Chemistry Fact of the Day: One

Gallium's melting point is 29.8º C (85.6º F) which is so low that it will melt on the palm of your hand. 

Mirrors, after having their glass or porcelain frame shaped, is painted with gallium to have a beautiful finish.

Senior Project Update:

(1) What are you currently doing in your independent component? 


I have come up with my survey questions:
1. In your opinion, what is the most effective way to teach a chemistry class?
2. What is your favorite lesson and why?
3. What is your least favorite lesson and why?
4. What is your goal as a teacher? What is the main thing you want your children to take away from your class?

I will be calling schools within the next two weeks, but can I combine my science fair survey in this too? Sorry.
(2) What is a recent piece of research (article, interview, or audio-visual) that have you reviewed you would say was significant in helping you understand where to go next in your senior project?  The piece of research should be something you reviewed in November.  Please explain what you learned and where are you going next because of this piece of research.

My Interview 2 was very informative and after all his lectures (my mentorship) I take down notes which help me formulate my senior project activities and demonstrations. The most interesting article is 17, "Developing a New Teaching Approach for the Chemical Bonding Concept Aligned with Current Scientific and Pedagogical Knowledge".


(3) Provide evidence from your independent component or the piece of research as something you recently did.  For example, a photo of something you working on for your independent component or your notes from the video you watched. 


I organized my entire binder, dividing it into the appropriate sections because my articles were quite lengthy. 
I have been reading through this website to just get basic facts about chemistry. More to refresh my memory. I also created this list. 

Blog 5b: Science Fair Proposal

1. What is your topic?

Teaching Chemistry 

2. What is the driving problem behind your experiment and the quote by an expert to support that problem? (Expert citation must be MLA format.)

“Some of the reasons identified for this failure are laboratory inadequacy, teachers’ attitude, examination malpractice, time constraint for conduction of practice’s, non-coverage of syllabus, class size, non-professionalism and environment.” - Lawrence Edomwonyi-otu and Abraham Avaa (Edomwonyi-otu, Lawrence, and Abraham Avaa. "The Challenge of Effective Teaching of Chemistry: A Case Study - Leonardo El J Pract Technol." The Challenge of Effective Teaching of Chemistry: A Case Study - Leonardo El J Pract Technol. N.p., 25 June 2011. Web. 14 Sept. 2012.)

3. What is your hypothesis? (Must be in If-Then form.)

If a school spends more than $500 on their chemistry department, defined as how much money each teacher gets to spend on their classroom, then their student's STAR testing scores will be Proficient or Advanced. 

4. Write a paragraph summary of how you will perform the experiment.  Include the tools you plan on using.

After collecting a list of schools contact information (using a phone book/internet), I will call each one and simply ask what percentage of their budget goes to the science department, from there, I will ask to speak to each of the chemistry teachers and ask how much they are given to spend in their classrooms and how much they actually spend. From there I will ask how many of their students scored Below proficient and proficient or advanced on their STAR testing by asking the school. (Can I check that online somewhere?) I will then try to find a correlation between the two using Pearson's Correlation. 

5. Select one of the following Project Categories for your experiment:
Animal Biology & Physiology
Behavioral/Social Science
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chemistry
Earth/Space Science
Pharmacology
Physics
Plant Biology & Physiology
Ecology & Environmental Management
Engineering Research & Applications
Mathematics & Computer Science

Blog 9: Working EQ and Possible Answers

(1) What was the working EQ you used during your presentation?

What is the best way to effectively teach chemistry?

(2) Did you decide to revise your working EQ after your presentation? If so, write your revised EQ here. 

I am not going to revise my EQ at this time.

(3) What are possible answers to your current working EQ? 

1.  Make it relevant for the students. 
After researching for what seems like days, it has led me to this answer. If students think the subject matters, it gives them the motivation to want to do well in the class. They will then do better academically, and in the long run, they will have a better chance of retaining the facts. I know this will be my best answer, but my other answers shall be.
2. Give them independence.
Students have to learn chemistry on their on. They have to experience it, not just see it or hear it. 
And lastly,
3. Work in groups.
This lets students help themselves find the right answers together. Its like iPoly so I think I can manage that one.  

Blog 8: Rough Draft of Presentation 1

Click Here

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 - Plan Approval

(1) Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.

I plan to produce an experiment in itself to analyze teacher's responses to a survey.

(2) Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement.

I will survey several teachers from different areas, and with the information, I will formulate a conclusion and a lesson plan that meets both the standards of California's School District and the teacher's responses to the surveys.

(3) How does your independent study component relate to your working EQ?  

It will get different professionals' input on my EQ, allowing me to see more than one person's view on it, and actually applying it to real life from how I see it as a student and a teacher.

Blog 6: Second Interview Questions

Questions:

1. What got you interested in teaching chemistry?

2. Was there anyone in particular that helped you choose this career? i.e. (Did he have his own mentor?)

3. How did this organization come to be? (The class he teaches is taught at a church so why?)

4. Why do you think chemistry is important in a high school student's education?

5. How long have you been teaching? or How long have you been studying chemistry?

6. When did you become interested in the topic? Was there any specific events that made you decide you would teach for a living or study chemistry?

Blog 4: Working Essential Question

The Pentagon: 
(1) Positive Statement: What positive thing happen as a result of what you have completed so far?
I have been able to study more for the SAT subject test and been able to interact with chemistry teachers and students to get more information for what I want to do with my future because of the senior project so far. The research has been proven to be really helpful and intriguing; I know that I will be able to use it for both my 2 hour and my future classroom.

(2) EQ Content:  Pick a piece of research or your interview.  How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic?
After reading "Making Chemistry Teaching Relevant" by Jack Holbrook, I now understand the topic that most teachers have to deal with: how to make students interested and actually care about chemistry. In my eyes, a good chemistry teacher can get students to fall in love with the subject; I want to be able to do that with my students. 


(3) What has worked for you so far in the senior project?
Although finding research was hard at first, now I feel as if my research is very helpful and topical. I enjoy reading it, and I believe it will help me pass my SAT chemistry test as well. 


(4) What hasn't worked so far?  
Because chemistry teachers have to use potentially dangerous chemicals in their experiments, none, that are close, have been willing to mentor me so far. Hopefully as the year goes by it will get easier to find a mentor willing to let me shadow him/her for the rest of the year. 

(5) Finding Value:  

a) What possible question or questions come to mind regarding what you would like to study this year?
I want to know what I can do to be the best chemistry teacher to my students. I want to be able to teach my class accordingly and help students realize how valuable and relevant chemistry is in everyday life. 
(What can I do to interest my students into chemistry?
 What kind of teachers do students learn from the best?)

b) What is your end goal this year with your senior project?
I want to know what I am in for during college and later in my career. I know that I want to major in chemistry and receive a minor in teaching, and I want to understand how many jobs will be opening when I graduate. I also want to have a head 

c) Who would you like to talk to you next? Why?   
Dr. Holbrook, who wrote the article mentioned in 2, would be my ideal candidate because his piece has helped me quite a bit this year already. I have his email so maybe I can reach him, but if not I plan to interview a college professor named Dr. Page. 

Science Fair: Blog A - Problem Statement

Topic: Teaching Chemistry

1. a) Not enough money are put into chemistry labs.
    b) Once I become a teacher, I will ensure that my classes are stocked with necessary materials by applying for grants.

2. a) According to article 8, "The Challenge of Effective Teaching of Chemistry: A Case Study" students can't pass the general education chemistry class in college because the standards are immensely different.
    b) I would publish a paper explaining how this effects chemistry students and how to improve it by increasing the standards in high school and possibly creating chemistry in junior high or elementary school, without the use of dangerous chemicals.

3. a) Students don't find enough relevance of chemistry to take it seriously in high school according to Jack Holbrook, Secretary of ICASE.

    b)  Once I become a teacher, I will teach my class by covering relevant topics as introduced in the article Chun Wu and Jordan Foos and shown to the right. 

Blog 3: Interview Preparation

1.  I plan to ask Ted Crutchfield, my grandfather. He graduated with a a degree in chemistry, and is currently works as a substitute chemistry teacher. He worked in research and development for the beginning of his career, and his legacy is that he created the first home pregnancy test. He is the first person that got me interested in chemistry so I believe that he would be the perfect person to help me start my research.  

2.
Required:   • I'm interested in studying chemistry. What can you tell me about it?
                  • From your perspective, what could I study that would be significant to other people?
                  • Who else would you recommend I talk to?
                  • What kinds of places and activities do you recommend I do for the mentorship component?
                  • What books should I read in this field? Who else can I interview?
Additional: • What got you started in chemistry? Why did you transfer to teaching it?

                  • From your experience what is the best method of teaching? 

                  • How do you develop a lesson plan?

                  • What are the procedures you run your labs by?

Blog 2: Topic Choice

Topic: Teaching Chemistry

I chose this topic because I really enjoy chemistry; I was raised with it as a child because of my grandfather who was a biochemist. I never really connected with it though until last year in Mr. Pang's class. It made perfect sense to me, and it excited me every time we did a lab. (Although I don't think he ever realized that.) This summer, while cleaning out a cabinet, I found an old chemistry set that has never been used. As pathetic as it sounds, I believe that was the highlight of my summer being able to look through the instructional pamphlet and at the chemicals. The reason why I don't want to just study chemistry though is because I always wanted to be a teacher, which again is in my family. I love talking and tutoring whenever I can, and I thoroughly enjoy explaining things to people. I am actually really excited about being able to study this topic because I want to actually do this with my life.

ESLERS:

    • iPoly Citizen: I want to stay up to date with any new inventions and news about new resources and techniques that chemistry teachers are currently using as opposed to what they did in the past. For example using interactive periodic tables and websites that allow interactive learning. I will always be mindful of the high school I will mentor at and never be tardy when they are helping me succeed. Lastly, I will not procrastinate on doing my project and my service learning hours.

    • Communicator: I plan to tutor juniors whenever they need help, and will be available to them during my free time. I want to be able to demonstrate easy methods to get to the answer depending on what the junior prefers to use. I want them to be able to come to me with questions so I can help as much as I can, and in return they help me with my senior project.

    • Learner: I plan to study independently and join a college level chemistry course to learn more about chemistry itself even if it doesn't count for my mentorship hours because I believe the class will help me with my academics and allow me to solve problems dealing with my subject. By the end of the course I want to be able to completely grasp the concept of chemistry so that when I teach it, I can appropriately display it through my own way. I will also be studying for my chemistry SAT which will also help me reach this goal. When I finally am allowed to teach and work with the students in a high school I will hopefully be ready to answer any problem that comes to mind.

    • Technology: In chemistry, graphs and tables are necessary for organizing information. I will be able to use the computer to create these so excel will be my new best friend. I also want to be able to use the internet to find podcasts and other informational pieces using technology which I haven't really used before.

Blog 1: Mentorship Component

Literal: Orange Elementary- 21 hours

Contact Information - Susan Stowell: (951) 736-3455

   
 • Set up Mrs. Stowell's 1st grade classroom

    • Assisted with organizing and recorded all paperwork for children's safety protocols

    • Helped students with writing and math worksheets

    • Assisted the teacher with any other tasks she needed done i.e. tearing and sorting 
out papers
• Created "Mountain Math" notebooks
• Read with the children and tested them on their books with an online program

    • Kept track of students. None died. I count this as a success

Questions:

    • Why would anyone work with children?

    • How do you apply and receive a teaching job to attain for over 20 years?

    • How does teaching high school differ from teaching elementary school?

    • What is the most effective way to communicate to your students the lesson plan 
for the day?

    • How do you maintain a peaceful classroom?

    • How do you appropriately deal with conflict that arises either with students or 
parents?
• What is the process in which to successfully create a lesson plan for a year?
• Are there techniques to maintain control in the classroom without losing your
patience?
• What are the main differences between teaching elementary school and teaching
high school? What drives a teacher to chose between the different levels?

Interpretive:

What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

I learned how to approach teachers and how to receive an opportunity to get service learning hours. Although I do not want to use teaching first grade as my topic, I did discover that I do want to do something under teaching; this project allows me to obtain experience for my future career.

Applied:

  How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

I realized, after completing my mentorship component, that I never really want to leave school. I love teaching just not necessarily fond of little children. I love chemistry though so I believe that teaching high school chemistry would be an interesting topic for senior year. I have talked to Mr. Pang about it, and although I could not collect my 50 hours by helping him throughout the year, I have been able to be listed as a tutor to students, take a college level chemistry course, and contact college professors at Cal Poly to help in the stock room. I realize though, after many phone calls and scathingly painful email replies, that most teachers from other schools do not trust nor want to be reliable for a high school student to be around chemicals. My goal for next year is to find a teacher willing to let me become a teacher’s assistant so I can finish my service learning.