New College Offers ‘Arts in Chemistry’ Resources to Middle, High School Students

From Sarasota Magazine.com

The students of Dr. Lin Jiang, an assistant professor of bio-organic chemistry at New College of Florida, have created a colorful, multimedia presentation of environmental dynamics and concerns, such as deforestation, and acid rain, for use as a teaching tool by local school teachers. “Arts in Chemistry,” funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, also assembles videos of demonstrations of chemical principles that drive environmental concerns and potential solutions.

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

Arts in Chemistry is active and available for middle school and high school classrooms around the world; however, local science teachers are invited to connect with New College to arrange for a live, interactive Arts in Chemistry demonstration on the New College campus. Alternatively, teachers can invite Professor Jiang to visit their classroom for a workshop and live demonstration.