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  Department of Chemistry
and Physics
Radford University
Radford VA 24142
 
 

Presentations

 

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Monday morning, August 3, 2009
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George R. Hague Jr. Advanced Placement Chemistry Symposium

01-AM-AP01
Monday, August 3, 8:00 - 8:40 am
Meet the AP Chemistry Test Development Committee
Paul D. Price, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, Texas, 76132, tvschem@sbcglobal.net
In this session participants will meet members of the AP Chemistry Development Committee who will review results from the 2008 exam,  review the grading rubric, and discuss guidelines for building a successful chemistry program. Participants will gain a better understanding of how the AP Chemistry Exam is constructed and scored. Common misconceptions found in student answers will also be examined.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-AM-AP02
Monday, August 3, 8:45 - 9:25 am
Attacking Misconceptions in AP Chemistry
Paul D. Price, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, Texas, 76132, tvschem@sbcglobal.net

The study of chemistry can be rife with misconceptions.  Using examples for past AP Chemistry exams, members of the AP Test Development Committee will share pedagogical strategies to help build conceptual understanding of several vexing concepts in equilibrium, thermodynamics, and molecular structure.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-AM-AP03
Monday, August 3, 9:30 - 10:10 am
AP Chemistry Open Discussion Morning
Charles Mills, Retired AP Chemistry Teacher, Newburgh, Indiana, 47630, ccmills@wowway.com
An open discussion session concerning AP Chemistry will be conducted by one of the symposium organizers.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-AM-AP04
Monday, August 3, 10:15 - 10:40 am
Past AP Chemistry Exams Help the Future
Harvey Gendreau, Laboratory Safety Institute, Natick, Massachusetts, 01760, hgendreau@rcn.com
In order to better prepare students for the AP Chem Exam, teachers should be well versed in the format and scope of the past exam questions. Teachers will learn how to access the past exams and how to use them in their classrooms to increase their student's learning and have a better performance on the College Board's AP Exam.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Web-Based Applications for Chemical Education

01-AM-WEB01
Monday, August 3, 8:25 - 8:40 am
Moodle activities and resources in chemistry courses
Jennifer Muzyka, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, 40422, jennifer.muzyka@centre.edu; Keeta Martin Holmes, Centre College, Center for Teaching and Learning
Moodle is an open source alternative to WebCT and Blackboard, providing a virtual space to share course materials.  Most of the features available in other course management software are also available in Moodle (e.g., chat, forums, and quizzes).  Consistent with the philosophy of open source software, educators have participated actively in the development of Moodle.  Thus, Moodle offers activities that are not available in WebCT or Blackboard.  These include wikis, student generated glossaries, and calibrated peer review.  We will share our experiences using Moodle in chemistry courses at Centre College.
Audience:  college/university instructors

01-AM-WEB02
Monday, August 3, 8:45 - 9:00 am
Discover JCE Web Software
Linda Fanis, Journal of Chemical Education, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, lnfanis@wisc.edu
Would you like your students to be familiar with typical laboratory techniques before they come to lab? Would your students like to see videos of chemical demonstrations you do in class? Would you like to be able to provide tutorials for your students on key chemical concepts? You can do all of this and more using JCE Web Software. Instructional software plays a large role in teaching chemistry students and now JCE Software's large collection of tried and tested resources will be available on the web. Get a first look at the collection of JCE Web Software titles including ChemPages Laboratory, General Chemistry Multimedia Problems, Netorials, Solid State Resources, Lake Study, Chemistry Comes Alive! collection and so many more. Learn how students can access these web-ready programs or integrate them into your classroom.
Audience:  high school and college teachers

01-AM-WEB03
Monday, August 3, 9:05 - 9:20 am
An Open Toolkit for Teaching Chemistry on the Web
Xavier Prat-Resina, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53715, xavier@chem.wisc.edu; Jon Holmes, Journal of Chemical Education, 209 N. Brooks St. Madison, Wisconsin  53715-1116, jlholmes@chem.wisc.edu; John W Moore, University of Wisconsin,-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53715, jwmoore@chem.wisc.edu
On the Internet one can find all sorts of digital materials to teach and learn chemistry. Initiatives like NSDL (nsdl.org) and others collect many of these digital resources available online and catalogue them appropriately so that the users can find what they are looking for. Although such tools have been available for some time, in general the use of the computer and digital materials by students and teachers has not reached its full potential.  The underutilitzation of web resources may be due to many reasons. Some the most important reasons are the sustainability of the software as technology evolves, reliability of the content, and the adaptability of the resource to the end user's needs.  At ChemEdDL (www.chemeddl.org), thanks to its partnership with the Journal of Chemical Education and other institutions, catalogued and deployed digital teaching materials have been available for a few years now. Recently, trying to address the problems specified above we are providing a collection of chemical data, such as content related to elements, molecules, reactions, and experiments in text format as well as videos, journal articles, and images.  The novelty of the work presented here is that our repository can be accessed by students and teachers with very little technical knowledge required. It should be easy for the average user to have access to ChemEdDL materials, combine them, include their own resources and annotations, and deploy the results in a web page, in a learning management platform such as Moodle, or even in Web2.0 applications such as iGoogle and Facebook.

01-AM-WEB04
Monday, August 3, 9:30 - 10:10 am
Putting it all Together
Greg Nottingham, First Colonial High School, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23454-2025, gnott001@gmail.com 
There are numerous initiatives that have been introduced over the years that have great potential if implemented correctly.  The struggle faced by all teachers is to balance all of the various initiatives and requirements in order to maximize time in the classroom to conduct activities, laboratories, and assess students understanding of concepts and problem solving skills. This presentation discusses lessons learned by a first year chemistry teacher implementing technology, Differentiated Instruction, Understanding by Design, Kagan Structures, 21st Century Skills, Higher-level Thinking, Fred Jones Classroom Management techniques, and POGIL in a high school general chemistry classroom.  A web-based or digital delivery of primary direct instruction may be key to meeting all requirements and having it all!
Audience:  high school teachers

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Current Topics in Chemistry to Attract Student Interest
01-AM-COMM01
Monday, August 3, 8:00 - 8:40 am
Materials to Help Teachers Celebrate National Chemistry Week 2009: "Chemistry--It's Elemental!"
Erica K. Jacobsen, Journal of Chemical Education, The Dalles, Oregon, 97058, jacobsen@chem.wisc.edu; Stacy Jones, Office of Community Activities, American Chemical Society, 1155 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036, s_jones2@acs.org 
Chemistry--It's Elemental!" This phrase succinctly communicates that chemistry is a fundamental part of everything around us. It is also the theme chosen by the American Chemical Society (ACS) for National Chemistry Week (NCW) 2009, which will celebrate the 140th anniversary of Mendeleev's Periodic Table of the Elements, and focus on the periodic table and the elements individually. NCW is a community-based annual event in October that unites educators and students, along with ACS local sections, businesses, and the general public in communicating the importance of chemistry to our quality of life. Anyone can participate it only takes a little enthusiasm and use of available resources to get started. This presentation will share event planning tips and materials, including games, activities, experiments, and videos that are specially geared to complement the 2009 theme and are sure to enhance any teacher's celebration of NCW.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-AM-COMM02
Monday, August 3, 8:45 - 9:25 am
Creating Chemistry Puzzles for the Classroom
Harry B.  Herzer, III, Oklahoma State University (retired), Manteo, North Carolina, 27954, hbherzer@earthlink.net; Kristi A. Herzer, University of Vermont,  Burlington, Vermont 05401, kherzer@uvm.edu
Creating Chemistry Puzzles for the Classroom  If chemistry weren't puzzling enough for our students, try including some chemistry puzzles!   Chemistry puzzles can be a productive adjunct to the classroom.  Puzzles in the chemistry classroom can be used for review, study, as well as just plain fun. This is if and only if they are specific to the subject matter and topic under study.  Making appropriate puzzles is an interesting way to study- both for your students and for your course preparation.  Students can make their own puzzles and try them out on their fellow classmates. Come learn some new puzzle types and variations on some old.  More than a baker's dozen of puzzle types will be presented.  These include ChemAcrostic, CrypticChem, Mono-Di-Tri crossword, ChemicAlphabet Soup, SoDuChem, ChemHex, DoubleHexagon, Snake, Matrix (or Logic), Go-To, as well as a variation of the word search that is academically appropriate.   Several examples of each will be presented including methods for avoiding wasting paper. Helpful hints on puzzle construction will be included.  Because a teacher's time is valuable, some time-saving references and techniques will be will be presented. [Although these puzzles are chemistry-related, the formats can easily be adapted to other topics. Occasionally we are forced to teach some courses in addition to our first-love: chemistry!]
Audience:  high school teachers

01-AM-COMM03
Monday, August 3, 9:30 - 10:10 am
25th USNCO Anniversary Celebration - Chemistry Olympiad in your classroom
Cecelia Hernandez, ACS
U. S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) celebrates 25th anniversary. This presentation will provide an overview and brief history of the USNCO and International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).  The chemistry Olympiad provides a stimulating challenge to students who participate at the local, national and international levels. In addition to the student challenge portion, the Chemistry Olympiad provides a series of hand-on assessment laboratories that are available for use in your classes. The USNCO began in 1984 to encourage thousand of high school students to achieve excellence in chemistry and to recognize the achievements of their teachers. Also the program challenges the chemical knowledge and skills of students in an international arena.  A mentor of the USNCO will share his perspectives on the two-week student study camp held at the US Air Force Academy each June in Colorado and the experience at the IChO. This presentation will provide information about the preparation and marking of the 2009 exam as well as the student performance on it. The philosophy, design, and marking of the laboratory practical portion of the National Chemistry Olympiad will be discussed. Participants will have an opportunity to carry out one of the USNCO laboratory practical problems.

01-AM-COMM04
Monday, August 3, 10:15 - 10:55 am
Selecting the Nation’s Top High School Chemistry Students:   Preparing and Grading the 2009 National Chemistry Olympiad
Arden P. Zipp, SUNY College at Cortland
Twenty students were selected to participate in a two-week Study Camp at the Air Force Academy in June. Four individuals from this group were chosen to represent the United States at the International Chemistry Olympiad in Cambridge, England. How were the Study Camp participants selected?  This presentation will outline the preparation and grading of the examinations that were used to accomplish this task.

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Demonstrations

01-AM-DEMO01
Monday, August 3, 8:00 - 9:25 am
Discrepant Events to make "Science Come Alive"
Phil "Doc Gizmo" Arnold, Doc Gizmo Science Theatre, Wichita, Kansas, 67205, doc_gizmo@hotmail.com; Susan Arnold, USD  266 Maize HS, Maize Kansas,   67101, arnoldsusan@hotmail.com 
Over her 38 years of teaching Chemistry, Physics and Natural Science, Susan has amassed a fine collection of Discrepant Event Demos.  She and Phil "Doc Gizmo" have expanded these into the "Doc Gizmo Science Theatre", a on-the-road assembly presentation taken to schools all over the mid-west.  More than 160,000 students have been educated and excited by these presentations.  Come and share in solid science embracing the science standards, done with inexpensive home-made equipment, designed to "Make Science Come Alive" for your students in your classroom.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-AM-DEMO02
Monday, August 3, 9:30 - 10:55 am
Five Minute Demos
Betty Catelli, (retired, formerly Southington High School, Southington, CT) Berlin, Connecticut, 06037, bcatelli@sbcglobal.net 
Don't just tell them, show them.  This session will show a number of short demonstrations that are useful for demonstrating chemical principles, but which take very little class time.  They are easy to set up and clean up, and most require only commonly found or easily obtained equipment and chemicals.  Many use only household materials, so disposal doesn't present any problems.  Suggestions will be made about which demonstration is appropriate for different topics in the chemistry curriculum.  This session is appropriate for teachers who would like to use more demos to excite students interest, but who haven't done so due to lack of time.
Audience:  high school teachers


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Monday afternoon, August 3, 2009
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George R. Hague Jr. Advanced Placement Chemistry Symposium

01-PM-DEMO04
Monday, August 3, 1:00 - 1:25 pm
Integrating  Environmental Chemistry in the  AP Chemistry Curriculum
Adele Mouakad, St. John's School, San Juan, Puerto Rico, amouakad@sjspr.org
With the recent interest in environmental issues it has  become important for students to develop an understanding of them.  The general chemistry course is an excellent vehicle for presenting the different topics to the students. Some of these topics such as ozone depletion, greenhouse warming and acid deposition, are an important component of atmospheric chemistry, and are  easily integrated into an introductory chemistry course.  The greenhouse effect can be used to teach the students about light and energy absorption and chemical bonding.  Interesting demonstrations regarding these phenomena will be shown. The whole topic of ozone depletion is an excellent vehicle for teaching kinetics, equilibrium and most importantly catalysis.  The topic of acid deposition is an excellent way of teaching a series of basic chemical principles.  These would be the solubility of gases and diffusion, acid-base chemistry, pH and oxidation-reduction reactions.  Several simple laboratories will be presented that illustrate these principles. Also simple experiments using water chemistry  to illustrate environmental topics will be performed.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-PM-AP05
Monday, August 3, 1:30 - 1:55 pm
Intermolecular Forces and Bonding: An Observation Based Classroom Activity and an Unknown Identification Laboratory Investigation
Dalia Zygas, West Leyden High School, Northlake, Illinois, 60164, dzygas@comcast.net
Two activities on bonding and intermolecular forces will be presented. The first activity involves "hands on" observations but is not actually a lab. Students are presented with several color coded sets of plastic vials containing solids, liquids and gases each set has questions about observations relating properties and the intermolecular forces responsible. Tasks include identification of substances, classification of types of substances, arranging the substances in order of increasing melting points, etc. The second activity is a lab with a goal of identifying 7 solids. The student groups are given a list of the formulas of their assigned substances.  The groups are to perform tests on the substances to assist in their identification. Potential tests are presented, but the order of the testing and the inferences made are up to the students. Lab tests include determining the relative order of the melting points using tiny samples of the solids on a piece of aluminum foil (on a hot plate in a fume hood), checking the solubility of the solids in water and cyclohexane (using glass or ceramic spot plates), as well as the conductivity of the water solutions (with a small, 9 volt conductivity tester).
Audience:
high school teachers

01-PM-AP06
Monday, August 3, 2:00 - 2:40 pm
AP Chemistry, Labs and Me
Adrian Dingle, The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, Georgia, 30327, AdrianD@westminster.net 
Are labs an important part of the AP Chemistry experience? If the answer is yes, we MUST have a lab exam as part of the AP assessment process. Pencil and part tests of lab skills are NOT adequate. This presentation shows how this is achieved in the UK.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-PM-AP07
Monday, August 3, 2:45 - 3:25 pm
AP Chemistry Open Discussion Afternoon
Charles Mills, Retired AP Chemistry Teacher, Newburgh, Indiana, 47630, ccmills@wowway.com
An open discussion concerning AP Chemistry will be conducted by one of the symposium organisers.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-PM-DEMO10
Monday, August 3, 3:30 - 3:50 pm
Great AP demos
Bette Bridges, Bridgewater Raynham Regional HS (ret.),Sharon, Massachusetts, 02067, babridges@comcast.net
These are great demos for the AP curriculum in the topics of equilibrium,acid-base and electrochemistry.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Demonstrations

01-PM-DEMO03
Monday, August 3, 1:00 - 2:25 pm
Under Pressure
John Eix, Upper Canada College (retired), OAKVILLE, Ontario, L6H 2G8, jeix@sympatico.ca; Andy Cherkas, cherkas@sympatico.ca; Bette Bridges, babridges@comcast.net; Patrick Funk, rukidding_me@hotmail.com; Harvey Gendreau, hgendreau@rcn.com;  David A Katz, dakatz45@msn.com
Under Pressure is a carousel with 6 teachers presenting 2 or 3 dems that will enable you to motivate, teach and review concepts related to pressure
Audience:  high school teachers

01-PM-DEMO05
Monday, August 3, 1:00 - 1:25 pm
Potpourri of Household Chemistry
Jill Barker, Millbrook High School, Winchester, Virginia, 22603, barkerj@frederick.k12.va.us
This presentation will review three demonstrations, three labs, and three activities involving household items. Videos will be shown of the demonstrations. The demonstrations will include density (red-colored Karo syrup, milk, and candle oil), chemical reactions (soda can with lye), and elephant toothpaste (Baquacil). The labs will cover pure substances and mixtures (playdough), radial chromatography (water-soluble pens and coffee filters), and density (carbonated beverages). The activities will include saturation of solutions (growing crystals), precision (food colorings), and physical changes (dry ice).
Audience:  high school teachers

01-PM-DEMO06
Monday, August 3, 1:30 - 1:55 pm
Consumer Chemicals Lab
Steve Smith, Roanoke Valley Governor's School, Roanoke,  Virginia, 24015, ssmith@rvgs.k12.va.us
Experiments with unexpected results and/or dramatic changes can heighten the interest your students have for your chemistry course. They can also be used to challenge your students to make detailed observations, to think critically, and to ask questions about what caused the effects they witnessed.  In addition, using common consumer chemicals in laboratory activities can help your students identify more with chemistry as a subject that impacts their daily lives.  The Consumer Chemicals lab is composed of eight different laboratory experiments.  It takes a little over an hour to complete, and is usually conducted within the first week or two of the class.  Most if not all of the experiments can be referred back to later in the year to illustrate various chemical concepts.  You will see detailed photos of each experiment (with videos of a few), and you will receive a handout detailing each one, including a list of the chemicals and equipment needed, along with the chemistry topic(s) they can be used to illustrate.  None of them require expensive chemicals, and all of them will enable your students to gain an appreciation for the chemistry that is all around them.
Audience:  high school teachers

01-PM-DEMO08
Monday, August 3, 2:30 - 3:10 pm
Teacher Friendly Chemistry: Increasing Student Engagement by Providing a Classroom rich in Labs and Activities
Deanna York, Teacher Friendly Chemistry, Brownsburg, Indiana, 46112, dbyork@sbcglobal.net; Carey Munoz, Teacher Friendly Chemistry, Indianapols,Indiana 46237 carey.munoz@wayne.k12.in.us
Learn how to increase student engagement and interest by providing a classroom rich in labs and activities where students learn content material in a hands on environment instead of a lecture driven environment.Teacher Friendly Chemistry labs and activities provide a format that is quick and easy to set up, perform and grade. Teachers will be able to complete 60-70 labs per year in a first year chemistry or integrated chemistry physics class while spending very little time after school in preparation. Teachers will learn how to make lab kits with materials that are readily available and inexpensive to purchase. Labs are student friendly by providing essential lecture material in an easy to read and understand format while applying relevancy to scientific concepts. Teachers who are frustrated with textbook laboratory manuals will find Teacher Friendly Chemistry labs will replace frustration with excitement for doing labs!
Audience:  high school teachers

01-PM-DEMO09
Monday, August 3, 3:15 - 3:55 pm
See It Today--Use It Tomorrow
Erica K. Jacobsen, Journal of Chemical Education, The Dalles, Oregon, 97058, jacobsen@chem.wisc.edu 
Even a highly organized teacher can be caught off-guard by unforseen circumstances. An unexpected emergency might arise that requires a substitute teacher to step in. A partial day of teaching on a snow day might leave one or two classes behind on material you originally planned to cover. You might need a filler on the day before vacation. A collection of quick-to-prep and easy-to-implement chemistry activities can be a solution. This presentation will share hands-on chemistry activities that cover relevant, real world science concepts, but can be led by a substitute. They can also be used as introductions to new topics, or to give students a break between units. The activities use items commonly found in grocery or hardware stores, as well as the laboratory. All items can be purchased and/or gathered quickly, or even packed ahead of time in an emergency kit. Each activity is condensed into a single page ready-to-photocopy handout for students along with a single page for instructors that contains all necessary science background and tips for implementing. The activities truly can be seen today and used tomorrow--or even today!
Audience:  high school teachers

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Tuesday morning, August 4, 2009
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George R. Hague Jr. Advanced Placement Chemistry Symposium

02-AM-AP08
Tuesday, August 4, 8:00 - 9:25 am
Teaching AP Chemistry the English Way
Adrian Dingle, The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, Georgia, 30327, AdrianD@westminster.net
A presentation focusing on strategies to maximize students AP scores, with a heavy emphasis on teaching to the test rather than teaching the chemistry.   At the beginning of the academic year I say to my AP classes that I will not commit any class time to talking about anything that is not directly related to the AP chemistry exam. Most of the students think I'm joking, I'm not! My philosophy for teaching the AP revolves around teaching to the test, and the sole goal of maximizing the AP scores of my students. I'm not shy about declaring this as a legitimate goal, since the AP syllabus (with the possible exception of organic chemistry) represents pretty much exactly what should be taught to students at the upper level of high school chemistry. So, by definition, a high score means a student will have a wide body of, relevant, chemistry fundamentals on which to build. In this session I will attempt to outline my strategies for achieving those goals, with examples of my own practice of teaching to the test rather than teaching the chemistry.
Audience: high school teachers

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Generations Symposium

02-AM-GEN01
Tuesday, August 4, 8:00 - 8:15 am
Making the Most of Polyatomic Ions
Lynda J Jones, HOLY MOL-EE! Chemistry, Pico Rivera, California, 90660, chembyrd@yahoo.com
Seven polyatomic ions taught using physical demonstration-size models in combination with formulas, mnemonics, songs, and student clay and toothpick modeling, along with discussion of the polyatomic ion dot structures, molecular shape, oxidation numbers and isoelectronics make for a very lively, interesting and gratifying lesson (or two).
Audience:  high school teachers

02-AM-DEMO11
Tuesday, August 4, 8:20 - 8:35 am
An Instructor, A Graduate Student, & An Undergraduate
Ken Lyle, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, kenneth.lyle@duke.edu; Marni Siegel, Duke University, marni.siegel@duke.edu; Claire Parker-Siburt, Duke University, claireparker.siburt@duke.edu
Demonstrations to be determined.
Audience:  high school teachers

02-AM-DEMO12
Tuesday, August 4, 8:40 - 8:55 am
We Found Something New!
Kathleen Holley, Chemistry Department, University of North Texas, Arlington, Texas, 76010-5656, tigger@swbell.net; Trey Seastrunk, Active Science Unlimited, Inc., Arlington, Texas  76010-5656, treys@active-science.com
We are thrilled to be a part of Generations again this year!  Our research has unearthed a number of combustion demonstrations from references that predate us.  We will share two of them with participants, along with complete instructions and full safety information.
Audience:  high school teachers

02-AM-DEMO13
Tuesday, August 4, 9:00 - 9:15 am
Nitinol : The Brainy Wire
Al Hazari, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, ahazari@utk.edu
Come and learn about Nitinol, the interesting nickel-titanium alloy wire that's got memory, and its several everyday life applications.

02-AM-DEMO14
Tuesday, August 4, 9:30 - 9:45 am
Demos Learned from My Teachers
Bette Bridges, Bridgewater Raynham Regional HS (ret.), Sharon, Massachusetts, 02067, babridges@comcast.net
These demos I learned from those I from whom I learned
Audience:  high school teachers

02-AM-DEMO15
Tuesday, August 4, 9:50 - 10:05 am
Hot Equilibrium
Andrew Cherkas, Stouffville DSS, Stouffville, Ontario, L4A 0A4, cherkas@sympatico.ca
Temperature change can shift an equilibrium according to Le Chateliere's principle. This demo allows students to predict and check their prediction. Real world application follows.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Demonstrations

02-AM-DEMO16
Tuesday, August 4, 10:10 - 10:50 am
Demonstrating the Chemistry of Energy through the Ages
John J. Fortman, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, 45431-3012, john.fortman@wright.edu
Man's first and greatest chemical invention - fire - began a parade of uses of combustion reactions to produce heat, light, mechanical energy, and electricity, as well as to cook food, refine metals, and produce materials.  Voltaic cells and batteries gave man other ways to use chemical reactions to produce other forms of energy and do work.  Chemiluminescence now gives man a way to produce light without fire, heat, or electricity.  Chemical demonstrations will be done which illustrate the principles and applications of fires and explosions, voltaic cells, and luminescence.  Analogies will be made to the internal combustion engine.  Short video clips will be shown of applications and bloopers.  
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Chemical Problem Solving Strategies / Chemical Education Research / Service Learning 

02-AM-CE02
Tuesday, August 4, 8:00 - 8:15 am
Role of Spatial Reasoning in Advanced Chemistry Problem-Solving
Sonali Raje, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, 21252, sraje@towson.edu; Mike Stieff, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland 20742, mstieff@uMaryland.edu
Visualization and other forms of spatial cognition are considered fundamental to learning and problem solving in science. This belief is especially prevalent in organic chemistry where imagistic reasoning is considered to be a primary cognitive activity. Assuming that problem-solving in organic chemistry requires learners to manipulate visuo-spatial images it is argued that students with low spatial skills are disadvantaged at succeeding in the discipline. Although imagistic reasoning seems to be important for problem-solving in organic chemistry, there is insufficient evidence to establish it as the primary cognitive activity. Previous research has shown that alternative problem-solving strategies have been documented in engineering and architecture where students and experts employ analytical heuristics that enable them to transform diagrams systematically and progressively to generate correct solutions, without necessarily using imagistic reasoning. Similar research in chemistry has shown that students are aware of several analytical heuristics and imagistic strategies.  However, there have been no studies exploring how experts in organic chemistry approach problem-solving.  Using think-aloud protocol analyses we gathered evidence by examining inscriptions, gestures and utterances employed by ten experts in the field to solve canonical sophomore organic chemistry tasks, derived from in-class assessments. We show how practicing organic chemists use different strategies to successfully solve tasks, and prefer analytical problem-solving algorithms over imagistic reasoning. Our results also suggest that strategy choice is task-specific.
Audience:  college/university instructors

02-AM-CE03
Tuesday, August 4, 8:20 - 8:35 am
Classification of Organic Compounds, Reactions/Mechanisms by Science Majors
Moises Camacho, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 00680, m_camacho_2001@yahoo.com; Moises Camacho
The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability to complete, identify and classify common organic reactions, the mechanisms by which they take place and the major organic reactants/products. A pilot study was made with majors/non-majors to observe their classification skills with a sample of 50 reactions which were taken from well known organic chemistry texts like Mc Murry Organic Chemistry.  The instrument was administrated to about 50 chemistry majors and non-majors (Biology) per semester who had approved from 16 to 40 chemistry semester hours.  The results demonstrated that 98.0% of the subjects had forgotten a 100% of the type of classes (e.g. compounds, reactions, mechanisms involved in the reactions.  Only about 2% remembered very few concepts. The study was repeated for the purpose of reproducibility.  The results were very similar.  There was no significant statistical difference between the mean scores of majors and non-majors. These findings have been observed in several classification studies (e.g. compounds, reactions, equations, problems,) of the author and others.  The implications for chemical education, science and mathematics in general are relevant since these findings reflected rote-memorization not genuine understanding, permanent learning, nor long term memory (LTM).
Audience:  college/university instructors

02-AM-CE04
Tuesday, August 4, 8:40 - 9:20 am
An Alternate Approach to Thermodynamics
Lawrence J. Sacks, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, 23606-1502, lsacks@cnu.edu
Some problems inherent in current presentations of thermodynamics are described and an alternate approach is offered.  Central to current problems is a lack of agreement on the meaning of "energy". While mass is clearly defined, energy lacks any consistent meaning other than its alleged conservation. It will be shown that this description necessitates a series of unnecessary and sometimes illogical postulates and an unnecessarily complicated approaches to useful functions. A different approach, based on the consistent definition of energy as the ability to do work, and a careful distinction between properties and processes, provides a more logical and direct route to free energy functions and greater understanding of current attempts to derive them. Contrary to recent argument to the contrary, driving forces are retained - to the exclusion of the entropy function.

02-AM-CE05
Tuesday, August 4, 9:30 - 9:45 am
Evaluating Students' Conceptual Understanding of Chemistry
Nicole John-Thomas, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Florida,
Nicole.John@sta.uwi.edu
Assumptions of students' pre-univeristy understanding of Chemistry are made by our entrance committee as a necessary part of the process of student selection into our first-year chemistry program. The view is generally held that students who have obtained better grades in regional examinations have a better understanding of chemistry concepts than their lesser qualifed counterparts. However, science education researchers indicate that many novice learners in chemistry are able to apply algorithms without significant conceptual understanding. This study seeks to investigate the degree of conceptual understanding in Chemistry possessed by our first-year students and thus determine whether there is real basis for the selection choices made with respect to students' entry into our Chemistry degree program. The incoming first-year students received a 26-item multiple choice chemistry concept test prior to receiving instruction in the course. Students' performances and analysis of the data are presented.
Audience:  college/university instructors

02-AM-CE06
Tuesday, August 4, 9:50 - 10:05 am
Lead Analysis in Drinking Water.  A Service Learning Project with a Local School System
W. Lin Coker, III, Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina, 27506, coker@campbell.edu
Quantitative analysis students were trained to analyze water samples for lead contend using flame AA.  Students then worked with local schools to gather drinking water samples.  These samples were analyzed for lead content.  Students gave an educational seminar about lead that was open to members of the community.  The superintendent of public schools attended to show support for the project.
Audience:  college/university instructors

02-AM-CE07
Tuesday, August 4, 10:10 - 10:50 am
Sharing Chemistry with the Community: A Service Learning Course
Ken Lyle, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, kenneth.lyle@duke.edu; Marni Siegel, Duke University, marni.siegel@duke.edu
The CHEM 109 Chemistry Outreach Service-Learning course offered at Duke was created out of a desire for students to earn academic credit for what they have already been doing voluntarily—sharing their interest and enthusiasm for science, specifically chemistry with the populace in the surrounding community.  There are five main aspects of the course: 1) in-class discussions of the relevant literature, 2) individual and group in-class presentations of chemical demonstrations followed by critiques of the presentations, 3) weekly out of class practice sessions, 4) planning and staging of chemistry outreach programs, & 5) reflections on outreach presentations and on all other aspects of the course. The outcomes of the course far exceeded our expectations for a first-time course.  As a result, the course is being offered each semester.  The undergraduate teaching assistant is currently conducting an independent study investigating the transformative effects the course has on the students’ perception of chemistry and service learning. In this presentation we will describe in detail the structure of the course, the observed outcomes, and the preliminary findings of the study. 
Audience:  college/university instructors

02-AM-CE08
Tuesday, August 4, 11:00 - 11:40 am
Description of and Analysis of Student Performance in an Alternative Freshman-Sophomore Chemistry Sequence
Richard J. Kashmar, Wesley College, Dover, Delaware, 19901, Kashmari@wesley.edu
Prior to 1996, freshman science majors at Wesley College took the traditional chemistry sequence of freshman general chemistry and sophomore organic chemistry. Starting in  1996, these students began following a revised chemistry sequence, in which General Chemistry I in the fall of the freshman year is followed by Organic Chemistry I in the spring. Students continue with Organic Chemistry II in the fall of the sophomore year, and complete the sequence with General Chemistry II. In addition, the first semester Biology I course is postponed from the fall semester of the freshman year to the following spring semester, to provide students with a greater exposure to chemistry before their first biology course. This presentation will center on the general chemistry portion of the sequence, especially changes in the nature and depth of presentation of topics in the General Chemistry I course, compared to those in the traditional general chemistry sequence. Advantages and disadvantages of this sequence will be discussed. An analysis of student performance in the new sequence compared to the old sequence will also be presented.
Audience:  college/university instructors


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Tuesday afternoon, August 4, 2009
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POGIL Symposium for High School Teachers

02-PM-POGIL01
Tuesday, August 4, 1:00 - 1:25 pm
The High School POGIL Initiative
Laura Trout, POGIL, Lititz, Pennsylvania, 17543, troutl@e-lcds.org
In 2008 the POGIL Project received a 3-year grant from the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation to bring High School Chemistry and Biology teachers together to write and classroom test POGIL activities for pre-AP and AP levels of Chemistry and Biology. The first meeting of 33 high school teachers took place this July. In this presentation we will discuss the progress made in the first summer, the process by which activities will be created, reviewed, tested and approved, and when the first activities should be available for the public. Information on how teachers outside of the project can submit their own activities and become classroom testers will also be provided.
Audience:  high school teachers

02-PM-POGIL02
Tuesday, August 4, 1:30 - 1:55 pm
High School POGIL: Facilitation, Frustration and Fulfillment
Bettyann Howson, Chatham High School, Madison, New Jersey, 07940, chemphun@optonline.net; Diane Krone, Northern Highlands Regional High School, 97 Lexington Ave., Dumont, New Jersey 07628, kroned@verizon.net
Teaching high school chemistry with the POGIL method has been very successful and rewarding for the students and teachers.  We will explore guided inquiry activities we have developed, share techniques for facilitation and discuss the frustrations we encountered in using POGIL.  Most of all we will share the feelings of fulfillment we experienced using the guided inquiry process.
Audience:  high school teachers

02-PM-POGIL03
Tuesday, August 4, 2:00 - 2:25 pm
Computers and POGIL
Carrie Jacobus, River Dell High School, Oradell, New Jersey, 07649, carrie.jacobus@riverdell.org
The chemistry animations and applets available online can be successfully integrated with inquiry lessons.  Using computers in the classroom can help the students visualize the atomic world in a way that was inadequate with a static blackboard.   The students have a chance to investigate a topic solo or in pairs on the computer, then discuss within their teams. The presentation will be on the incorporation of computers into a POGIL lesson on gas laws and gas demonstrations. 
Audience:  high school teachers

02-PM-POGIL04
Tuesday, August 4, 3:00 - 3:15 pm
The Use of POGIL to Enhance Learning for All Levels of Chemistry
Judy Barrile, Lake Braddock Secondary, Burke, Virginia, 22015, judith.barrile@fcps.edu; Janet M. Hughes, James Madison High School, 2500 James Madison Drive, Vienna, Virginia 22181, Janet.Hughes@fcps.edu
Have you every wondered after teaching a unit why the students haven't learned it?  This session shares some strategies in teaching chemistry to all levels of chemistry students from middle thru high school that enrich student learning and understanding.  Guided inquiry instruction delivered with POGIL lessons has been found to be student centered, engaging and effective in increasing student achievement.  In this session, we will show you how to set up a POGIL classroom and give some sample lessons and labs.  Student mastery is quickly formatively assessed with this instructional method, giving the instructor feedback as to whether or not the students have mastered the topic. Instructors can re-teach misunderstood concepts in a timely manner.  Rather than cookbook labs, students are given inquiry labs that require a mastery of the content and ability to formulate a laboratory experiment.  As a result of these strategies, students feel empowered and take responsibility for their learning. Rather than performing as the star on the stage, the instructor is a facilitator/coach.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Inquiry-Based Interactive Learning and Improving Science Literacy

02-PM-DEMO18
Tuesday, August 4, 2:30 - 2:55 pm
Explaining Chemical Magic: An Inquiry (With Demonstrations)
Kathryn Wagner, Princeton University, Department of Chemistry, Princeton, New Jersey, 08544, kmwagner@Princeton.edu
A set of chemical magic effects is demonstrated. The demonstrations may be done as laboratory exercises. Students are asked to 1) use knowledge of starting materials, observations, solubility rules, and other resources to determine “What’s in the pot?” at each stage of an effect 2) write net equations that explain their observations 3) recognize reactions with both reactants and products in common and 4) recognize reactions with some reactants or products in common.  Students may also be encouraged to 5) recognize processes that can be reversed 6) recognize the conditions under which those processes are reversible and 7) recognize factors that lead to change in each reversible effect.  The effects to be demonstrated include a set of “magic potions” experiments, "magic" paper, and several types of appearing and disappearing ink.  The effects employ a range of reaction types:  precipitation, Bronsted-Laury acid/base, Lewis acid/base (complex formation), and redox. Several of the effects employ identical reactions in different contexts, and several are easily reversed.
Audience:  high school teachers

02-PM-INQ01
Tuesday, August 4, 3:20 - 3:35 pm
Guided Inquiry and Performance Assessment in the High School Chemistry Classroom
Cynthia R. Murphy, Pensacola Catholic High School, Pensacola, Florida, 32505, cmurphy@pensacolachs.org
Current research has shown the benefits to student learning that are evident in classrooms using a guided inquiry approach rather than traditional lecture and labs.  Research has also shown that including a performance assessment at the end of a unit in addition to a standard test will challenge brighter students while allowing struggling students a second chance to show that they have mastered the material.  This session is designed to share practical ways to actively engage students in the learning process by coupling the two approaches in order to enhance student learning and retention of important information.  Participants will be shown ways to adapt current labs and activities to fit the inquiry method of teaching.  They will also be shown examples of performance assessment that have been used in class, along with discussions on which assessments worked and which need tweaking.  Participants should leave the session with a clear idea of what this teaching method entails, and how they can easily incorporate it into their classrooms.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Current Topics in Chemistry to Attract Student Interest

02-PM-COMM05
Tuesday, August 4, 2:30 - 2:45 pm
Spectator Ions ARE Important! A Kinetic Study of the Copper-Aluminum Displacement Reaction
Sabrina G. Sobel, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, 11549-1510,
Sabrina.Sobel@hofstra.edu; Skyler Cohen, Roslyn High School, Roslyn, New York, wby06scohen@aol.com
Spectator ions are responsible for unexpected kinetics in the biphasic copper(II) - aluminum displacement reaction, with rate of reaction dependent on the identity of the spectator ions. Applicability of a published kinetic analysis for reaction of a rotating aluminum disk to the simple aluminum foil reaction is demonstrated. The 'chloride acceleration effect' is found to be true for both chloride and bromide, and should be more generally termed a 'halide acceleration effect'. This interesting and simple reaction can be used to deepen students' understanding of biphasic processes that are important industrially, i.e. aluminum corrosion, and to 'burst the bubble' of rigid thinking that spectator ions always can be ignored.
Audience:  college/university instructors


02-PM-COMM06
Tuesday, August 4, 3:40 - 4:20 pm
Using Fun Guided-Inqury Activities to add Sustainable/Green Chemistry into your Chemistry Course
Kathe Blue Hetter, Skyline High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48108, kbhetter@gmail.com; Dusti Vincent, Skyline High School, 2552 N. Maple Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan  48103, vincentd@aaps.k12.mi.us
Learn how to incorporate inquiry-based activities that center around sustainable/green chemistry.  We will introduce green chemistry curriculum from Beyond Benign.  Through the framework of green chemistry, K-12 Education at Beyond Benign is able to explore curriculum content across the board with a view to the future and the sustainability of social, industrial, economic and environmental sustainability. Curriculum materials take an independent stance where students are put in the position of decision maker and scientific issues are put under a neutral microscope.  Learn how we have taken this curriculum and put it into our general chemistry classes so that sustainable/green chemistry   The curriculum unit has three focused goals, firstly, to encourage teachers to convert their laboratory classrooms to use green methodologies. Secondly to think differently about the way that they deliver content to students and to put that content into the context of sustainability and lastly but most importantly to inspire student to get excited about chemistry and the possibilities it holds for solving societies problems in the future. Section 4 in this curriculum is designed to be a simulation of business methodology in which students will be challenged to create a product that adheres to the 12 principles of green chemistry. In this way, students apply their new knowledge in meaningful ways and are put in the role of decision maker when the decisions are often difficult and require higher order thinking.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Chemical Education Research

02-PM-CE01
Tuesday, August 4, 1:00 - 1:25 pm
Standard tests and the teaching of chemistry: Virginia,'s "Standards of Learning" (SOL)
Lawrence J. Sacks, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, 23606-1502, lsacks@cnu.edu
The justifiable desire to improve learning in the sciences has resulted in use of statewide standard tests as the major means for determining such improvement, consistent with NCLB requirements. It will be argued that the SOL chemistry testing program in Virginia and comparable efforts in some other states not only fail to provide the impetus for such improvement but instead detract from it by emphasizing quick recall over critical thinking skills, forcing teachers to devote unreasonable amounts of time to preparing students to take a test with topics limited to those amenable to multiple-choice format. Those of greater complexity are avoided, as are significant underlying relationships. Recent developments - and needed corrections - are ignored because the revision cycle for the Teachers Guidelines (Curriculum Framework) is seven years. Recommendations for improvement of the process, formulated at a state-wide conference in 2006 and submitted to the Department of Education, will be presented for discussion.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Demonstrations

02-PM-DEMO17
Tuesday, August 4, 1:00 - 2:25 pm
Simple'ly the Best Demos
Bette Bridges, Bridgewater Raynham Regional HS (ret.), Sharon, Massachusetts, 02067, babridges@comcast.net
Excite your students and enhance your classes using demos that involve common substances and are quick to set-up and cost very little!  These demos use cheap, common, everyday materials and they need little or no set-up time.  Each one demonstrates a chemical concept which is taught in high school chemistry.  The demos also do two other important things.  Namely they make chemistry relevant (using common substances) and makes it fun for the student. Some of the demos include a) scented balloons (heat of vaporization and Graham's Law) b) 35mm film canisters and alka seltzer (gas laws) and c) contact lens cleaner disks (catalysis).   New demos, as well as some old favorites will be shared   A complete handout will be given out. You will enjoy learning these innovative ways of presenting chemical concepts to your classes.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Using Popular Movies, TV Shows, Novels, Songs, Comics, and Analogies as Teaching Tools for Chemistry

02-PM-POP01
Tuesday, August 4, 1:00 - 1:40 pm
Chemistry in Comics
Al Hazari, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, ahazari@utk.edu  A variety of chemistry comics will be presented, and the learning situations into which they best fit will be discussed.

02-PM-POP02
Tuesday, August 4, 1:45 - 2:10 pm
Teaching Chemistry Using Television, Movies, and Books
James G. Goll, Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin, 53711, jgoll@edgewood.edu
Popular media provides a number of examples that can be used to assist in teaching chemistry.  This talk will explore examples from movies such as Twelve Angry Men, Apollo 13, Das Boot, and October Sky, books such as The Sneetches,  Moonshot, and Rocket Boys, the National Public Radio Series, Zorba Pastor's On Your Health, compact discs of the comedy of Demetri Martin and John Pinette, and television series From the Earth to the Moon, the Great War, and even Spongebob Squarepants.     
Audience:  high school teachers


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Wednesday morning, August 4, 2009
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Problem Solving Techniques Across the High School Chemistry Curriculum

03-AM-PROB01
Wednesday, August 5, 8:00 - 8:25 am
Addressing Student Difficulties with Mathematics: The Chem-Math Project
W. Cary Kilner, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, 03824, wkilner@unh.edu
During 23 years of high school chemistry teaching, and now in my research with life-science majors in general chemistry at the University of New Hampshire, I have strived to identify the exact mathematical skills that cause students insecurity and angst and an inability to solve fundamental chemistry problems. This list of 20 Chem-Math Units has been presented at many different venues over the last ten years and has been fine-tuned and reinforced through feedback from practicing teachers. The list is roughly chronological for a first-year, AP, or college general chemistry course.  I will very briefly discuss my rationale for its organization and show how teachers can use it to guide their instruction. A more detailed examination of the Chem-Math Units can be made at a poster session.  Fundamentals: 0) Language, semantics, and writing in instruction  1) Using the calculator appropriately.  2) Pattern recognition  3) Rearranging algebraic expressions  4) Scientific notation & Scaling #1  5) Metric vs. English measurement units 6)  Unit analysis in problem-solving  7) Unitary-rate functions and derived units constants of proportionality  8) Ratio/proportional reasoning in problem solving: Scaling #2  9) Significant figures and precision of measurement  10)  Percent-composition, percent-error, and decimal fractions  11) Scientific graphing  Problem-solving:  12) Authentic problem-solving vs. exercises  13) Mixture-problems and weighted averages (systems of equations)  14) Scaling #3 quadratic and cubic functions geometric reasoning  15) Logarithmic relationships  16) Inverse-square relationships, and sign conventions for potential energy  17) Rate-problems 18) Complex fractions  19) The use of proofs and derivations  20) Statistical error analysis
Audience:  high school teachers

03-AM-PROB02
Wednesday, August 5, 8:30 - 8:55 am
Untangling the Diagonal Rule:  The Diagonal Rule Challenge and Other Activities you can use to teach Electron Configurations
Doug Ragan, Hudsonville High School, Hudsonville, Michigan, 49426, dragan@hudsonville.k12.mi.us
Where the idea came from for the diagonal rule challenge, was my difficulty in getting my students to understand the diagram depicting the out of numerical order filling of electrons in to the principle energy levels such as 4s sublevel fills before 3d, 5s before 4d, etc.  This diagram I refer to is traditionally known as the diagonal rule and depicts the order that electrons fill orbits and is usually taught during the topic of electron configurations.  In years past I tried showing my students that a particular elements placement on the periodic table also explained their electrons placement and tried to get my students to remember rules such as for the transition elements it was the principle energy level minus 1 and for the inner transition elements it was the principle energy level minus 2 in showing the placement of their last electrons.  Since having been frustrated with each of these teaching practices I needed a more novel way to get my students to understand the filling order of the diagonal rule and hence the beginning of the diagonal rule challenge.   To say the least my students love this activity and I often have to remind them that other classes are still going on as not to interrupt them with their enthusiastic and sometimes out of control coaching and cheering.  So if you think you are up for the challenge then come ahead and you will be put to the test.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-AM-PROB03
Wednesday, August 5, 9:00 - 9:15 am
Solving Calorimetry Problems - A Hot Topic
Dennis M. Kliza, The Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Connecticut, 06039, dkliza@hotchkiss.org 
Thermochemistry is a branch of thermodynamics dealing with the relationships between chemical reactions and energy changes involving heat.  Additionally, the value of ΔH can be determined using several methods.  Calorimetry is one of these methods and chemistry students seem increasingly unprepared for the types of questions presented on the AP examination and the SAT II.  This presentation (with handout) will help prepare teachers and students for the types of problems students will be required to solve on these examinations. 
Audience:  high school teachers

03-AM-PROB04
Wednesday, August 5, 9:30 - 10:10 am
Math 0, Chemistry Won
Harvey Gendreau, Laboratory Safety Institute, Natick, Massachusetts, 01760, hgendreau@labsafety.org
The ability to use math to solve chemistry problems should not be the limiting reagent in the chemistry classroom. Just because some students have a poorer grasp of algebra should not prohibit them from being successful in chemistry. The power and functions available on TI-84 graphing calculator is vastly underutilized. One of these potent functions is the equation solver. Learn how to use this powerful tool to solve many kinds of chemistry problems. This is a "hands on" presentation/workshop and participants can bring their own graphing calculator or a limited number of "loaners" will be available for use during the workshop.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-AM-PROB05
Wednesday, August 5, 10:15 - 10:30 am
Use GRASS for a Problem Solving High
John Eix, Upper Canada College (retired), Oakville, Ontario, L6H2G8, jeix@sympatico.ca
Learn how to use GRASS to help students become more efficient numerical problem solvers. This Power Point presentation presents the advantages of the technique and a way to introduce it to students.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-AM-PROB06
Wednesday, August 5, 10:35 - 10:50 am
Stoichiometry the D2UM2 Way
Harvey Gendreau, Laboratory Safety Institute, Framingham, Massachusetts, 01701-2619, hgendreau@rcn.com
For your math challenged students that can't seem to understand stoichiometry, this method may be a way to get them to be able to solve these problems.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Technology in the Classroom / Computers in Chemical Education

03-AM-COMP01
Wednesday, August 5, 8:00 - 8:25 am
Integrating the Interwrite SchoolPad into Chemistry Classes
Jill Barker, Millbrook High School, Winchester, Virginia, 22603, barkerj@frederick.k12.va.us
The Interwrite SchoolPad is a wireless device that controls the computer to which it is connected. The device allows both students and teachers to use the device to assist with classroom instruction at virtually any location in the classroom. This presentation will include an overview of the SchoolPad's capabilities, such as graphing, freehand, and highlighting, as well as saving and recording work. The device will be demonstrated with a variety of resources, including Microsoft applications, graphics files, Adobe documents, videos, and Internet pages. Selected members in the audience will be given an opportunity to use the SchoolPad. The device's implementation in the classroom over several years will also be discussed.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-AM-COMP02
Wednesday, August 5, 8:30 - 8:55 am
How Laptops have Changed the Way We Teach Chemistry
Holly Sullivan, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Cassatt, South Carolina, 29032, holly.m.sullivan@alumni.ncsu.edu; Jeff Greene of CaMarylanden High School, CaMarylanden, South Carolina
Through the i-Can laptop initiative, begun five years ago, all high school students and teachers in my district have received laptops for use at school and home. We have had to completely changed the way we teach. We want to share some strategies and best practicies with peers who are challenged to develop lessons that fully integrate technology while still enabling learning. Even if your students do not have laptops, you can use many of these techniques to enhance your teaching. These best practices are valid for all levels, from struggling physical science students to advanced placement chemistry students.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-AM-COMP03
Wednesday, August 5, 10:15 - 10:30 am
Implementation of Classroom Performance System Technology in Basic Chemistry Courses
Lori Kraft, The University of Akron, Brunswick, Ohio, 44212, lkraft@uakron.edu
The Classroom Performance System or clicker technology was introduced in four sections of Basic Chemistry.  With this style of teaching, the instructor periodically monitors student comprehension by asking multiple-choice type questions during lecture.  Students respond by clicking in an answer.  The instructor can use the software to show a distribution of the student responses.  An increase in participation and learning was expected as students could anonymously submit answers without the fear of being wrong in front of their classmates.  The measure of learning was done both objectively with assessments and subjectively with a study of student feedback incorporating Q-methodology.   
Audience:  Audience can be high school or college- level instructors

03-AM-COMP04
Wednesday, August 5, 10:35 - 10:55 am
Adapting to Student Learning Styles:  Using Cell Phone Technology in Chemistry and Biology Class
David P. Pursell, School of Science and Technology, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, Georgia, 30043, dpursell@ggc.usg.edu; Candace Timpte, Deborah Sauder, Mai Yin Tsoi, Julia Paredes, Richard Pennington.  All same affiliation as lead author to include all contact information.
Young people are more technology driven than previous generations.  Not only do more of them use technology as a learning tool, but they use new and evolving technologies.  Over the past 20 years students have evolved from desktop computers, to laptops, to hand-held devices.  Chemistry and biology instruction has mixed success in keeping pace with this technology evolution.  Flash cards are the the omnipresent student study aids and have remained locked in the tradition of 3x5 hand written cards.  Recent years have seen some migration to web-based flash cards for student use on computers, offering random generation of drill problems to aid student learning.  This presentation reviews these traditional approaches and also presents a new approach, tailored to student preference for and reliance on cell phones, by creating a set of simple, first generation chemistry and biology flash card study aids viewable on the omnipresent student cell phone.
Audience:  college/university instructors

 

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Improving Learning in the Laboratory Environment

03-AM-LEARN01
Wednesday, August 5, 9:00 - 9:15 am
Eyes-on and Hands-on Student Experience in Chemistry Laboratory
K. Joseph Ho, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, khoj@unm.edu; Noel Fernando
A non-cookbook approach to college freshman chemistry lab has been implemented at the University of New Mexico. Students study the lab video and write a complete working procedure for the experiment before they go to the lab. This eyes-on approach would increase students understanding of the experimental procedure and enhance their hands-on lab experience.  There have been many new approaches to student's lab experience using non-cookbook based method, such as discovery-based, inquiry-based, or project-based experiments. The main obstacle of these methods includes instructor's overload and time restriction. This new approach could provide a reasonable alternative to the cookbook approach and enhance student lab experience without overburdening instructor's work load.    The presentation is about using lab videos to replace a cookbook manual in a chemistry lab to enhance student's understanding and laboratory experience. Example lab videos will be demonstrated along with the assessment of the approach. The preliminary assessment about this approach will also be presented.
Audience:  college/university instructors

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Chemical Education Research

03-AM-CE09
Wednesday, August 5, 9:30 - 9:55 am
University Faculty's Perceptions on Visuo-spatial Reasoning and Success in Science
Minjung Ryu, University of Maryland-College Park, College Park, Maryland, 20742, mryu@umd.edu; Mike Stieff, University of Maryland-College Park
This presentation will report on the results of a survey of university science faculty members' self-perceptions regarding the relationship between visuo-spatial ability and success in science. Overall, the results show that science faculty members (n=71) maintain a high degree of confidence in their own visuo-spatial abilities and believe that students with poor visuo-spatial abilities are able to succeed in science courses. However, science faculty members also believe that students with low visuo-spatial abilities cannot become science experts. Analysis of gender differences in the faculty sample revealed that male faculty members are more inclined to believe that visuo-spatial ability is critical for achieving domain expertise and that some students are not capable of visuo-spatial reasoning.  Additionally, the findings indicate that faculty members with more teaching experience are more likely to believe that some students are not capable of visuo-spatially reasoning in science. Given that faculty's beliefs may impact students' own self-perceptions, our findings suggest that instructors' predilections might have negative effects on students who consider themselves to be poor visuo-spatial reasoners. In light of recent findings that generalized visuo-spatial ability is not critical for success in science disciplines, our findings suggest that science instructions should not privilege the role of visuo-spatial ability in introductory science.
Audience:  college/university instructors

03-AM-CE10
Wednesday, August 5, 10:00 - 10:15 am
Role of External Representations for Problem-Solving in Organic Chemistry
Sonali Raje, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, 21252, sraje@towson.edu; Mike Stieff, University of Maryland College Park, 2226K Benjamin Building, College Park Maryland 20742, mstieff@uMaryland.edu
While imagistic reasoning is an important cognitive activity for problem-solving in organic chemistry, experts also report a critical role for the use of external representations when solving tasks that involve consideration of three-dimensional spatial information in molecules. Organic chemistry provides a rich area for understanding the role of external representations in problem-solving. Problem-solving in organic chemistry primarily involves drawing inscriptions of molecular structures using domain-specific formalisms that emphasize relevant spatial information in various molecular structures. While experienced organic chemists can easily understand and manipulate embedded spatial information in molecules, students' may not always be able to do so. Previous research on the role of representations in problem-solving in chemistry shows that students with lower spatial abilities are unsuccessful problem-solvers. When novices provide answers that are inconsistent with the accepted scientific beliefs, they are considered to harbor misconceptions. Most of the work on misconceptions in chemical education has been in the area of general chemistry and has focused exclusively on students. In this study, we have used a parallel analysis of how novices and expert organic chemists use external representations to solve sophomore-level organic chemistry problems. Using a grounded-theory approach to analyze participants' utterances and inscriptions we provide preliminary empirical evidence suggesting continuity between experts and novices' problem-solving strategies. We further provide evidence on how cognitive conflict between domain specific content-knowledge and spatial information embedded in external representations might contribute to students' misconceptions and consequent failure in successful problem-solving.
Audience:  college/university instructors

03-AM-CE11
Wednesday, August 5, 10:20 - 10:35 am
Evaluation of e-Homework, e-Books, and e-Notes in General Chemistry
Gary L. Long, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061, long@vt.edu; Carol A. Bailey, Department of Sociology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, baileyc@vt.edu
This work addresses the integration of TabletPCs into General Chemistry for first-year engineering students. The tablets were used for the working and the submitting of e-Homework (ARIS) homework system), for the sharing of e-Notes and for taking surveys (DYKnow), and for accessing the e-Book (Silberberg 4/e) in the classroom and at home. The purpose of the work was to more fully engage the engineering student in homework and in classroom participation.  The data for the evaluation came from test scores of this offering and of peer classes, from Student Perception of Instruction forms (SPOI), and from the student attitudinal survey.  Test scores were used to contrast the effect of e-Homework to traditionally assigned, but ungraded, homework. The SPOI forms queried students on their perception of the e-Book and e-Notes. Additionally, the student attitudinal survey covered all aspects of the offering.  Data evaluation shows an increase in student test scores for this offering. The survey data showed e-Homework was positively received by students. Student problem solving skills were better than in previous years, as documented in test results and SPOI surveys. The use of e-Notes was favorably received. However, the incorporation of the e-Book received a rather flat response.   These and other data will be discussed in full detail. Recommendations on the usage of tablets will also be presented. This study has IRB Exempt Approval from Virginia Tech, IRB# 08-747.
Audience:  college/university instructors

03-AM-CE12
Wednesday, August 5, 10:40 - 10:55 am
The Effect of the Auto Quiz on the Achievement of Science College Students
Moises Camacho, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez , Puerto Rico, 00681, m_camacho_2001@yahoo.com; Moses Camacho
The autoquiz is an assessment technique in which the students read, understand, analyze, synthesize and evaluate the assigned topics (e.g. chapter).  Then they prepared 15 questions of the most relevant content of the chapter.  After they have learned the answers ( and reasons for the best or most correct of them) they presented the autoquiz orally to the class.  The professor evaluated both the quality of the questions, answers, reasons and examples provided by each student according to the written instructions.  The sample had consisted of about 50 students per semester during five semesters.  The students, who prepared, presented and approved one autoquiz per chapter also approved the regular quiz and three exams of the professor with 80% to 100%.  In addition, the autoquiz students also approved the course with 90 to 100%.  This constructivist technique was invented and applied by the author and has been very effective in demonstrating the extent of understanding of a topic.  There was a significant statistical difference between the mean scores of regular and autoquiz students.
Audience:  college/university instructors

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Demonstrations

03-AM-DEMO19
Wednesday, August 5, 8:00 - 9:25 am
Teaching with Discrepant Events: A Carousel of Activities
Irwin Talesnick, S17 Science, Thornhill, Ontario, L4J 7K4, irwin@s17science.com; John Eix, Bette Bridges, Andy Cherkas, David Katz, Harvey Gendreau
This session is dedicated to the memory of the late Tik Liem who wrote and spoke (demonstrated) about discrepant events throughout the world. Discrepant events are designed to cause students to play an active part in their learning through the formulation and revision of various hypotheses. Each of the 6 presenters will demonstrate 2 or 3 different activities designed to introduce and/or teach various concepts in chemistry.  Participants will rotate through the carousel in order to take part in the activities presented by each of the presenters.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-AM-DEMO20
Wednesday, August 5, 9:40 - 9:55 am
Demonstrations that Foster Understanding of the "Like Dissolves Like" Rule
Ken Lyle, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, kenneth.lyle@duke.edu; Marni Siegel, marni.siegel@duke.edu
The "Polydensity Bottle" available from Educational Innovations consists of water, isopropanol, salt, and beads of two different colors and densities.  Everything mixes fairly evenly when the bottle is shaken.  Upon standing the beads of one color rise to the top while the other beads move to the bottom.  Soon the two sets of beads move towards one another meeting in the middle. In this presentation we will incorporate a series of demonstrations and models designed to help students understand and explain the events occurring in the Polydensity Bottle demonstration.  Key concepts addressed: miscibility, polarity, electronegativity, intermolecular attractions, salting out, and density. We will present these demonstrations as we would in a high school chemistry classroom. 
Audience:  High school teachers

 


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Wednesday afternoon, August 5, 2009
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POSTER SESSION, Wednesday, August 5, 1:00 - 2:25 pm
03-PM-POS01
Improving Student Success in University General Chemistry: Results of a New Chemistry Placement Program
John Krenos, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, krenos@rutgers.edu; John Krenos, Joseph Potenza, and Donald Siegel, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Lewis Hirsch, Department of Mathematics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
The scores Rutgers general chemistry students obtained on an American Chemical Society (ACS) diagnostic chemistry exam given during the first week of class in the fall of 2007 correlate well with grades the students received at the end of the semester.  The math placement test results given to all entering Rutgers students also correlate well, but somewhat less so.  Because the university is unable to administer the ACS test to incoming students, we have concentrated our focus on the math exam as a vehicle for placement.  The analysis of the results of the existing math test shows that students who score well enough to be placed into Calculus I do very well in General Chemistry I (GCI).  Students placed into precalculus do not do as well except at the high end of placement.  Incoming students are now channeled into Introduction to Chemistry (IC), GCI, and the extra help sections of GCI based on their math test scores.  The placement test is only used for first year incoming students for others, one semester of precalculus is now the prerequisite for GCI.  We have implemented the math placement procedure for the fall of 2008.  An analysis of the grades the students received in all placement categories is underway and a full presentation of our protocol and results will be reported at the meeting.
Audience:  college/university instructors

03-PM-POS02
Determination of Iron in Cereal with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry:  Quantitative Methods of Analysis Course Experiment
Ali Bazzi, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, Michigan, 48128-1491, abazz@umd.umich.edu; Alecia Kupser, Judith Bazzi, Bette Kreuz, and Yiwei Deng
An analytical laboratory experiment for determination of iron with flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS) in cereal is presented.  The preliminary sample preparation consists of crushing the cereal sample, ashing the sample in a silica crucible using a muffle furnace held at 600 ºC, and subsequent dissolution of the ashed residue in a hydrochloric acid solution.  The standard addition method was used to prepare the sample for analysis, and the absorbance was measured employing the iron resonance line at 248.3 nm with air/acetylene FAAS.  Students' results obtained for over a two-year period from a multi-section quantitative methods of analysis chemistry course are reported.  In addition to providing a venue to have the students learn about flame atomic absorption spectroscopy and the standard addition method, this laboratory illustrates the application of FAAS to the analysis of a food item the students regularly consume, and makes it relevant to their daily lives.
Audience:  college/university instructors

03-PM-POS03
Enhancing and Assessing Students' Scale Perception and Atomic Unitizing with Inquiry-Based Activities Using Live or Remote-Access Instrumentation
Karrie Anderson, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53211, ander225@uwm.edu; Kristen Murphy, University of WI - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, kmurphy@uwm.edu; Peter Geissinger, University of WI - Milwaukee,  Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, geissing@uwm.edu; Mohamed Ayoub, University of WI - Washington County, West Bend, Wisconsin 53095, mohamed.ayoub@uwc.edu
Grasping scale outside the visual realm can be difficult particularly with regards to the very small.  Undergraduate students in introductory chemistry courses, for example, are required to begin thinking about certain concepts in chemistry on a particle level, which are orders of magnitude smaller than the resolving ability of the human eye.  The development of a student's scale conception outside of the concepts of chemistry has been noted as an important component of a student's overall science literacy.  Research has shown that students need to continue cultivating their understanding of scale, particularly down to the nanometer size, beyond their elementary and secondary education years.  Additionally, it has been found that students who utilize instrumentation in these very small regions have a better concept of scale than those who do not.  We will report on a study in introductory college chemistry courses which both measures a student's concept of scale and atomic unitizing prior to both instruction and utilization of instrumentation (remote, real-time viewing of scanning electron microscope images, and in-classroom scanning tunneling and optical microscope images).  Activities have been developed which integrate both instruction and inquiry to teach scale and atomic unitizing.  A live demonstration of the compiled images as used for teaching scale and atomic unitizing will also be presented.
Audience:  college/university instructors

03-PM-POS04
Engaging Young Scientists:  Scientific Determination of an Unknown
H. Alan Rowe, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia, 23504, harowe@nsu.edu; Mary Smak and Jean Krail, Department of Chemistry, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia
A study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress indicates science scores have remained unchanged since 1996.  In some of these classes hands-on laboratory exercises and engaging science demonstrations are not emphasized.  Some teachers indicated that they do not conduct many demonstrations or experiments due to a lack of time, equipment/supplies and waste disposal.  Science departments at Norfolk State University has been active in visiting local schools to present demonstrations/activities to the students as well as having the students visit the chemistry laboratories at NSU. Students have also been reached through NSU sponsored community events such as the Nanodays activity presented at the Portsmouth Children's Museum.  The activity presented here concerns having the students conduct a hands-on experiment to determine the identity of an unknown solution.  This activity is presented to the students as helping the instructor solve a problem of identifying the contents of bottles whose labels have fallen off.  The students are exposed to the concepts of controls, standards, unknowns, data analysis and proper chemical safety in a safe, fun, and engaging manner. This activity focused on engaging the students to spark an interest in science.  The goal of the experiment presented was to show that science was involved in all parts of everyday life and that the study of science can be fun and interesting rather than intimidating.

03-PM-POS05
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Pre-college Science Outreach Programs
Al Hazari, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, ahazari@utk.edu
The University of Tennessee,, Knoxville Department of Chemistry and the College of Engineering are conducting several outreach programs for area students and teachers and for the public.

03-PM-POS06
Chemlink
Ashlee Gerardi, Lock Haven University, Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, 17740, agerardi@lhup.edu; Laura Lee, Department of Chemistry, Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania  17745, llee@lhup.edu
In this activity students participate in a game that introduces and/or reviews the placement of elements in the periodic table.  Other facts and concepts reinforced in this game are element names, atomic symbols, atomic numbers, and classifying elements into metals, nonmetals, and metalloids.
Audience: high school teachers

03-PM-POS07
Degrees of Chemistry
Ashlee Gerardi, Lock Haven University, Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, 17740, agerardi@lhup.edu;  Laura Lee, Lock Haven University, Lock Haven Pennsylvania  17740, llee@lhup.edu
This board game allows students to review and test their knowledge on chemistry topics typically taught in the high school chemistry classroom.  The multi-dimensional design of this game means that students can play it periodically throughout the school year. Use of the board can be modified to add topics that are taught later in the year while retaining questions from the earlier chapters to provide current and cumulative review.  
Audience:  high school teachers

03-PM-POS08
The 20 Chem-Math Units
W. Cary Kilner, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, 03824, wkilner@unh.edu
Fundamentals:  0) Language, semantics, and writing in instruction  1) Using the calculator appropriately.  2) Pattern recognition  3) Rearranging algebraic expressions  4) Scientific notation & Scaling #1  5) Metric vs. English measurement units  6) Unit analysis in problem-solving  7) Unitary-rate functions and derived units constants of proportionality  8) Ratio/proportional reasoning in problem solving: Scaling #2  9) Significant figures and precision of measurement  10)  Percent-composition, percent-error, and decimal fractions  11) Scientific graphing   Problem-solving:  12) Authentic problem-solving vs. exercises  13) Mixture-problems and weighted averages (systems of equations)  14) Scaling #3 quadratic and cubic functions geometric reasoning  15) Logarithmic relationships  16) Inverse-square relationships, and sign conventions for potential energy  17)  Rate-problems  18) Complex fractions  19) The use of proofs and derivations  20) Statistical error analysis 
Audience:  high school teachers

03-PM-POS09
Professional Development Version 2.0: The Student-Directed Research Program
Jason D. Powell, Ferrum College, Ferrum, Virginia, 24088, jpowell@ferrum.edu
Having had limited success in developing a well-funded research agenda, I had to make a choice: give up on research altogether, or reinvent my approach.  Taking advantage of Ferrum College's independent research requirement for chemistry majors, I made myself available as a mentor and facilitator for undergraduate students to pursue their own research interests.  What has resulted is a student-directed research program that provides real opportunities for student recruitment to the college and funding at a variety of levels.  The presentation will discuss a few examples of student projects and how their interests have coalesced into a coherent research program over time.

03-PM-POS10
Education, Outreach, and Community Service: The Ferrum College Water Quality Monitoring Program
David M. Johnson, Ferrum College, Ferrum, Virginia, 24088, djohnson@ferrum.edu; Carolyn L. Thomas, cthomas@ferrum.edu Carol C. Love, clove@ferrum.edu; Delia R. Heck, dheck@ferrum.edu; Jason D. Powell, jpowell@ferrum.edu
For the past 22 years, Ferrum College has carried out water quality research on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia,.  Each summer, the Water Quality Monitoring Program hires student interns as technicians who learn scientific sampling and analytical techniques and interact with lay monitoring volunteers in the lake community.  This project provides service learning and professional development for students and is an excellent outreach for Ferrum College.

03-PM-POS11
Analysis of Venetian School Paintings as Interdisciplinary Course for Studying Science Topics at the Interface of Chemistry and Art
Natalia Smelkova, Ferrum College, Ferrum, Virginia, 24088, nsmelkova@ferrum.edu
The importance of teaching interdisciplinary courses has been recognized for a long time.  A very good coursework in this regard would be teaching at the interface of chemistry, physics, history, and religion. This might be utilized by creating a course with certain topics in science connected to art examination, restoration and investigation. A poster will be presented on a case-study of Judith by Giorgione, a Venetian painter of 15th century, and some others, as examples for studying a variety of analytical methods in researching history of the paintings, their authenticity and restoration. 
Audience:  college/university instructors

03-PM-POS12
Community-based, Leadership Approach in Research Education
Maggie B. Bump, Judy S. Riffle, Cortney V. Martin, and S. Richard Turner, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, mbump@vt.edu
One strategy for educating our undergraduates entering the fields of science or engineering is the summer research experience.  Through the Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), as many as 40 students from across the country come to Virginia Tech and conduct research each summer.  The program, in its 21st year of NSF funding, is a community-based, interdisciplinary learning experience with an emphasis on building leadership skills.  The Youth Experiencing Science (YES) workshop teams middle school students from the community with SURP undergraduates for four afternoons in the summer.  During this time, teams assemble various demonstrations and then present them to the public at Blacksburg’s street fair, Steppin’ Out.  Sponsored by VT research faculty, the demonstrations show cutting edge research being done in the laboratories.  The YES program provides the opportunity for undergraduates to gain leadership experience.  SURPs plan the workshops, teach the middle students about the technology, and guide the building and presenting of the demonstration.  The youth that participate come from southwestern Virginia, including public, private, and home schooled children, grades four through eight.  This is a great opportunity to catch and maintain their interest in science and technology by showing them the “WOW” factor in research.  Assessment and optimization of the SURP experience has led to incorporation of leadership workshops for the graduate mentors and opportunities for networking among the SURPs. Prior to the SURPs arrival, graduate students who will be working closely with the undergraduates throughout the summer attend a leadership workshop.  SURPs begin their summer at a community-building retreat with interactive communications and ethics workshops, and they attend a short course in technology relating to their area of research.  At the end of the summer, their research is communicated in a technical paper and a formal presentation.  To prepare, SURPs attend Communications Seminars throughout the summer.   A sense of community increases the SURPs investment in and commitment to their summer experience, allowing them to gain more from every aspect of the program.

03-PM-POS13
Personalizing Organic Chemistry in a Large Lecture
Maggie Bobbitt Bump, Felicia Etzkorn, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, mbump@vt.edu
Organic Chemistry, required by several majors other than chemistry, is a dreaded course. Whether it was a brother’s lowest grade or a mother’s least favorite class, the horror stories abound. And they abound with good reason. It’s a hard class. But can 500+ students be taught the intricacies of the science in a personal and meaningful way? Relating the material to the students and helping the students relate to the material has guided the structuring of these first and second semester Organic Chemistry courses. In addition to standard lectures, testing, and online homework, students are provided with current examples from the news, demonstrations of the reactions, guided inquiry in-class work and assignments that lead students to find chemistry in their environment and then allow them to process it in their own unique way.  A molecule project mid-semester has students provide a molecular structure of something that interests them. Many find the compound in their hobbies, i.e. boat finishes and tie-dyes, or their daily medications, i.e. ibuprofen and Singulair. How they express their feelings for the molecule is up to them but limited to one sheet of paper. Some write bulleted facts, others poems, and still others draw beautiful illustrations. It is an exercise that raises their awareness of organic chemistry and its relevance in their lives.  An extra credit fair uses the student’s creativity and competitiveness to embrace the chemistry. For this open-ended extra credit opportunity, submissions have included reports, posters, movies, live performances (both musical and theatrical), and cooking experiments. The fair, held in the last week of the semester, lets students share their originality and gain new perspectives on the topics as they delve into reviewing for the final exam. The peer-voted winner is announced in the final lecture, and the best projects, both molecule and extra credit, are displayed in the chemistry building.  These students are required to take Organic Chemistry because future classes and jobs will build on it. Helping the students realize that they can relate to the material, in this class and others, can better prepare them for their future.

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Problem Solving Techniques Across the High School Chemistry Curriculum / Chemical Problem Solving Strategies

03-PM-PROB07
Wednesday, August 5, 2:30 - 2:45 pm
20 questions: Stochiometry the Easy Way
Bette Bridges, Bridgewater Raynham Regional HS (ret.), Sharon, Massachusetts, 02067, babridges@comcast.net
Students having problems with stochiometry?  Here's a tried and true method, that works.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-PM-PROB08
Wednesday, August 5, 2:50 - 3:05 pm
Introduce the Limiting Reagent Problem Early When Teaching Stoichiometry
Paul A. Loeffler, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, 77341, chm_pal@shsu.edu
Concepts related to chemical change and stoichiometric relationships are often introduced using word problems that illustrate what students might "see" in their laboratory experiments or what they might "experience" in classroom demonstrations. Traditional development of their understanding of chemical change and the governing laws incorporates a sequence of problems dealing with mass-mass relationships. Students are taught "how to" work these problems through varying algorithmic strategies, often involving unit conversion and challenging chain calculations. We instructors have been encouraged to begin with the simplest case, a given amount of one substance used to determine a desired amount of another. Much later a comprehensive case, the limiting reagent problem, is introduced but its demands frequently overwhelm students' understanding of the concepts we have been trying to teach. A firm grasp of "why" is often missing because of our patient focus on "how."  Too often students simply do not appreciate the richness of "what" a chemical expression can tell them.  Starting with the limiting reagent problem and patiently focusing on the whole chemical system, and illustrating in detail "what" is occurring during transition from reactants to products and "why" the conservation laws dictate, allow students to construct a thorough understanding of the chemistry before addressing the "how to" of the computations. A less myopic focus on "how" to work simple problems helps students avoid "information overload" when encountering those inevitable harder problems, especially because their understanding of the limiting reagent problem is the foundation for kinetics, equilibria and thermodynamics.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-PM-PROB09
Wednesday, August 5, 3:15 - 3:40 pm
How Many Types of Problems can Chemistry Provide for Students?
Andrew Cherkas, Stouffville DSS, Stouffville, Ontario, L4A 0A4, cherkas@sympatico.ca
Chemistry provides opportunity to give students not only mathematical problem solving, but also experimental and planning problem solving experiences as well. A brief look at the three types of problems and how to approach them will be presented.
Audience:  high school teachers

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Current Topics in Chemistry to Attract Student Interest

03-PM-METHOD01
Wednesday, August 5, 2:30 - 3:10 pm
Are you Practicing SAFE Chemistry?
Al Hazari, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, ahazari@utk.edu
It is every educator's responsibility to encourage safety in chemical activities. Come and learn about the many resources that the ACS Committee on Chemical Safety (CCS) has produced. They provide advice on the handling of chemicals and seek to ensure safe facilities, designs, and operations by calling attention to potential hazards and stimulating education in safe chemical practices. The presenter is a former chair of CCS. 

03-PM-COMM07
Wednesday, August 5, 2:30 - 3:10 pm
Teaching Chemistry to the Visual Learner
Angela Fuller, Greece Central Schools, Rochester, New York, 14615, Angela.Fuller@greece.k12.ny.us
Teaching Chemistry to the visual learner uses various techniques for topics  covered that are required to pass the NYS Regents exam.  Participants will learn how to reach the visual and hands on learner. Be ready to be an active participant for this one. Workshop will include using labs to teach abstract concepts.
Audience:  high school teachers

03-PM-COMM08
Wednesday, August 5, 3:15 - 3:55 pm
Mole Day Mania
Carrie Jacobus, River Dell High School, Oradell, New Jersey, 07649, carrie.jacobus@riverdell.org
Are you a moleniac?  No matter whether you are a fan of Mole Day or not, come and learn how to turn your students on to the concept of Avogadro's Number.  There will be games, songs, activities and food to moletiply your chemistry student's experience and knowledge.
Audience: high school teachers


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Thursday morning, August 6, 2009
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Current Topics in Chemistry to Attract Student Interest

04-AM-COMM09
Thursday, August 6, 8:00 - 8:40 am
Periodic Fun
Al Hazari, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, ahazari@utk.edu
This talk will focus on a fun and educational display and discussion of at least 50 different periodic tables of the chemical elements.

04-AM-COMM10
Thursday, August 6, 9:15 - 9:30 am
Exploring Materials Chemistry with LEGO Bricks
Dean Campbell, Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, 61625, campbell@bumail.bradley.edu; Josiah Miller, Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois 61625, jdmiller@bradley.edu
Various physical and chemical principles related to materials chemistry can be demonstrated with LEGO models.  Three-dimensional models are excellent tools for grasping structure-function relationships.  Additionally, many people are familiar with LEGO bricks, and most models can be built with a level of mechanical sophistication that does not intimidate or frustrate the user.  LEGO bricks typically have many connection sites, allowing tremendous flexibility in the structures that can be built. A set of bricks can be used to model both the structures of materials and the techniques used to study them.  This presentation will feature models of the structures of materials, including unit cells and cross-linked polymers.  It will also feature models of analytical tools used to study materials, including models of scanning probe microscopes, photometers, and X-ray diffractometers.  Details and building instructions of these and other models are featured in the online booklets Exploring the Nanoworld with LEGO Brick and Modeling X-Ray Diffraction with the LEGO NXT System. These books can be downloaded from the Internet at:  http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/LEGO/index.html.

04-AM-COMM11
Thursday, August 6, 9:55 - 10:10 am
Lecturing Chemistry in Non-chemical High-Schools
Elena Tkatchenko, General Physics Institute of RAS, Moscow , 119991, Tkatchenko@ns.crys.ras.ru
Based on my own teaching experience in a secondary school for 3 years and on half-year in a high scool (in Moscow Institute of geodesy and cartography) I have realized my idea to involve students into learning  chemistry process. Usually, students who are not intended to be the chemists, do not interest the subject. My goal was to show them not the chemistry basis only but to present simple aspects of several casual application of chemical knowledges: at home, at nature, for a car, for a health. The main result I have achieved is fundamental background and possibility of using it by students.
Audience:  high school teachers

04-AM-COMM12
Thursday, August 6, 10:15 - 10:55 am
Using Cyanobacteria as an Integration Tool in High School Chemistry and Biology Classes
Charles K. Jervis, Auburn High School, Riner, Virginia, 24149, cjervis@vt.edu; Jody Jervis, Biochemistry Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, jjervis@vt.edu; Richard Helm , Biochemistry Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, helmrf@vt.edu
One of the ways that high school biology and chemistry classes can inspire and engage students is by incorporating “cutting-edge” research. These research projects must be age- appropriate, yet challenging enough to allow for open-ended thinking that can lead to new experiments. The evolutionary successes of cyanobacteria present a uniquely useful and interdisciplinary system for engaging high school students. University-based research efforts to unravel cyanobacterial survival strategies under conditions such as extreme desiccation and UV-irradiation provide the foundation for activities in earth science, environmental science, ecology, cell biology, chemistry and biochemistry. Corresponding hands-on lessons engage students in understanding standards-based science concepts and skills, thereby enabling integration of the research into high school and introductory college biology and chemistry classes. An activity guide has been generated and tested with participants of a summer Chemistry course, workshops conducted through the National Science teachers Association and Virginia Association of Science Teachers professional development institutes, and on-line for students in the regular academic year courses.
Audience:  high school teachers

04-AM-COMM13
Thursday, August 6, 10:15 - 10:55 am
Creating Chemistry Puzzles for the Classroom
Harry B.  Herzer, III, Oklahoma State University (retired), Manteo, North Carolina, 27954, hbherzer@earthlink.net; Kristi A. Herzer, University of Vermont,  Burlington, Vermont 05401, kherzer@uvm.edu
Creating Chemistry Puzzles for the Classroom  If chemistry weren't puzzling enough for our students, try including some chemistry puzzles!   Chemistry puzzles can be a productive adjunct to the classroom.  Puzzles in the chemistry classroom can be used for review, study, as well as just plain fun. This is if and only if they are specific to the subject matter and topic under study.  Making appropriate puzzles is an interesting way to study- both for your students and for your course preparation.  Students can make their own puzzles and try them out on their fellow classmates. Come learn some new puzzle types and variations on some old.  More than a baker's dozen of puzzle types will be presented.  These include ChemAcrostic, CrypticChem, Mono-Di-Tri crossword, ChemicAlphabet Soup, SoDuChem, ChemHex, DoubleHexagon, Snake, Matrix (or Logic), Go-To, as well as a variation of the word search that is academically appropriate.   Several examples of each will be presented including methods for avoiding wasting paper. Helpful hints on puzzle construction will be included.  Because a teacher's time is valuable, some time-saving references and techniques will be will be presented. [Although these puzzles are chemistry-related, the formats can easily be adapted to other topics. Occasionally we are forced to teach some courses in addition to our first-love: chemistry!]
Audience:  high school teachers

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Interdisciplinary Approaches to Teaching and Learning

04-AM-LEARN02
Thursday, August 6, 8:00 - 8:40 am
HOLY MOL-EE! in the Classroom (After Two Full Years of Teaching)
Lynda J. Jones, HOLY MOL-EE! Chemistry, Pico Rivera, California, 90660, chembyrd@yahoo.com
HOLY MOL-EE! was created from my Ivory Tower after having been in the classroom several years.  Now, after teaching two full years in inner city schools, using some of my own material, I will discuss what I have learned about how to use HOLY MOL-EE! in a practical way in a busy classroom with a tight time schedule and then follow this with open discussion and sharing of teachers about what works for them.
Audience:  high school teachers

04-AM-LEARN03
Thursday, August 6,  8:45 - 9:10 am
Getting Students Excited about Chemistry by Using Examples from Biology and Medicine
Elizabeth Vogel Taylor, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, evogel@mit.edu; Catherine L. Drennan, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts  01239
Many students enter the required introductory chemistry course at MIT with a passion for biology and cancer research, but don’t recognize that the mechanisms of biological processes are rooted in chemistry. In an effort to illuminate the connections between disciplines and to get students excited about chemistry, we have developed materials that relate the principles taught in general chemistry to inspiring topics in biology and medicine. We have supplemented the lectures with over 25 in-class examples, at least one relating to each of the topics covered in the course. The examples range from two to ten minutes, designed to succinctly introduce the chemistry behind biological and medical topics without sacrificing any chemistry content in the curriculum. To reinforce the connections formed in lecture, we also created biology-related homework problems. We are currently working to disseminate this material, including full video lectures, lecture notes, and in-class and problem set examples, through MIT OpenCourseWare. While we have used our material in an introductory college course, the resources can be readily applied to the high school level, and the brevity and modular nature of the examples should enable their use in even the least flexible chemistry curricula.
Audience:  High school teachers

04-AM-LEARN04
Thursday, August 6, 9:35 - 9:50 am
Digging Up Chemistry:  The Chemistry of Art and Archeology
Claire J. Parker Siburt, Duke University, Morrisville, North Carolina, 27560, cps7@duke.edu Claire J. Parker Siburt,  Sarah E. Crider, Graham M. West, Esther M. Tristani, James Bonk
Four graduate students at Duke University have designed and taught a Freshman Seminar called Digging Up Chemistry:  The Chemistry of Art and Archeology.  Students are engaged in active learning experiences such as 1) debating the ramifications of restoring the Sistine Chapel, 2) synthesizing paint, and 3) authenticating a newly found painting using chemical laboratory techniques.  In addition to 21st century applications, this interdisciplinary class includes many topics which are adaptable for all levels and relates to contemporary topics found in the popular media. The goal of this presentation is to demonstrate creative and practical ways in which the combination of chemistry and art can be used to engage science and non-science majors in critical thinking. 
Audience:  college/university instructors

 

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Demonstrations

04-AM-DEMO21
Thursday, August 6, 8:00 - 9:25 am
Captivating Chemistry Demos
Brian Rohrig, Jonathan Alder High School, Plain City, Ohio, 43064, blrohrig@columbus.rr.com 
About two dozen quick, easy and effective demos will be presented.  Most are designed to promote thinking and genuine understanding of key concepts.  Topics include metric system, density, light, energy, air pressure, combustion, and chemical reactions.  Many unique ideas will be shared that have not been presented previously. 
Audience: high school teachers

04-AM-DEMO22
Thursday, August 6, 10:30 - 10:40 am
Teacher Friendly Chemistry: Increasing Student Engagement by Providing a Classroom rich in Labs and Activities
Deanna York, Teacher Friendly Chemistry, Brownsburg, Indiana, 46112, dbyork@sbcglobal.net; Carey Munoz, Teacher Friendly Chemistry, Indianapols,Indiana 46237 carey.munoz@wayne.k12.in.us
Learn how to increase student engagement and interest by providing a classroom rich in labs and activities where students learn content material in a hands on environment instead of a lecture driven environment.Teacher Friendly Chemistry labs and activities provide a format that is quick and easy to set up, perform and grade. Teachers will be able to complete 60-70 labs per year in a first year chemistry or integrated chemistry physics class while spending very little time after school in preparation. Teachers will learn how to make lab kits with materials that are readily available and inexpensive to purchase. Labs are student friendly by providing essential lecture material in an easy to read and understand format while applying relevancy to scientific concepts. Teachers who are frustrated with textbook laboratory manuals will find Teacher Friendly Chemistry labs will replace frustration with excitement for doing labs!
Audience:  high school teachers