Lesson Plan : Chemists with Character
Teacher Name: | Chemist |
Grade: | Grade 9-10 |
Subject: | Science |
Topic: | Character found in the historical development of scientific theories and developments. |
Content: | Newlands, Mendeleev, Moseley, Dalton, Thomson, Rutherford, Schoenberg, Kanzius |
Goals: | Students will development an appreciation for the persistence, patience, integrity, rights of others, self-assurance, self-discipline and wisdom found in the chemistry founders. |
Objectives: | Students will be able to name a scientist and list at least three ways he/she showed good character in the midst of his/her research. |
Materials: | Historical review of scientist on PowerPoint; 2008 60 Minutes special on a non-scientist Mr. Kanzius, who discovered a new cancer treatment. |
Introduction: | History of the periodic table and atomic theory. |
Development: | Students create a Example: Newlands, used his knowledge of music to find a pattern in the early elements ... he called the pattern "an octave." No one took him seriously at first. He needed to persevere despite criticism, he showed respect to others, showed patience in his chemical experiments as he tested his theory; he was ethical and showed integrity not to doctor the work to his benefit. There were many things he could not explain; yet, he knew he had something. |
Practice: | As we discuss additional scientist, the class is expected to contributed character traits that would be applicable. |
Accommodations: | none |
Checking For Understanding: | During review, stopping and asking students to remind me of scientist's contribution to science and the character traits he possessed. |
Closure: | Students are asked to write a short essay on what scientist's work impressed them the most and why, and students are asked to think of an area of science they would like to contribute. |
Evaluation: | Essays are graded. |
Teacher Reflections: | The part students enjoyed the most was the 60 Minutes special on John Kanzius who discovered the cancer treatment with radio waves. Learning about a person who only knew the chemistry he learned in high school was very motivating and generated a lot of discussion. I have shown this for two years. New the end of this year, Mr. Kanzius died. I showed the news clip announcing his death. The students were saddened and remembered his work vividly as we rediscussed what he had done. The 12-minute clip really encouraged students that an average person with persistence, patience, wisdom, self-discipline and a respect for the rights-of-others can have an effect on millions of people. |
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