Chemistry

My education includes a 4 – year Bachelor of Science where I majored in chemistry. This included writing and successfully defending a thesis on medicinal synthesis. This is a unique experience that I would provide invaluable enrichment for secondary school students. I have spoken a little bit more about medicinal chemistry here, if you are interested in how it relates to senior chemistry.

With respect to the Manitoba chemistry curricula, I am comfortable with ALL clusters and have provided small fragments of activities from lessons in each:

Grade 11 (S3)

S3 – Physical Properties of Matter

Lighting a wax candle without touching the wick, after blowing it out. Students will experiment with the diameter and height of the candle and make sense of the discrepant event.

S3 – Gases and the Atmosphere

Imploding a heated can in cold water. Students will work with burners or hot plates to heat an aluminum can, and observe an implosion when they invert it into cold water. It's one thing seeing an implosion, another to experience it.

S3 – Chemical Reactions

Balloons, with variable amounts of baking soda, will be fastened to flasks full of vinegar. Students will predict the inflation pattern of the balloons, and plot their results to graphically observe reaction rates.

S3 – Solutions

As a part of viewing a sample of each of the nine types of solutions, students will observe the effect temperature has on unopened sparkling water bottles (gas in liquid). This is to make sense of anomalies on their solubility curves.

S3 – Organic Chemistry

Using modelling clay, or programming software like Alice 2.0, this entire unit will involve building 3D carbon-based models. The repetition of carbon chains are designed to show students the repeating nature/pattern of organic chemistry.

Grade 12 (S4)

S4 – Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

Students will get to be the stereotypical scientist that they grew up thinking about. They will get to mix inorganic compounds together to observe dramatic colour changes in solution.

S4 – Atomic Structure

Flame tests will demonstrate varying energy levels of inorganic compounds, such that we can reconstruct a colour spectrum. Emphasis will also be made on the Manitoban Aurora Borealis.

S4 – Chemical Kinetics

This is a great topic to take directly into the lab, however it is a poor topic for self-directed study. In essence, kinetics are simple to calculate and students will be able to determine that by experimentation rather than calculations.

S4 – Chemical Equilibrium

Let’s go to the home-ec room! Equilibrium is the scientific balance of ingredients used compared to the final product. The students might appreciate making food rather than balance chemical reactions all day.

S4 – Acids and Bases

Indicator labs. Typically, acid/base labs consist of students experimenting with just 1 or 2 indicators. It is way more interesting to see all of the indicators and how we can use them to determine what kinds of chemicals we are working with.

S4 – Electrochemistry

The final cluster is all about batteries. Electrochemistry explains how the battery cells work, but seldom are they used for anything practical. It would be interesting to build batteries and then try to power devices with them.

Sample Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan - Naming Alkanes.pdf

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