Finally a hit!
Thanks to Chris, Margaret, Frank, Jerrilyn, Margaret, Toni and Susan for your
wonderful suggestions. I may be missing some folks and I apologize for that,
but I THANK YOU ALL so much for your contributions. My Chem teacher was
appropriately impressed when I presented her with the ideas. She asked how I
came up with them and I replied... "I asked 14,000 of my colleagues and they
came through for me!"
Thanks so much,
Ellen
C. Ellen Wickham
Library Media Specialist
Raytown South High School
8211 Sterling
Raytown, MO 64138
(816) 268-7330
wickhame@raytownschools.org
They have looked up the chemical makeup of : firecrackers, hair shampoo,
laundry detergent, and if there was truth in advertising in coconut oil, corn
oil, cocoa butter, etc. She chose common house hold items also and they
looked for the chemical elements/makeup and then brought in the items and
showed them if available.
Also one daughter did reports on those people famous/ well known inventors
dealing with chemistry. How they presented was up to the students, but since
it was near Halloween my daughter made a tomb stone and "carved" out the
basic info in front, and then gave the rest on the back. Some students made
models of the items that the person was know for and gave the information
about that person.
******************************
The discovery of which chemical element (enter year or time frame) has had
the most impact on civilization?
******************************
Six degrees of separation?
X is in this product, which also contains y, which is in another product
which also contains z etc through about 6 items, showing a connection between
baby powder and nuclear waste.
******************************
How would the world be different if (name) were never born??
******************************
http://chemcases.com/nutra/nutra5.htm NutraSweet case study
******************************
I don't know how long a project your Chem. teacher is needing, but our Chem.
teacher every year collaborates with the English teacher on a big project -
that can probably be pared down. Students do a paper and then a presentation
on a topic. They are in groups, and get a grade for the group and an
individual grade. The topics range from: how a battery works, to
mummification - must be chemistry related and tell not only what the process
is but also how it was used in society, who discovered it or was important ,
etc.
They get a chemistry grade and an English grade. And it takes the better
part of Second Semester. This is Junior level. I can get their contact info
if you are interested. It is a great project and keeps them really busy - we
schedule research days and project days in the library and they are really
busy.
******************************
Our chemistry classes are currently using an idea I picked up from the
listserv.
The students are choosing a chemical element, and creating a superhero
derived from the properties of the element.
To do this, they are using reference books from the library, as well as web
sites about chemistry and chemical elements.
They have specific questions to answer about the properties of the element,
what it reacts with, what strengths, what weaknesses, etc.
Then they design a poster with a picture they create of the superhero and
name him or her, with facts about the superhero: strong as . . . etc.
It's a fun project, but has all the answers one would research and include in
a paper, which would be less fun.
******************************
I did an adopt an element project for years. It gets the kids in the
library, do some research, and have a final product.
******************************
Seed idea found...
http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/henderson.html
What kind of biological agents could be used by terrorists? Which
biological agent used (insert place) would be most effective/damaging and
why?
Or
You are the FEMA dude, and can only prepare for one bio-terror attack...
which one do you prepare for, how and why?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/biochemicalweapons/ for info on
biochemical terrorism
******************************
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/ResearchIdeas.html
Composting research ideas
Some leaves, such as those of black walnut or eucalyptus trees, contain
chemicals that inhibit growth of other plants. Are these compounds broken
down by composting?
Finished compost is near neutral pH. Can you design an experiment to answer
one or more of the following questions: Is compost detrimental to use on
acid-loving plants such as blueberries or azaleas? Does compost buffer the
soil pH, making it harder to provide acidic conditions? How does it compare
to peat moss in this regard?
******************************
You could suggest research on how fireworks are made and how they get the
different colors.
Information on how legal drugs are made from chemical compounds. (IE
discovery of how to produce aspirin, insulin, dopamine, etc) All the
different kinds of sugar The chemical reactions of photosynthesis and
respiration and their importance Refining of crude oil, how is it done and
what products are made Reactions that make things cold or make things warm,
like what is going on inside those cold packs that athletes pop and then use
or the heat packs that hunters use in gloves and boots.
We had done lots of research project with topics in Nuclear Chemistry such
as:
Dirty bombs and nuclear bombs
The Manhattan Project
Nuclear energy and waste
Nuclear energy safety issues
Nuclear energy accidents (Although it gets their interest, I didn't like
this one that much because it leaves the kids thinking all nuclear power
plants are dangerous and could explode. They really are a ton of safety
regulations so they are actually very safe and they don't explode they just
have melt downs.) Nuclear medicine Food irradiation, home smoke detectors,
and other uses of radiation in industry (I guess it is used on some sensors
to detect the thickness of things being manufactured such as aluminum foil.)
Time line of discoveries in nuclear chemistry
Some of these may sound like a combination of physics and chemistry but when
I did them I saw no harm in that. Hope this helps. Good Luck!
******************************
What I always do when I am in a pickle like that is look for WebQuests for
ideas.
******************************
I don't know how long a project your Chem. teacher is needing, but our Chem.
teacher every year collaborates with the English teacher on a big project -
that can probably be pared down. Students do a paper and then a presentation
on a topic. They are in groups, and get a grade for the group and an
individual grade. The topics range from: how a battery works, to
mummification - must be chemistry related and tell not only what the process
is but also how it was used in society, who discovered it or was important ,
etc.
They get a chemistry grade and an English grade. and it takes the better
part of Second Semester. This is Junior level. I can get their contact info
if you are interested. It is a great project and keeps them really busy - we
schedule research days and project days in the library and they are really
busy.
******************************
Thanks to Marge Shaffer for the wonderful attachments!!!
******************************
I collaborated with a teacher on the assignment at:
http://hcs.k12.sc.us/high/nmbh/supportlinks/kuchar/Chemistry/Unit_4_Chemical_
Rxs.doc
Would this work?
******************************
Have a look at the page
http://www.shambles.net/science/
In particular the sections
"Science Fairs"
and
"Science in Society"
There are also separate Chemistry sections
Of particular fun and interest to Chemists are the "Forensic Science" links
.... the students can get very excited about this CSI approach to Chemistry
and Science.
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