In the Classroom

KENSHU is Japanese for research understanding. In the article "Effective Technique For Reading Research Articles. The Japanese KENSHU Method," Drake, Acosta, and Smith describe how they have helped students in the United States who are at different educational levels, including junior and senior high school, learn to read research articles.

Information · Textbooks · Media · Resources

If you are looking for quality multimedia material which is learner-centered, "The JCE:Software General Chemistry Collection (for Students): Abstract of Special Issue 16" will be of interest. The new CD-ROM that is described in the abstract is intended for individual study by introductory level students. It contains programs covering a variety of topics that are often addressed in second-year or advanced placement courses and it could be of use in the first-year course also.

Chemistry Everyday for Everyone

In the article "Captives of Their Fantasies: The German Atomic Bomb Scientists" Klotz provides evidence from recently released transcripts that Germany was not prepared to produce an atomic bomb before the end of World War II in Europe. This article could be used in a cross-disciplinary unit combining history of the World War II era and the chemistry and physics of the atomic age.

A bathroom scale, a 60-mL syringe, and some modeling clay are the principal materials needed for "A Simple Boyle's Law Experiment" described by Lewis. This low-cost approach actually has an advantage over commercially available devices because it casts pressure as force per unit area rather than providing a direct reading of pressure.

"A Laboratory Experiment Investigating Different Aspects of Catalase Activity in an Inquiry-Based Approach" by Kimbrough, Magoun, and Langfur is an interesting application that involves both biology and chemistry.

In the Laboratory

Jansen describes an experiment that allows students to compare the energy given off by burning a fuel with the amount of heat absorbed by water. "How Efficient is a Laboratory Burner in Heating Water?" combines the use of experimental calorimetry and published heat of reaction data.

Advice for College-Bound Students

The number of students in an average high school chemistry class who will go to college and major in chemistry is relatively small. Of these, only a few will go on to graduate school or take a position in industry upon completion of their undergraduate degree. However, these individuals are very important to the profession and to the advancement of science. Increasingly, the value of undergraduate research experience is being recognized as a distinct advantage, if not a requirement, toward success in graduate school and entry-level professional chemistry positions. Science fairs, contact with local industry, and summer work experiences all can play a valuable part in preparing students to look forward to research experience as undergraduates. As a teacher, your advice is very important too and its value should not be underestimated. Helping potential college chemistry majors identify colleges and universities where a priority is placed on undergraduate research experience is a specific means of providing valuable advice. Information about research at doctoral degree-granting chemistry and biochemistry departments has been readily available from sources such as the Directory of Graduate Research, an American Chemical Society publication. Until recently, information about research at primarily undergraduate institutions has been harder to obtain. Now, thanks to the initiative of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) there is a new publication, Directory of Research in Chemistry at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. Information about this publication and the activities of CUR may be found in a article by Halstead, "Council on Undergraduate Research: A Resource (and a Community) for Science Educators", located in the Chemical Education Today section of this issue. The directory encompasses all fields of science, so this can also be a valuable resource for advising potential science majors in fields other than chemistry.

Another valuable resource for locating information about chemistry and biochemistry departments is by way of the Internet. A good place to start is through the "The World Wide Web Virtual Library: Chemistry", which is accessible as a link through the JCE Online or directly at http://www.chem.ucla.edu/chempointers.html. There you and your students will find listings of a large number of chemistry and biochemistry departments as well as other useful resources.

Spring Conventions

There will be a Journal of Chemical Education booth at the National Science Teachers Association Convention in New Orleans, April 2­6, 1997, and at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Francisco, April 13 - 17, 1997. A highlight of the ACS meeting will be High School Day, April 14. A full day of interesting sessions has been organized by High School Program Chair Robert Zafran. One of the sessions, "The Journal of Chemical Education: What's in It for High School Teachers? What Should It Be?" is designed so that you can tell John Moore and me what would make the Journal more useful to you and how you might contribute to the Journal. We hope to see you there. Some information about San Francisco is available now at http://www.acs.org/meetings/sanfran/attract.html and more will be available later. Information about the Division of Chemical Education program will be carried in the March issue of this Journal.