Observation is at the heart of the Scientific Method, but students receive very little direct help in any traditional curriculum to build this important power. We have addressed this problem with the development of a �Chemistry Toy�. ChemToy1 is a dynamic, colorful, and interesting chemical apparatus that students take home with them to engage in chemical observation over an approximately two-week period. The Toy undergoes many different kinds of changes during this time; such changes potentially include alterations in dynamics, colors, surface tension, kinetics, fluorescence, and state of solution.  Students are first attracted by the fun of it, but they are soon drawn to explore the Toy further to discover jewels of chemical observation; in all, the treasure trove includes about four-dozen fundamental observations.  Somewhat different results are obtained when the Toy is handled in varying ways; both heat and light are important drivers of the reactions employed. Thus, a considerable degree of serendipity will enter into the results that any particular student may obtain.  This property of ChemToy1 is a powerful curb on potential academic misconduct.  Instructors can determine the fraction of total possible observations achieved by each student as a means to test the observational power achieved; preliminary results show that science majors achieve only 18-33% of possible observations on their first encounter.  The Toy can be used later in the semester or in another semester to help build further observational skills. Though Chemistry majors may, perhaps, benefit the most from ChemToy1, instructors and students of many other disciplines will find it useful as well.  Data on ChemToy1 performance by students of various majors will be presented.  In summary, instructors now have a novel and robust tool that can be used to help students build observational power.

Chemistry Toy 1: Improving the power of chemical observation

247th National Meeting (2014)

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