An interdisciplinary course on the chemistry and controversy of climate change was developed for non-science majors. Students entered the course with a variety of backgrounds in chemistry which made it difficult to pace material. The POGIL method proved to be a useful tool for this class because strong students in each group could coach weak students, allowing the instructor to focus on correcting misconceptions in the class. Students used the POGIL method of Exploration, Model, Application to understand chemistry topics of spectroscopy, Lewis structures, and stoichiometry while also using the method to interpret complex graphs on climate change research. Students learned about the scientific method by exploring data, creating models, and applying their model to correct misconceptions in climate change. The culminating project was the creation of a scientific document to train employees at the local public science center on misconceptions in climate science.

POGIL and science writing in an interdisciplinary course on climate change

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.