![\"\"](\"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/ch151\/files\/2016\/01\/IMG_4464-e1453954441819.jpg\")
<\/a>My first\u00a0activity “High Speed Energy” \u00a0is aimed to teach students about nutritional sources of energy, the differences in types of carbohydrates, and they learn how to apply\u00a0the Scientific Method of inquiry. To help a friend gain her energy back, students hypothesize which drink would give the most energy by testing and\u00a0comparing sugar content in the drinks. They then test their hypotheses using a fermentation reaction and measuring the drinks’ CO2 production which is proportional\u00a0to the energy gained from the drinks. To supplement the nutrition discussion, students also test the drinks for protein content. \u00a0(see\u00a0High Speed Energy Teacher Kit<\/a>)<\/p>\nDescribing scientific\u00a0terms using everyday language, and seeing chemical reactions at play with no complicated equipments \u00a0will help students to realize that chemistry is not something that is only done in lab, and encourage them to be more curious about seemingly mundane phenomena.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My name is Grace Uwase, I am in my second year at Colby College. I am \u00a0from Boise, Idaho, and I am a chemistry major with an interest in medicine. Over the month of January, I spent most days in … Continue reading ![\"IMG_4481\"](\"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/ch151\/files\/2016\/02\/IMG_4481-e1454516687445-300x213.jpg\")
<\/a>The\u00a0second\u00a0activity “Exploring Interactions” \u00a0teaches\u00a0students about molecular interactions using\u00a0detailed observations in everyday objects. Students examine the strength of a string made of different pieces, test hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions, and learn how different fabrics interact with dye. In this simple activity, students learn the necessity of\u00a0molecular interactions, and how the strength of these interactions is affected by the nature of the molecules involved. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0(see Exploring Interactions Teacher Kit<\/a>\u00a0)<\/p>\n![\"17e20600-0f09-4ded-94b8-7b1087afbde6\"](\"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/ch151\/files\/2015\/12\/17e20600-0f09-4ded-94b8-7b1087afbde6-225x300.jpg\")
How often do we think about the chemistry of\u00a0bleach or why\u00a0antacids work? Not frequent enough. My third experiment “Hell\u2019s Kitchen” (Hell\u2019s Kitchen Teacher Kit<\/a>) is aimed to help\u00a0students\u00a0think about\u00a0the\u00a0abundance of chemical reactions in everyday life. \u00a0Using only household items, students learn about different types of chemical reactions and\u00a0examine how\u00a0the different items interact with each other. In order to revive an unconscious citizen, they must follow clues that require them to carryout various reactions and learn about\u00a0the underlying chemistry. They use the clues to deduce the cause of her unconsciousness, and come up with the appropriate solution to wake the citizen up.<\/p>\n