BLOCK B
CHEMISTRY ARTICLE 1
INTERVIEW WITH LITERARY ENGLISH TEACHER
"How does this subject relate to real world situations?"
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Especially with atoms, they relate to the world and are the smallest unit of matter, so they make up everything in the world. Atoms are elements that make up compounds, mixtures which explains that everything we're seeing and how things interact with each other, like reactions, those are all things based from chemistry. In short, there are a lot of real-world connections with chemistry.​
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"What projects will students be doing and their purpose?"
- Researching about one element in particular
- History of the element
- Density, colour, usage
- Bohr Model of the element
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"How could this subject benefit students futures and when applying for university?"
A lot of jobs require science knowledge, and at times it is crucial to certain jobs, such as the medical field.
For universities, a lot look for science courses up to at least Grade 11, regardless if it is a science program or not.
Skills in science can apply to different parts of the world such as asking questions about things and finding a good system, the scientific method used, to find a way to get an answer to that question, or even making reports in an organized way. All skills could be used in any subject, even if it's not science-related.
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"What concepts are most challenging to students and what strategies do you recommend?"
- Naming different types of compounds / Differentiating between types of compounds
Making a table and writing the elements down and first, try to name it and recognize it before solving.
While starting a new grade in the same subjects can sound rather easy at first, students can find themselves quickly overwhelmed even within the first few weeks. This article provides an interview with Grade 8 Chemistry teacher, Ms. Dulay.
To start, the first question asked was "What are core concepts or skills taught in this subject that are most valuable?"
Mostly for Grade 8 - 9 Chemistry:
- Using models to represent different science material
- Ex. Atoms (since they are an important part of the curriculum)
- Compounds
- Bohr Models (and other types of models to show the parts and how they can combine or separate is one big skill)
- Identifying different types of matter
"What part of chemistry do students like?"
- Labs in chemistry because of the opportunity to mix compounds
Usually in chemistry, students are required to wear lab coats and goggles, so it is useful to get hands-on experience with the chemicals.
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"What safety protocols do you need to follow for chemistry?"
When working with chemicals that could be harmful, or even if they can stain clothing, a common procedure is to wear lab coats, goggles, and tie up any long hair past shoulder length, and full-length pants and close-toed shoes.
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This concludes the end of the article.
