As Mark Nicas was inspecting an aluminum recycling plant, he observed loads of oily scrap aluminum being dumped into furnaces to melt. Sparks shot out and clouds of black smoke billowed into the room as the scrap collided with molten metal. Chlorine leaks in the piping spewed green gas onto the floor. The scene unfolding looked more like the Hades of Greek mythology than a recycling plant. Not to mention, the plant’s employees were at serious risk of exposure to cancer-causing substances. As an industrial hygienist, Nicas was able to reduce the release of these toxic chemicals into the air. He and others in his field are committed to protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace and the community.
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Of all the subjects, chemistry should arguably be the most enjoyable; it is filled with things that bubble, change color, burst into flame, and otherwise provide visual and intellectual intrigue. As the paradigmatic laboratory science, it may also be the discipline best suited for student inquiry, offering countless opportunities for students to design their own experiments. Why is chemistry such an important and engaging science? In this month’s column, the author will count the ways.
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What causes diabetes, and how does it affect a person’s health?
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Projectile motion, a cornerstone topic of introductory physics, is usually a student’s first exposure to the problem-solving techniques used in this subject. Often, this is an inactive learning experience—students work with pencil and paper to read and solve projectile motion problems (e.g., diagrams and descriptions of balls being hit, kicked, and launched). In the activity described in this Idea Bank, however, students create their own problems by applying their abstract knowledge of projectile motion to something familiar: a Wiffle ball. This activity—which can be done in one 45-minute class period—aligns with National Science Education Standards for force and motion (NRC 1996).
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While not organic in nature, quick-“growing” artificial membranes can be a profound visual aid when teaching students about cellular processes and the chemical nature of membranes. Students are often intrigued when they see biological and chemical concepts come to life before their eyes. In this article, the authors share their approach to growing artificial membranes in the classroom, discuss their similarities to and differences from cellular membranes, and explain the related processes and principles they demonstrate for students.
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Over the past decade, many headlines have noted the potential dangers of extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic field (EMFs) exposures—especially for children and young adults. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on EMF(s) and their long-term effects. However, while research continues, follow the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations outlined in this month’s Safer Science column to ensure the safety of your students.
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In this unit, each student calculates his or her own ecological footprint as the basis for becoming more environmentally friendly. Over two weeks, students analyze their own lifestyles and use their understanding of environmental chemistry to synthesize, implement, and disseminate plans to reduce their footprints. Ultimately, by writing newspaper articles that are shared with the community, students apply what they have learned to raise public awareness about sustainability. This article describes the environmental chemistry unit and provides suggestions for implementation based on the authors' experience in the high school chemistry classroom.
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Teacher research—often called “action research”—is an intentional and systematic inquiry into one’s own classroom practice with the goal of improved student learning (Cochran-Smith and Lytle 1993). In this article, the authors present a teacher research project undertaken to improve student understanding of the gas laws in a high school chemistry class. It addresses both the product of this teacher research project—insights into the teaching of gas laws—and the process and potential power of this approach.
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Classifying a particle requires an understanding of the type of bonding that exists within and among the particles, which requires an understanding of atomic structure and electron configurations, which requires an understanding of the elements of periodic properties, and so on. Rather than getting tangled up in all of these concepts at the start of the year, the author has found it quicker and simpler to use three-dimensional (3-D), computerized visualizations of crystal structures to teach the classification of particles. This article describes how to use these visualizations in a chemistry lesson and how other teachers can incorporate them into their practice as well.
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Despite its importance, chemistry can be difficult for some students to learn. Many concepts are abstract, and students cannot always relate the ideas in this subject to their own experiences. Researchers examining learning in chemistry often reference student understanding of chemical concepts at three levels: macroscopic, microscopic, and symbolic. This month’s Prepared Practitioner column describes these levels of understanding and identifies how they can overlap to contribute to students’ misconceptions in chemistry.
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In this article, the authors provide a brief overview of the emerging field of nanoscience and why it is an important area of education. They next explain the science behind the new nanoparticulate sunscreens, describe the different elements of the unit, and reflect on some of the opportunities and challenges of teaching nanoscience at the high school level.
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A group of high school students and chaperones boarded a bus for historic Oakland Cemetery located in downtown Atlanta. Students explored the site and made observations of the gravestones, many of which were old and run-down. Upon leaving the cemetery, students—based on their interests—developed various chemistry investigations aimed at answering the same driving question: “What is causing the deterioration of Oakland Cemetery headstones?” To engage students in the concept of acids and bases, the project-based chemistry lesson described in this article incorporates the 5E learning cycle and “funds of knowledge.”
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