Overview
There needs to be a shift in how chemical separations are taught in chemistry class. Seeing the value of separation techniques is difficult when students know so little about chemistry at the beginning of the year. I believe that the best way for the students to understand chemical separation is to reveal the chemistry to them in their lives instead of putting basic chemicals in their hands that they can hardly relate to. When teaching African American students, I think it is important to teach them in such a way that they inherit an education that rightfully belongs to them. In trying to emulate George Washington Carver, the famous agricultural chemist who developed uses for crops that would ultimately create an economy to free poor farmers from economic oppression, I want to show my students that the food chemistry is a creative discipline that is part of their inheritance. Thus, I will explain in this unit how food chemistry (such as chocolate and juice) can be a meaningful and effective way for students to learn the chemical separation techniques to manipulate mixtures.
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