Biologically-Relevant Chemistry in the Freshman Laboratory

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In an innovative approach to teaching the freshman chemistry laboratory, students are being exposed to a variety of chemical principles in the context of biologically-relevant chemistry. Large numbers of students taking freshman chemistry (upwards of 60%) are pursuing careers in the biological sciences and/or medicine. These students are being shown the relevance of chemistry in understanding biological systems by engaging them in authentic scientific inquiry. The program is module-based, where each module focuses on a specific question that the students must answer about a biologically-relevant problem. Each laboratory module is designed as an in-depth study lasting three to four weeks. "A guided-discovery method" of teaching the course is employed, and teamwork and decision-making are emphasized. Computer pre-labs are used to ensure that the students are confident in what they need to do when they enter the laboratory, and interactive videos help them to grasp difficult concepts. Novel computer based examinations are being developed and tested. The topics of four of the modules include: 1) the chemistry of the stomach; 2) skin cancer; 3) lead poisoning; and 4) blood chemistry. The fifth module is designed to expose the undergraduate students to science teaching in the local primary and secondary schools. Each college student observes and participates in a K-12 science classroom, reads articles in science education journals, works with a science teacher in a local school, designs and teaches a laboratory-based project for the K-12 classroom, and participates in discussions and evaluations about the science lesson that has been taught and the conclusions that have been reached about the teaching and learning of science.