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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2005  > December  >
Chemistry for Everyone
Interdisciplinary Connections
Exploration of the Chemistry of Plants: A General Education Course
Margareta Séquin
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
Cover
December 2005
Vol. 82 No. 12
p. 1787
Abstract
Chemical compounds and reactions as found in the world of plants were the basis for a new one-semester general education lecture course for college students. A separate laboratory course that included two field trips further elaborated on the lecture themes. Plant-related topics, from carbon dating and soil chemistry to plant colors, odors, and poisons, were used to introduce and illustrate increasingly complex chemistry topics: beginning with atoms, ions, and molecules the lectures progressed to the structures of organic molecules in plant pigments, fragrances, and toxins. Additional sections on plant-derived foods, dyes, and medicines stressed human dependence on plant compounds. The development of the course was strongly motivated by the effort to improve science literacy of a general student body and to excite students for chemistry. The success of the course was shown in a doubling of class enrollment compared to earlier general education lecture classes in the department, in active and consistent student participation during lectures, and in the student effort devoted to lecture and laboratory final projects.
Supplement
A more detailed description of lecture topics and lab experiments and experimental procedures from the student laboratory manual are available.
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*  Citation
 Séquin, Margareta. J. Chem. Educ. 2005 82 1787.
*  Keywords
 Curriculum; Drugs / Pharmaceuticals; Dyes / Pigments; First-Year Undergraduate / General; High School / Introductory Chemistry; Interdisciplinary / Multidisciplinary; Natural Products; Nonmajor Courses; Plant Chemistry; Textbooks / Reference Books
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 October 25, 2005
November 4, 2005
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