Independent Research
Unit Overview
This unit provides students with unique opportunities to do independent research
on some topic in chemistry. The topic may be selected from ones provided by
the teacher, or students may be given the responsibility of presenting proposals
for their own research project. Guidelines for the projects can be developed
with the class.
Clear criteria for assessment of the research projects need to be established,
so that students can consider them when they are developing their project proposals.
The proposals may be submitted in the form of a contract, indicating the work
that an in dividual or a group agrees to complete by a specific date.
The independent research projects may be treated separately, or integrated
with one or more of the units. If the projects are integrated, a common theme
might be used for all of the projects. All of the research projects might be
related to the Atoms and Elements unit, or to Organic Chemistry,
for example. The student projects would then enhance the presentation of those
units, providing additional motivation for learning. As a separate unit, students
could select from a wide variety of topics. This allows students to direct their
own learning needs and investigate topics of particular interest.
The projects can take many forms. These include: a review of the literature
on a particular topic, the design of experiments to investigate some phenomenon,
or conducting investigative research into an issue of current societal concern
in the community. Science Fair projects could be developed. Many other possibilities
exist. Not all students need to work on similar types of projects. The key
here is to allow for flexibility and innovation in independent research.
Collaborative group projects can also be used to complete a project which is
more extensive than could be undertaken by an individual, and to make use of
the varied talents of the group members so that the product is greater than
the sum of the individual efforts of those involved. Such projects require guidelines
regarding the responsibilities of individuals within the group.
Plan cooperatively with a teacher-librarian, if available, so that students
have the resources to do literature reviews and research. Strive to update the
collection of chemistry-related resources in the resource centre. Government
agencies, universities and associated organizations, and industries which produce
or use chemicals are all sources of information for research projects, as are
members of the community.
Factors of scientific literacy which should be emphasized
Foundational Objectives for Chemistry and the Common Essential
Learnings
Investigate problems in chemistry and in the application
of chemistry.
Develop abilities to meet own learning needs. (IL)
- Write proposals for individual or group projects, including such things
as: a completion date, criteria for assessment, resources to be accessed,
preferred method of presentation, suggested audiences for presentation, and
meeting dates for review and collaboration.
- Take responsibility for their own learning by setting goals, designing
plans, developing proposals, suggesting baseline performance levels, organizing
allotted time, managing activities, evaluating success, and reviewing the
entire process.
- Demonstrate an ability to access information from a variety of resources.
- Follow guidelines for completing a specific learning task.
- Explore issues or topics which address their interests and concerns.
Develop an understanding of how knowledge is created,
evaluated, refined and changed within chemistry. (CCT)
- Participate in scientific inquiry.
- Focus attention on knowledge and gaps in personal knowledge related to
a specific topic.
Develop compassionate, empathetic and fair-minded students
who can make positive contributions to society as individuals and as
members of groups. (PSVS)
- Learn in a climate that is sensitive, flexible and responsive.
- Collaborate with teachers and others to determine and monitor their own
learning processes.
- Work cooperatively with others.
- Accept and respond to constructive criticism responsibly.
- Share the results of their research project with other students, teachers,
parents, or members of the community.
- Share the results of their research by developing displays, exhibits, performances,
presentations, demonstrations, lectures, or other appropriate methods.
Ideas for research projects
Note: Other ideas for research projects may be found in the Consumer
Chemistry unit. Look for opportunities to link subject areas.
- The mining industry is an important part of the economy of Saskatchewan.
What elements and compounds are produced from Saskatchewan deposits? What
are the chemical formulas of the ores or raw product for each of the elements
or compounds produced? What are the chemical processes used to separate gold
and uranium from their ores? Where is the market for sodium sulphate and what
is it used for?
- What are plastics? How is natural gas (methane) used in the plastics industry?
Could we do without plastics?
- What consequences are there if one eats or drinks while in a chemistry
laboratory? Are there instances of poisoning or ill effect due to such activity?
Research cases of chemical ingestion while eating, smoking or drinking in
a laboratory.
- Create a list of Canadian discoveries and inventions in, or which can be
linked to, the field of chemistry. Using one of the items on the list, write
a report on the person(s) who made the discovery and how knowledge of chemistry
was advanced or applied by the person(s). One source of information is Ainley,
Marianne Despite the Odds: Essays on Canadian Women in Science
(1990), U of Toronto Press. (This activity has been adapted from "Canadian
Scientist Study: One Way to Incorporate the CELs" , by Valerie Mitschke,
in the Accelerator, 16:4 (June 1990).
- How is coffee decaffeinated? What is the caffeine which is removed from
the coffee used for? In what class of chemical compounds is caffeine? What
are some related compounds? What are the chemical mechanisms involved in the
stimulating effect of caffeine on humans?
- What are colligative properties? Why do they have the effect that they
do? How is knowledge of colligative properties applied? How could McGyver
use a knowledge of colligative properties to his advantage? Design a demonstration
or investigation which can help the other students in your class understand
what colligative properties are.
- What is the chemical difference between soaps and detergents? What properties
of each make them effective for their tasks? What effect does each have on
the environment?
- What chemical reactions are involved in the production of warming and cooling
effects by commercially available hot-packs and cold-packs? Make a version
of each pack. Explain the chemistry and demonstrate the effectiveness of your
packs to your class.
- Buildings in Saskatchewan have among the highest levels of radon gas in
Canada? What is radon gas? How is it produced? How does it get into buildings?
What are its effects on humans? Does it have any effect on other animal life
or on plants?
- Organic producers and many others claim we are poisoning ourselves by consuming
food which has been treated during production and storage with insecticides,
herbicides and fungicides. How much of a hazard is consumption of residual
applied chemicals? Compare the risk from applied chemical residues to the
risk from natural plant chemicals and toxins produced by microorganisms.
- What is Agent Orange? How was it used in the Vietnam war? What problems
does it cause for people who are exposed to it?
- What are some ways that herbicides can be classified? Why do some herbicides
affect only broad-leafed plants, some affect grass plants and some affect
all plants?
- How do insecticides kill insects?
- One disadvantage of the heavy use of insecticides is that insects resistant
to their effects are not killed. When they reproduce, their offspring are
also resistant. In this way a large percentage of the population becomes resistant.
What are some of the ways insects become resistant?
- How does the ozone layer prevent ultraviolet rays from reaching the Earth's
surface?
- What are PCBs? How are they useful? What kind of problems do they cause?
How are these chemicals destroyed? What chemical reactions are involved in
the destruction process?
- Compare saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Outline the
metabolism of each in the human body.
LI> Compare the different forms of the periodic table which have been
produced? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Which seems
to you to be the most useful form?
- What produces luminescence in chemicals? What are the similarities between
fluorescence and phosphorescence? How do fireflies produce their light?
- Since the Tokyo Olympics, most Canadians have heard of stanozolol. Is it
the most commonly used steroid among athletes? What is its chemical formula,
and the formulas of other steroids? What steroids are natural body hormones?
Why do steroids have the effect on muscle mass which they do?
- The Weyerhauser paper mill at Prince Albert uses many chemicals. Outline
the chemical processes involved in converting wood chips into paper. How does
the Weyerhauser operation purify the waste water before discharging it into
the North Saskatchewan River?
- Canada Day and Victoria Day are two occasions which are traditionally celebrated
with fireworks. Explore the chemistry of fireworks. How are fireworks propelled
into the sky? How do they explode once they are in the sky? How are the various
colours and patterns produced?
- There are many drugs which have been linked to damage to human fetuses:
thalidomide; ethanol; diethylstilbestrol (DES). What is the chemical structure
of these drugs? To what classes of chemical compounds do they belong? Are
there related compounds which are not harmful to developing fetuses? What
makes them have the effect that they do? How do they interact with the developing
fetus?
- One of the greatest advances in 20th century medicine was the development
of the sulfa drugs. What is the characteristic part of the sulfa drug molecule?
What are the chemical formulas of some? When were they developed? How do they
produce the effect they do? Who were the people involved with their development?
- Of what is photographic film made? What chemical reactions are involved
in the exposing and developing of photographic film? What processes are used
to recover the solvents and the precious metals which remain after film has
been processed?
- Why do substances crystallize in the form that they do? Grow some crystals
from a solution prepared with distilled water and AR grade reagent. Grow some
crystals from a contaminated (mixed) solution.
- Identify the formulas, sources and effects of those ions and molecules classed
as water pollutants.
- Investigate the use of qualitative analysis in forensic science.
- Explore the role of solubility in the deposition, mining and refining of
potash in Saskatchewan.
- For what achievement are Banting and Best known? Discuss the chemistry involved
in their research.
- Spectrometry is an important area of chemistry. What is the function of
spectrometry? Outline the principles which underlie each of the various types
of spectrometry.
- How do glues work? Are there different types of glues? Is the bond chemical
or physical? What are some of the most common components of glues?
- What chemicals are found in the bath of a chromium electroplating vat? Describe
the chemical processes involved in preparing a bumper for rechroming and in
doing the rechroming.
- Compare carbohydrates and lipids. How are their chemical structures similar?
How are their structures different? In humans, what chemical processes are
used to degrade and to synthesize these compounds in the body? A joint project
with Biology 30 is possible.
- Write or review science fiction which deals with chemical-related accidents
causing strange results: Spiderman, mutant killer tomatoes, the Fly, and so
on. How did the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles become mutant?
- How do mutagens, teratogens and carcinogens produce the effect they do?
- What is the chemistry behind the toy cars that change colour and shape
when their temperature changes? What industrial or medical applications are
there for these types of effects?
- Love Canal is possibly the best known toxic chemical dump. What can you
find out about what chemicals are causing the problem, the source of the chemicals,
whether they were by-products or end-use chemicals and the effects they have
on the soil and water?
- Find a toy that uses a chemical or two in a chemical reaction. Write an
equation for the chemical reaction involved. Explain how the toy works.
- Some publishers advertise that their books are printed on acid-free paper.
How is acid-free paper produced? Why does some paper contain acid? How acidic
is `normal' paper. Why is using acid-free paper an advantage? Can normal paper
be converted to acid-free paper after it has been printed on and bound into
books?
- What chemistry is involved in the development and manufacture of cosmetics?
- Canada is a world leader in production of aluminum, although there is no
bauxite (aluminum ore) mined in Canada. What is the chemical formula of bauxite.
What are the reactions involved in reducing the ore to the metal? Are these
reactions exothermic or endothermic? How does the energy involved in the refining
reactions make Canada a place where this refining can be done? Where in Canada
are the aluminum smelters located?
- How does a microwave oven heat the food "from the inside"? How
do other frequencies of light affect molecules?
- How do jewellery cleaners work? What are the active chemicals in them? Are
there different chemicals in cleaners for different metals (e.g. for gold,
for silver, for brass)? Why can't you use the jewellery cleaner on opals and
pearls?
- This project involves the communication of images of chemistry through art.
Find examples of drawings and paintings in both modern and historical times
which depict aspects of chemistry. Egyptian and Greek artists, European artists
such as da Vinci, Rembrandt, Durer, and science magazine covers are all sources
of examples. The art of video animation is another rich source. Discuss how
these works show the artist's ideas about chemistry.
What current issues and ideas involving chemistry could you select as a
basis for your work? Will you focus on past achievements, present work or
future possibilities?
Choose an idea. Select elements of design and painting or drawing techniques
which will help emphasize and visually communicate the idea. Consider various
strategies which may be useful - juxtaposition, simplification, viewpoint,
unity, balance. Discuss your plan with other students.
Present your completed work to the class. Explain the concept and techniques
used.
(This activity was adapted from CHEM13 NEWS, #197,
October 1990, page 2, based on an idea contributed by Pamela Slater-Suskind,
Vancouver, B.C.)
- Biosphere 2 is a series of domes built in the Arizona desert. It is intended
to be sealed off from the rest of the world and home to eight people for two
years. What aspects of chemistry are (were) important to this project? How
is the O2/CO2 balance maintained? What interrelationships
are there between the chemistry and the biology of this project? between the
chemistry and the physics of this project?
(Many of these suggestions are adapted from ideas submitted by Blaine Barnstable
of Loreburn and Al Kabatoff of Saskatoon.)