New College of Florida Offers “Arts in Chemistry” Learning Resources to Middle and High School Students

The project, funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, is an assemblage of video demonstrations about chemical principles that drive environmental concerns (such as deforestation and acid rain), which can be used in middle and high school classrooms.

With eye-catching infographics and entertaining videos, “Arts in Chemistry” is an innovative way to extend the learning of college chemistry students while giving them the opportunity to turn classwork into educational resources for younger learners.

Jiang created “Arts in Chemistry” to craft a curriculum that brought multidisciplinary learning into her students’ academic experience while strengthening the connections between the classroom and the real world. “Arts in Chemistry” accomplishes this in two ways: by engaging students in exploring the connections between chemistry and the environment, and by challenging students to translate their learning into teaching resources.

The project “emphasizes how the specific discipline of chemistry can help us understand environmental issues and what it can tell us about possible solutions to environmental problems the world is facing,” Jiang said.

Through the website, “Arts in Chemistry” is active and available for middle school and high school classrooms around the world. But students in Manatee and Sarasota County schools have the opportunity for a special bonus. Science teachers are invited to connect with New College to arrange for a live, interactive “Arts in Chemistry” demonstration on the New College campus. Teachers are also encouraged to invite Jiang to visit their classroom for a workshop and live demonstration.

Requests for campus or classroom visits should be addressed to Bill Woodson in the Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence at New College at [email protected].

For more information on “Arts in Chemistry,” click here.

For more information on the chemistry program at New College, visit ncf.edu/programs/chemistry.