In the Classroom

In the article "Bring Back Equivalent WeightIf You Want the Kids to `Think'!" (page 1007) author M. Laing argues that students need to struggle through problems, working through the material in the historical order of discovery. He traces the development of chemical understanding that was dependent upon equivalent weight from Lavoisier to Mendeleev. The description of a college course for non-science majors, "Chemistry and the Human Environment" (page 1012), contains a number of interesting examples and learning strategies that could be used in any beginning chemistry course. Another interesting aspect of the course described by authors C. N. Trumbore, J. Bevenour, and K. Scantlebury is the "need-to-know" approach which they used to determine which chemical principles would be included. An article by Ngai Ling Ma describes how "Quantum Analogies on Campus" (page 1016) can be used to build a stronger grasp of abstract concepts by using examples drawn from daily life of students. Although written about a college course, "A New Approach to the General Chemistry Laboratory" (page 1021) by J. F. Bieron, P. J. McCarthy, and T. W. Kermis provides an example of how a thematic strategy might be used in a high school beginning or advanced chemistry course. For classes with access to IR instrumentation "Getting Real: A General Chemistry Laboratory Program Focusing on `Real World' Substances" (page 1023) by R. C. Kerber and M. J. Akhtar provides several interesting examples involving household substances.

Chemistry Everyday for Everyone

A. Hildebrand, U. Hilgers, R. Blume, and D. Wiechoczek describe some interesting C60 chemistry experiments in the article "Playing with the Soccer Ball an Experimental Introduction to Fullerene Chemistry" (1066). A common and easily observable chemical change is the coloration of paper used in books and magazines. H. A. Carter explains why these changes occur and how their effects can be countered in "The Chemistry of Paper Preservation Part 2. The Yellowing of Paper and Conservation Bleaching" (1068). Articles that relate chemistry to other disciplines are important in helping students see the interrelatedness of science. In an article that meets this need, J. S. Huebner, R. A. Vergenz, and T. L. Smith explain the contributions that astronomy has made to broadening our concept of matter in "Astronomy Matters for Chemistry Teachers" (page 1073).

Research: Science and Education

Teacher's guides to textbooks, resource books, and numerous journal articles on teaching chemistry have explained the use of concept maps as a means of assessing the relationships among ideas. A. Regis and P. G. Albertazzi share the results of their research in "Concept maps in chemistry education" (1084).