Recognizing that chemistry has been traditionally poorly represented in the culture of elementary school education, Molecules of Life (MoL: www.moleculesoflife.ca) was launched in Canada to expose elementary school students to chemistry by way of experiential learning using experiments and art projects. Currently in its sixth year, MoL recruits university art and science student volunteers, who have teamed up to produce and deliver presentations in English and French at elementary schools in Halifax and Montreal. Over 40 different projects featuring molecules of life have been created and taught by MoL volunteers employing discussion, experiments and art to captivate the interest of the elementary school students. Moreover, to enhance impact, MoL has recently begun to produce educational videos with the debut of 'How to teach 3rd graders about chlorophyll'. In this entertaining and informative video, two volunteer actors, students from the arts and sciences, Ms. Molecule and Ms. Life discuss and demonstrate the elements necessary for the set-up, performance and interpretation of a MoL class on the green pigment from plants responsible for photosynthesis. Describing how to extract the pigment from spinach and showing how to use the pigment for painting, they cover a variety of subjects from scientific, historical and artistic perspectives. Our presentation will highlight MoL efforts and issues in bringing chemistry into the culture of the elementary school classroom by way of experiential learning.

Molecules of life: Introducing chemistry into the culture of elementary school education by way of experiential learning using experiments and art projects

245th National Meeting (2013)

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