Introduction to the unit
Students will create a poster for their household that will have a list of common over the counter drugs, along with the correct calculated dosages for each of their family members. This unit is intended to be taught at the beginning of the school year; the goal is to teach and/or fill in core mathematical topics to high school chemistry students who have fundamental gaps in their knowledge. By having students create a product (poster) that directly relates to their family's well-being, I hope to capture their buy-in regarding why they need to learn math skills that apply to life; these are, in fact, the same skills required to succeed in chemistry.
Chemistry is often the first course in the progression of a high school student's science courses in which the students get the opportunity to apply their mathematical skills. In chemistry, students usually want to know 1.) why they have to learn so much math with chemistry, 2.) how does the math of chemistry apply to their world now, and 3.) how will the math of chemistry help them in the future. My answer usually is that chemistry is the 'connecting science', a gateway that can open their eyes to what exists around them now, and to what possibilities can await them. As I explain this, I see the blank look on some faces, the look of excitement on a few, and for the majority, the look of "here we go again – a teacher that thinks we've got to love this subject because they do". Looking back on how most of my science teachers taught the subject, I empathize with my students' perspective.
Teachers often say that a major problem with students today is that they don't know the basics. But when does a student really get a chance in High School to fix misconceptions of math concepts or to learn math concepts that they did not know that they did not know? What if the math of basic chemistry (which is fundamental math) was presented in a way such that students could rebuild their understandings of the fundamental principles of arithmetic? What if students could walk out of chemistry feeling that they could apply chemistry Principles to become protectors of their house? What if students could understand their applied math so well that they could teach it to their peers or family? What if a student's experience with one amazing year in a subject that surrounds everything that they do were to spark their interest in joining the STEM community? These "what ifs…" are what I strive to address in this unit.
I teach in a Title I High School that has been under the school improvement process for several years. Our demographic population is 99% African American, and 1% Caucasian. We have a free and reduced lunch count well over 80% and my typical student is in the 10 th to 12 th grade. Over 70% of the students who are in my class have failed at least one state standardized test since starting high school, and have received no higher than a "C" in their previous math classes. Most of my students dread math, and when they hear that chemistry is applied math, my students tend to cringe. While my students crave success (usually in the form of wealth), I have noticed an overwhelming sense of pride when it comes to their connections with their family, especially the elderly and younger siblings that many of my students care for. It is my desire to capitalize on this sense of pride for 'protecting their house' that suggested the theme for this unit.
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