the students a story about a man who wanted to build a factory to synthesize ammonia. I raise questions like what are the factors to be considered when building such a factory. Students start using what they were taught in economics and chemistry (stoichiometry) to come up with answers, but still do not know about the yield. I tell them that the man considered all these factors but in the end he was broke! There is still another factor to be considered which is % yield … (He expected to get this amount and sell at this price to have a profit of.., he got less!) And then after doing this, students start asking about the "why" and the "what can be done". In this same class we teach them how to calculate the molar mass of hydrated compounds but do we teach them that hydrated cobalt chloride can be used to guess if it is going to rain or not?

Continuing Education

In grade nine and grade 11 we teach students about addition reactions of alkenes. When doing so it is helpful to tell them about hydrogenation of oil and to evaluate the product obtained in this case. Also in addition reactions it is worthwhile to tell them about how scientists invested the addition of iodine to calculate the degree of unsaturation of oils. We teach them hydration reaction, hydrogenation reaction, and fermentation reaction, but we don't tell them about biofuels and how to make them on their own. In addition, we stress the importance of alkenes in plastic industry and making anti-freeze.

Hydrogen in peroxide is mentioned throughout the different grades. Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is given as an equation; the catalyst used is a piece of liver or manganese dioxide. How about blood? What happens when peroxide is used on a cut? Hydrogen peroxide can be also used as a decolorizing agent. Isn't commenting on the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with permanganate better than just giving the redox couples and telling students to write the equation of the reaction? Where else can hydrogen peroxide be used as a decolorizing agent? How about removing blood stains?

Titration is another interesting subject, but unfortunately students hate it. They come to class with the idea that they will not grasp it. This is why I always start with the purpose and uses of titration. I ask students to collect information about where we use titration other than in chemistry labs and then students present their work about it.

These are some examples but this is not all. Some students may complain about "going into too many details that are not required" they say, but many more students are happy about it, as chemistry is meaningful to them. Moreover, they start looking at things around them in a different way. They know now that this world around them exists and many constituents of this world do exist. The more we know, the more we see and discover, the better we benefit .