Chemistry is a hands-on, minds-on course in the central science. But I am not teaching it this year... Glad to help you if you need help though! The Central Science with a flair for application. We learn about air, water, oil, and other resources. We do tye dye, mirror bottles, moles, and oh my my, so very much more!
The concepts of chemistry affect virtually all fields, from the science that supports new art forms to the science of increasing the memory space on a hard drive. For this reason, chemistry is known as the central science. Chemistry is a dynamic science, and is taught in that manner at SHS. Students learn by doing. They learn the science in application to the problems of today. The chemistry students at SHS will learn their chemistry by studying air pollution, nuckear energy, forensics, petroleum, and more. Students began the year working on the ceramics module from the MWM group at Northwestern University. Students learn about density, porosity, physical and chemical changes/properties, and more. The students will conclude the module by synthesizing a high temperature superconductor. We have fun with the projects while learning about the matter around us. Some of the materials and equipment used in the chemistry projects were obtained through grants like the Toyota Tapestry grant. Grants of this type allow SHS to pursue innititives that would be inaccessible otherwise.
The Toyota Tapestry grant is given each year to 50 applicants across the United States. In 1997-98, SHS was awarded this grant to pursue innovations in materials science that could be brought into the regular science classroom. During the 1997-98 school year ten teachers and a thousand students were involved in projects that researched, synthesized, and tested: Buckyballs (C60, the soccer ball molecule), Composites (like reinforced concrete, better golf balls, or the composite side panels of your car), Diamond thin film (Students grew a thin layer of diamonds on a silicon substrate using an acetylene torch), High temperature superconductors (float magnets or a Mag-lev train), Liquid Crystals (These materials are not liquids or solids, but they are in your calculator display , lap-top computer, and more.) Polymers (Students learn the properties affected by molecular mass thru experimentation.), Smart materials (Everything from singing greeting cards to motion detectors is being "turned-on" by piezoelectric materials. Our students made nylon piezoelectric.) SEAgel (This is a lighter than air solid. Amazing! Its also biodegradable.)
Although most of these materials are in wide use today, they are not part of most text books. We study them because of their facinating properties and their illustration of course content. Most of the materials that have been chosen were tested first in the AP Chemistry classes. (Thank you to all my past students!) Other sources for information include MWM (the Materials World Modules of Northwestern University)Tapestry Pictures
Updated on January 4, 2006 by Juan Reyna and Bijan Behrouzi.