Candy engineering: A module for teaching fifth graders mass, density, and volume

CHED 501

Michael Birnkrant, subbasic@drexel.edu, A. J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, Priscilla Blount, PBlount@phila.k12.pa.us, Martha Washington Elementary School, Eli Fromm, fromme@drexel.edu, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Drexel Unviersity, and Adam K. Fontecchio, fontecchio@drexel.edu, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
The NSF GK-12 Fellowship offered at Drexel University College of Engineering pairs a graduate student with a middle school teacher from the School District of Philadelphia. The team developed engineering-based modules for inclusion in the middle school curriculum. The schools where the modules are being implemented consist of underrepresented students. A module was developed and implemented on mass, volume and density of two different candies. Upon the completion of the modules the students were able to differentiate between mass and volume as well as calculate density. However, a secondary benefit of this module was the improvement in math and reading skills. Analysis of student performance indicated 19/26 students answered 75% or greater of the question correctly their math benchmarks. Student reading levels also improved, with students who were more than a year behind dropping from 21% to 8%. Therefore, exposure of basic chemistry principles reinforced students' math and reading.
 

General Papers
1:00 PM-4:05 PM, Thursday, August 23, 2007 Seaport -- Plaza A, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007