Interactive techniques employed to promote the advancement and participation in chemistry with emphasis on adolescents

CHED 349

Grant K Ghahramani, gghahram@ku.edu1, Morgan E Shirley, mshirly1@ku.edu1, Roderick S Black, rsblack@ku.edu2, and Paul R Hanson, phanson@ku.edu1. (1) Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, 1251 Wescoe Hall Drive, 2010 Malott Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, (2) Department of Chemistry, workplace, 1251 Wescoe Hall Drive, 2010 Malott Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045
It is essential for the youth today to be exposed to the importance of the natural sciences and the possible careers associated. The University of Kansas along with the Chemistry Club presents a yearly Carnival of Chemistry in addition to monthly demonstrations in an effort to present the field of chemistry in a stimulating and exciting manner. The carnival is open to the community with an emphasis on reaching preschool to teenage adolescents. Many early experiences adolescents have with science seem overwhelming and even daunting. We wish to challenge this misconception with novel interactive learning techniques. To accomplish this the youth engage in activities and demonstrations that emphasize chemical and physical properties in everyday life including those pertaining to color, light, polymer synthesis, and states of matter. Additionally a musical teaches the basic concepts of oxidation, gas laws, thermodynamics, and acid- base reactions by employing thrilling experiments and questions for the audience. The carnival is paralleled with demonstrations conducted in the community to re-emphasize the field of chemistry and expose adolescents to broader applications and divisions of the field.
 

Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Chemical Education
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster

Division of Chemical Education

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008