Something that I noticed as I investated the MeOH incidents is that several of them occurred on the first day back from a break - the intention, I guess, being to engage students who have been away with something "exciting".

To me, this seems to me a very bad idea.å After students have been on break, they will want to talk with their friends on the first day back and are not at all focused on learning. They will not remember any safety instructions from before the break and so a thourough safety talk would be needed. They will not remember what concepts were being discussed prior to break and so the demo will be totally for the "wow" factor and to do something "fun" on the first day back.å

Sammye

I have been asked, more than once, why I did not do more "exciting" demos or labs.å I believe labs are a learning experience and not for entertainment. I have heard many teacher talk about feeling the need to entertain their students with demos to engage them in learning.å It seems to me, there is a culture of doing demos for the effect and not the learning.å This needs to change.

On Mon, Oct 7, 2019 at 7:09 AM Katherine Wall <kwall**At_Symbol_Here**waubonsee.edu> wrote:

What is as disturbing to me as the risk this guy is in and his students, but the comment by 'empowermind.co.uk': "Cool video! I like watching science demonstrations! Thanks for posting and keeping chemistry real for the next generation!"å Is chemistry only 'real' when it explodes?

Just a rhetorical question.


Kathy Wall MS
Waubonsee Community College
Chemistry Lab Coordinator
Office SCI 204
Direct 630-466-2347
Cell 630-544-9082





-----Confidentiality Note-----
This message, including any attachment(s), is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivery of the message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the Technical Assistance Center immediately by telephone at 630-466-4357 and then delete the message from your system. Thank you.
>>> Patricia Redden <predden**At_Symbol_Here**SAINTPETERS.EDU> 10/5/2019 5:13 PM >>>
Here's a new one on me.å Science teacher uses "explosives," according to
the title, or "flammable gas" according to his narrative, to carve a
pumpkin.å I'm guessing methanol, based on the video?å No shields, lots of
flame.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BplBmF4FbGl/?igshid=1336981534453&fbclid=IwAR2mtqhmgyRQ0D4M--ATdsri96b3suC68S2RtbJu2AhJc0LfJ3rVfpIDAD0

Pat Redden
St. Peter's University

---
For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

---
For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post