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Topic: What could be the most simple and interesting topics in Chemistry?  (Read 9331 times)

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Offline asad_nz

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That is when it comes to Chemistry for students with no science background how can we define a course for them?

Offline fledarmus

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Re: What could be the most simple and interesting topics in Chemistry?
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2011, 11:21:32 AM »
It seems to me like you are looking at it from the wrong direction. What do you want these students with no science background to learn from a course in chemistry? What will they use it for in the future? What concepts do they need to come away from the course with?

After you know what you're trying to teach, you can start working on how to get the concepts across and keep the students engaged.

Offline juanrga

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Re: What could be the most simple and interesting topics in Chemistry?
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2011, 10:24:10 AM »
That is when it comes to Chemistry for students with no science background how can we define a course for them?

I suppose that the main idea would be that matter is made of atoms, what are those atoms, and how the atomic-molecular structure of matter defines its macroscopic properties.

I would explain how changes in the atomic structure varies the color of a substance, for instance, and how new materials are designed daily with the desired properties.

I would continue explaining that life process are not possible without an understanding of chemical process withing cells.

I would continue with an explanation of the chemistry of stars and how analyzing its light we can obtain its composition.

With this you would cover several topics in descriptive chemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry... The deep and scope depend of details of your audience and of your abilities as educator.

I would take a basic course in chemistry as the textbook Chemistry the central science and extract topics from therein, simplifying and adapting it to you own audience.
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