Uniting Chemical Concepts Using Ocean Acidification in a General Chemistry 2 Course

You are here: / / / Uniting Chemical Concepts Using Ocean Acidification in a General Chemistry...

Uniting Chemical Concepts Using Ocean Acidification in a General Chemistry 2 Course

Abstract

The concepts covered in a general chemistry II course are designed to teach students the basic concepts applicable to future chemical studies. However, these seemingly disconnected concepts can be frustrating and confusing for students without understanding how they are relevant in a real-world situation. This presentation will discuss the use of ocean acidification as an over-arching research project designed to tie concepts discussed in general chemistry II course to a current environmental issue. Using case studies, guided inquiry experimentation, scientific literature, and real-world data, students will learn how chemical equilibrium, acid/base chemistry, solubility, and other concepts addressed in general chemistry apply to the study of ocean acidification. This teaching approach can be easily added in stages and developed to best meet student needs. It can also be adapted to cover topics discussed throughout the general chemistry two-semester course series. Resources including case studies, NOAA data, videos, and relevant primary and secondary literature will be discussed and provided to educators as part of this presentation. This presentation aims to provide educators with resources on ocean acidification and an example of how to utilize them in the general chemistry classroom to develop their plan for studying ocean acidification from a chemical perspective.

The PowerPoint presentation used at this conference is provided at the link below:

BCCE2 PowerPoint Presentation

IntroductionObjectivesCase StudiesLiterature Review and ResourcesGroup ResearchApplying Chemical ConceptsThe Final ProjectReferences

Introduction

I remember taking general chemistry II in college. I was confused as to how the concepts covered connected together. I asked my professor about this and she agreed the topics are disjointed. She explained these concepts are the basis for the work I will do in the chemistry classes I will take later in my degree. She said it would make sense as I completed more of my degree.

She was right; however, it wasn’t until I was a junior or senior that it was clear how those concepts tied into chemical research. I now teach chemistry at a community college. The majority of the students who complete my general chemistry II course are science majors, but not chemistry majors. They won’t necessarily take 300, 400, and 500-level chemistry classes and figure it out as I did. Students need a more applicable approach to these concepts now to help develop their understanding and application.

The purpose of this project is to unite the concepts discussed in general chemistry II under a unifying research topic and demonstrate to students how these seemingly disjointed concepts apply together to study a phenomenon. Using ocean acidification, a climate-change-related topic, as the focus of study allows students to build on their understanding of global systems as outlined in the NGSS 2013 standards, extending their K-12 knowledge into the post-secondary environment. Additionally, this exploration of climate change can help address any misconceptions students have regarding climate science as discussed in Versprille and Towns (2015).

Background on Ocean Acidification (OA)

Ocean acidification is the increased dissolved carbon dioxide in the oceans due to its increased presence in the atmosphere. The dissolved carbon dioxide then reacts with the water to create carbonic acid. The increased pH impacts not just ocean chemistry, but also marine life, economies, and cultures. This is a meaningful phenomenon that will impact the lives of students. Other aspects of climate change can be discussed, but OA fits well with the general chemistry II curriculum since it applies solution chemistry, reaction rates, equilibrium, and acid-base chemistry. This topic has far-reaching impacts on ocean chemistry, marine life, the food supply chain, cultural traditions, and the economy. This is an interdisciplinary concept, illustrating to students that a scientific phenomenon can have impacts just beyond the chemical world (see Figure 1.0). The need to approach foundational courses such as biology, chemistry, and physics from an interdisciplinary aspect was discussed by Sumter and Owens (2010).

© 2022 Catherine Haslag. All rights reserved.

Figure 1.0: The interdisciplinary nature of studying ocean acidification. There are many layers of impact from the acidification of our oceans.

Project Outline

This project also encourages students to build scientific literacy and understand scientific reports and data they will encounter throughout their lives. I introduce students to the scientific literature and how to evaluate sources for reliability, validity, and bias in general chemistry I. The importance of introducing students to primary scientific literature early in their studies has been discussed at length (King, et al., 2021; Schimd et al., 2021; Sloane, 2021; Jensen et al., 2010; Muench, 2000). The additional lesson on evaluating sources for reliability, validity, and bias equips students to think critically about where they get their information and if it is trustworthy. Misinformation and disinformation choke the media landscape today. It is crucial that students know how to evaluate a source and determine if it is dependable.

I discuss the use of scientific literature in the tab titled “Group Research.” Information on the assignment I developed to teach students about resources and how to read a scientific journal article is also provided in this tab. I also offer a list of resources for students and educators in the tab titled “Literature Review.”

The curriculum and resources I outline in this blog post incorporate both the lecture and lab into the study of OA through case studies, lecture problems, scientific literature, a guided inquiry experiment, and a final project where students demonstrate what they have learned. This over-arching research project’s objectives incorporate all six Bloom’s Taxonomy levels. In addition, students are introduced to library and open-access resources that supplement the textbook and encourage students to find their own resources and evaluate them for validity and reliability, something scientists do in their research.

The flexibility to incorporate OA into a general chemistry classroom is a great strength of this curriculum. It can be included as just an assignment or two or as the central focus of the class. In addition, since OA research is ongoing, students can interact with real-world data from NOAA (2022) and draw their own conclusions from what they see.

I have outlined the objectives, resources, and overall lesson plan for how I utilize OA in my general chemistry II course. Click through the tabs provided above to see objectives, case studies, a guided-inquiry lab, use of literature by students, resources, and a summary of the final research project students complete.

I hope the information and resources I have gathered here help you improve the quality of education you provide your students.

Objectives

Below is a list of objectives covered while studying OA in a General Chemistry II course. This project is designed to incorporate objectives also covered in a General Chemistry I course to provide students with a better understanding of how chemical concepts apply to a real-world research project.

I include all applicable objectives on all assignments in my courses to show students how the materials we utilize connect to the concepts they are learning. This demonstrates the value of each assignment and helps reduce the feeling of “busy work.”

General Chemistry I

  • Apply knowledge of scientific theories to problem-solving applications.
  • Develop a hypothesis for a scientific experiment.
  • Identify the control, independent, and dependent variables for an experiment.
  • Predict the next steps for a scientific study using data that has been collected.
  • Determine if a source is reliable.
  • Evaluate a source for bias.
  • Read scientific journal articles.
  • Determine if a data set is valid.
  • Explain potential ways to limit the impact of greenhouse gases.
  • Explain what a greenhouse gas is and its impact on the environment.
  • Predict products in chemical reactions.
  • Identify acid-base and redox reactions
  • Write and balance chemical equations.

General Chemistry II

  • Explain the concepts of ocean chemistry and ocean acidification.
  • Write balanced chemical equations for equilibrium reactions based on experimental observations.
  • Explain the interdependency of natural systems.
  • Use the scientific method to develop hypotheses based on previous knowledge.
  • Communicate scientific information in written and oral form.
  • Use Le Chatelier’s principle to predict experimental and theoretical outcomes.
  • Apply chemical knowledge and scientific thinking to real-world problems.
  • Explain how the addition of carbon dioxide to seawater lowers pH.
  • Describe using chemical equations how adding carbon dioxide to seawater impacts ocean chemistry.
  • Make predictions and draw conclusions based on data.
  • Explain the concepts of ocean chemistry and ocean acidification.
  • Describe the relationship between anthropogenic emissions and ocean acidification.
  • Explain how the addition of carbon dioxide to seawater lowers pH.
  • Describe using chemical equations how adding carbon dioxide to seawater impacts ocean chemistry.
  • Describe how OA impacts aquatic organisms, plant life, and humans.
  • Discuss the potential direct and indirect negative effects ocean acidification has on marine animals.
  • Describe how temperature, activation energy, and molecular orientation influence reaction rates, including the Arrhenius equation.
  • Determine the effect of concentration change, volume change, temperature change, and addition of a catalyst on equilibrium.
  • Define and identify acids and bases using the Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry, and Lewis definitions.
  • Relate strengths of acids and bases to their conjugate pairs.
  • Identify a Lewis acid and base.
  • Analyze equilibria of acids and bases using acid and base dissociation constants.
  • Calculate pH of acids, bases, and buffers solutions.
  • Identify potential solutions to OA and their impacts and feasibility.
  • Create an experiment that tests the impacts of OA on marine life.
  • Evaluate the data from OA experiment and recommend ways to mitigate OA.

Case Studies

I use two case studies in my class to discuss OA. I conduct these during the lab component of the course since I have a longer continuous span of time for case studies in the lab. Since one of these case studies is conducted during the first week of class, it also allows time for the lecture material to get ahead of the lab experiments, providing time for students to develop a foundational background of chemical concepts before applying them in the lab.

Case Study #1 – An Investigation into Ocean Acidification

I use this case study to introduce students to the concept of OA. Students follow this case study up by conducting their own research on OA. Students complete three discussion board assignment requiring them to find a source on OA, write a short summary about the source, evaluate it for reliability and bias, and share their research item with the class. Please see the tab in this blog post on Group Research for more information on this assignment.

I also use the following 2 videos when discussing OA with students. I use the first one to discuss the bigger impacts of OA. I ask students to share how they think OA will impact the planet and life here. I use this to start to demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of OA and how this isn’t just a scientific concern, but also a cultural, political, and socio-economic problem. There is time between the videos where we discuss those impacts, ways to study this issue, and possible solutions. Students are allowed time to discuss both the impacts and solutions for OA in small groups before the larger classroom discussion.

These videos and other resources are included in the Resources and References tab and linked below.

Case Study #2 – Equilibria in the Environment

I use this case study to advance the class’s discussion and research on OA. This case study is conducted mid-semester after students have completed 3 discussion board assignments where they conduct, summarize, and share literature research on OA. For more information on this, please see the tab on Group Research.

I skip completing part 3 of the case study and instead lead students into designing their own experiment to test the impact of pH on shells. Students are provided the purpose of the experiment, a list of materials they will be supplied, and some questions/expectations to guide them through the process of designing their experiment. Students conduct their experiment during the following lab session and share their results with the class. This simulates how scientists share their data with other scientists on research projects.

A copy of the information provided to students to aid them in developing their experiment can be found by clicking HERE.

Literature Review and Resources

The following is a list of references and resources for students and teachers regarding OA. I will update this list as I find new materials I use in my class or think would be useful to others.

Please note that many of the resources for educators can also be shared with students depending on how the teacher structures the discussion of OA in their course.

Resources for Educators

Action for Climate Emergency, (2016, April 7). What is Ocean Acidification? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/6SMWGV-DBnk

American Chemical Society. (2022). Ocean Chemistry. American Chemical Society Retrieved June 30, 2022. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/climatescience/oceansicerocks/oceanchemistry.html

Aubrecht, K. B. (2018). Teaching relevant climate change topics in undergraduate chemistry courses: Motivations, student misconceptions, and resources. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 13, 44–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2018.03.008

Bozeman Science, (2016, Dec 12). Ocean Acidification [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/fgBozLCGUHY

Cooper, M. (2010). The Case for Reform of the Undergraduate General Chemistry Curriculum. Journal of Chemical Education, 87(3), 231–232. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed800096m

Cooper, M., & Klymkowsky, M. (2013). Chemistry, Life, the Universe, and Everything: A New Approach to General Chemistry, and a Model for Curriculum Reform. Journal of Chemical Education, 90(9), 1116–1122. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed300456y

Dickson, A.G. (2010). Seawater Carbonate Chemistry. U. Riebesell, V.J. Fabry, L. Hansson, & P. Gattuso (Eds.), Guide to Best Practices for Ocean Acidification Research and Data Reporting. (pp. 17-52). https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/files/dickson_thecarbondioxidesysteminseawater_equilibriumchemistryandmeasurementspp17-40.pdf

Dunbar, R. (2010. Sept 13). Discovering Ancient Climates in Oceans and Ice [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/rob_dunbar_discovering_ancient_climates_in_oceans_and_ice

Erickson, G., Crews, T. (2019). From Dissolution to Solution: New approaches to teaching ocean acidification. The Science Teacher (National Science Teachers Association), 86(5), 56–65.

Gorospe, K. D., Fox, B. K., Haverkort-Yeh, R. D., Tamaru, C. S., & Rivera, M. A. J. (2013). Engaging Students in the Pacific and Beyond Using an Inquiry-Based Lesson in Ocean Acidification. Journal of Geoscience Education, 61(4), 396–404. https://doi.org/10.5408/12-390.1

Halliday, C., & Hatton, T. A. (2021). Sorbents for the Capture of CO2 and Other Acid Gases: A Review. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 60(26), 9313–9346. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.1c00597

Hibbard, L. (2019). Case Studies for General Chemistry: Teaching with a Newsworthy Story. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(11), 2528–2531. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00420

International Atomic Energy Agency. (n.d.). Chemistry of Carbonic Acid in Water. International Atomic Energy Agency. (Retrieved November 14, 2021). http://www-naweb.iaea.org/napc/ih/documents/global_cycle/vol%20I/cht_i_09.pdf

McGrath, T. (2016, Feb 26). How Pollution is Changing the Ocean Chemistry [Video]. Ted. https://www.ted.com/talks/triona_mcgrath_how_pollution_is_changing_the_ocean_s_chemistry

Mitchell, M. J., Jensen, O. E., Cliffe, K. A., & Maroto-Valer, M. M. (2010). A model of carbon dioxide dissolution and mineral carbonation kinetics. Proceedings of the Royal Society. Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences, 466(2117), 1265–1290. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2009.0349

Morse, J.W., Mackenzie, F.T. (1990). The CO2-Carbonic Acid System and Solution Chemistry. Developments in Sedimentology. (pp. 1-38). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0070-4571(08)70330-3.

NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. https://www.nextgenscience.org/

NOAA. (2022). NOAA Ocean Acidification Program. (Retrieved July 14, 2022). https://oceanacidification.noaa.gov/Home.aspx

Oregon State University, (2016, Jan 21). Ocean Acidification – Changing Waters on the Oregon Coast [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/7h08ok3hFSs

Oregon State University, (2018, Sept 4). Ocean Acidifications – Part 2, Solutions [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/2KLT9vFVOmc

Pence, & Losoff, B. (2011). Going beyond the textbook: The need to integrate open access primary literature into the Chemistry curriculum. Chemistry Central Journal, 5(1), 18–18. https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-153X-5-18

Sparks, D.L. (n.d.). Carbonate Equilibria taken from Environmental Soil Chemistry. University of California at Davis SSC 102 – Soil Chemistry. https://lawr.ucdavis.edu/classes/ssc102/Section5.pdf

Sumter T.F., Owens, P. M. (2011). An approach to teaching general chemistry II that highlights the interdisciplinary nature of science. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 39(2), 110–116. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20465

Treptow. (2010). Carbon Footprint Calculations: An Application of Chemical Principles. Journal of Chemical Education, 87(2), 168–171. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed8000528

VC3Chem Team. (n.d.). Visualizing the Chemistry of Climate Change. Retrieved July 14, 2022. https://www.vc3chem.com/

Versprille, A. N., & Towns, M. H. (2015). General Chemistry Students’ Understanding of Climate Change and the Chemistry Related to Climate Change. Journal of Chemical Education, 92(4), 603–609. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed500589g

Case Studies

Spain, D.D., Mendoza, V.M. (2020). An Investigation into Ocean Acidification. National Science Teachers Association. https://www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/investigation-ocean-acidification

Terry, T.J. (2020). Equilibria in the Environment. National Science Teachers Association. https://www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/equilibria-environment

Resources for Students

Belli, B. (2012). This Is Your Ocean on Acid. E Magazine. (Norwalk, Conn.), 23(3), 22–31.

NBC News Learn, (2020, May 1). Ocean Acidification [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/XajNg6ARogw

NRDCflix (2009, Sept 17). Acid Test: The Global Challenge of Ocean Acidification. [Video}. YouTube. https://youtu.be/5cqCvcX7buo

Morello, L. (2010, Feb 22). Oceans Turn More Acidic Than Last 800,000 Years. American Scientific. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/acidic-oceans/

Ogden, L. E. (2013). Marine Life on Acid. Bioscience, 63(5), 322–328. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2013.63.5.3

Petkewich, R. (2009, Feb 23). Off-Balance Ocean. C&E News. Volume 87, issue 8,pp 56-68.

Strong, A. L., Kroeker, K. J., Teneva, L. T., Mease, L. A., & Kelly, R. P. (2014). Ocean Acidification 2.0: Managing our Changing Coastal Ocean Chemistry. Bioscience, 64(7), 581–592. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biu072

Welch, C. (2014, April 30). Sea Change: Vital Part of Food Web Dissolving. The Seattle Times. http://apps.seattletimes.com/reports/sea-change/2014/apr/30/pteropod-shells-dissolving/

Group Research

Students complete three discussion board assignments throughout the semester on OA. In each discussion board, students find a resource on OA, summarize it, evaluate it for validity, reliability, and bias, and then share their item with the class via a link or document upload.

There are 3 goals to these discussion boards:

  1. Students conduct research using primary scientific literature.
  2. Students evaluate their sources for validity, reliability, and bias.
  3. Students summarize and share their resources with other students.

My general chemistry I course introduces the first and second goals. They are revisited throughout the entire 2-semester course series. Click the resource below to review some of the information I provide to students on conducting literature research and evaluating sources.

Reliable Sources, Data Validity, and How to Read a Scientific Journal Article

The third goal allows students to assist each other with the literature research. In graduate school, my colleagues provided me with several research articles that aided my research. I apply the same idea here. Scientists don’t work in a bubble, so students taking science classes shouldn’t either. Collaboration is encouraged but not required.

All discussion boards are set so students must post before seeing what their classmates have shared. Once the due date has passed, the discussion board is opened so all students can access the posts and articles shared whether they completed the assignment or not.

Below, I have shared a screenshot of each discussion board introduction, outlining the assignment requirements. Students are also provided a link to the rubric used to grade their discussion board.

Discussion Board #1 – OA Resource

Students can post any resource they find regarding OA.

The image below provides the directions given to students for this assignment.

Discussion Board #3 – Journal Article Refuting OA

Students are asked to find a peer-reviewed journal article refuting OA. This assignment demonstrates that looking for information that counters a phenomenon is essential. The lack or presence of peer-reviewed published data is significant to note and consider when studying a scientific phenomenon.

The image below provides the directions given to students for this assignment.

Discussion Board #2 – Peer-Reviewed Science Journal Article on OA

Students must find a peer-reviewed scientific journal article on OA. Before beginning this assignment, I provide students a demonstration of finding a peer-reviewed journal article through the college library or open-access journals.

The image below provides the directions given to students for this assignment.

Applying Chemical Concepts

Not every concept covered in general chemistry II applies to OA. I haven’t found a way to incorporate our discussion of nuclear chemistry into the OA curriculum I have developed for my class (yet); however, the ordering of the topics discussed in the class can better support the exploration of OA. Starting the semester with solution chemistry and intermolecular forces gives time for students to get situated in the semester and dip their toes into the OA waters. Reordering the class to then discuss reaction rates, acid-base chemistry, equilibrium, and acid-base equilibrium, students ramp up their study of OA in parallel with the chemistry topics discussed in general chemistry II. Concepts regarding nuclear and redox chemistry and thermodynamics are completed at the end of the semester, while students complete their final projects. These topics do not firmly apply to OA research. This order allows for the reinforcement/revisiting of concepts from general chemistry and for the introduction and study of general chemistry II topics to coincide with the study of OA. This progression demonstrates a bigger picture of the web of chemical phenomena to students. Also, the topics that are key to OA are covered earlier in the semester, so students have the background and time to complete their final project, which I will discuss in The Final Project section of this blog.

Incorporating OA into the general chemistry II classroom can occur in numerous ways. Below I present a few ideas beyond the two case studies and guided inquiry lab discussed elsewhere in this blog post.

Examining Carbon Footprints

Treptow (2010) published an article applying chemical principles to carbon footprint calculations. Students calculate the amount of carbon dioxide created by different processes, including cement production and gasoline and natural gas combustion. This concept can expand to other methods as well. Faculty can use this activity to refresh a student’s understanding of stoichiometry and thermodynamics from general chemistry I and introduce a discussion of the source of carbon dioxide emissions.

Additionally, students can use one of several websites to calculate their carbon footprint. This information can be used as a starting point to discuss how industry produces much more carbon than a single human. Below are a few of the websites that provide good carbon footprint calculators.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Nature Conservancy

Carbonfootprint.com

The VC3Chem website

The Visualizing the Chemistry of Climate Change (VC3) portal provides resources to teach chemistry concepts through the lens of climate science. The creation of this website used a National Science Foundation grant and a partnership between Purdue University, The King’s Centre for Visualization in Science (King’s University, Edmonton), and the American Chemical Society. The website explores four topics, including acids and bases, through the lens of OA. Students are guided through the causes of OA, what the data shows, and the application of chemistry to OA. In addition, the website includes problems for students to solve that apply their chemical knowledge and questions for consideration. Faculty can use this website to introduce students to OA and begin their application of chemical concepts to this phenomenon.

Image obtained from https://www.vc3chem.com/.

Screenshot of the climate change topics discussed on the VC3Chem website.

The Chemistry of OA

Students can apply their knowledge of chemical equations to write out the series of reactions for OA and its impact on shellfish. The discussion asks students to identify the reactants when carbon dioxide dissolves in water. Faculty then guide students through writing chemical equations for the reaction of carbon dioxide and water, the decomposition of carbonic acid, and the impact on marine life with shells made of calcium carbonate. Instructors can expand the discussion to include Le Chatlier’s Principle and the impact of dissolved carbonate ions in water as acidity changes.

Below are two websites that include images that are wonderful for use in exploring this topic:

© Andy Brunning/Compound Interest 2017

Graphing NOAA Data

The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program provides many resources on OA, including data collected from the 19 program-support buoys in coastal, open-ocean, and coral reef waters. The data includes pCO2, pH, oxygen, temperature, and salinity measurements. Students can graph this data, identify trends, draw conclusions, and make predictions regarding their observations. Some of this data may be appropriate for use in their final presentation or other practice classroom calculations as they learn to apply acid-base chemistry and equilibrium to OA.

NOTE: The data is pretty raw. I encourage educators to pick a region with data that suits their purposes and organize it to be more user-friendly before presenting it to students. This purpose is to help students analyze data and draw conclusions, not frustrate and overwhelm them by providing them with a spreadsheet with lots of numbers and abbreviations they have never seen before.

Guided Inquiry Lesson developed by Gorospe, et al. (2013)

Gorospe et al. (2013) published a guided inquiry activity to explore how carbon dioxide in seawater impacts the skeletons of reef-building corals. Students test the pH of the water and monitor calcium ion concentrations during the experiment. Their paper can be found at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1164076.pdf 

The Final Project

During the last month of the semester, students submit a final project on OA. This is the culmination of their study of the concept and lab research they conducted.

Students complete either a vlog or blog on OA, the chemistry behind the phenomenon, its impacts on human health and the environment, and their findings from the experiment they developed and completed earlier in the semester. Students can work in pairs or alone. Students must also incorporate scientific literature research and explain if their sources are valid and reliable. The guidelines I provide students outline how to submit their vlog/blog, resources available to help them complete the project, and a grading rubric. The final project is worth about 100 points depending on adjustments I make yearly. A copy of the guidelines I provide to students is available by clicking the link below.

Ocean Acidification Final Project Guidelines

This project was designed to encourage students to use their strengths to meet the learning objectives. For example, some students work better with a classmate, while others prefer to work alone. Students are allowed the choice of working with a classmate or independently. My general chemistry course tends to contain fewer than 20 students. Most students prefer to complete the project alone. Students can also choose whether they prefer to submit their final project via spoken word (vlog) or written (blog).

By the time the final project is due, students should have assembled most of their resources and data. The final project is time for them to combine their work into a finished scientific communication. While the speaking and writing ability of my students varies, they all demonstrate a marked improvement in their understanding of OA by the final project. They all do a good job showing their knowledge of the concept and how the topics we discussed in class apply.

Final Thoughts and Student Data

I first introduced OA to my general chemistry II classroom in spring 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic turned my plans upside down. While I made improvements and additions to the project during the class I taught in spring 2021, neither type experienced the entire curriculum in the format I used during the spring 2022 semester (presented in this blog). Because of this, the student data I provide below only reflects the students enrolled in my spring 2022 general chemistry II class. I will update the data below as future semesters complete this curriculum.

The average score of the last class who completed this project was an 85.79% (n=11 students). In addition, an anonymous end-of-class survey showed:

  • 90.91% of the class found the project expectations were well organized and easy to understand.
  • 81.82% of the class thought the discussion board assignments made completing the project more manageable. In addition, 81.82% of students said they used resources other students shared on the discussion boards.
  • 91.91% of students agreed that applying chemistry concepts to OA helped them better understand those ideas.
  • 91.91% of students noted that the guided-inquiry OA lab helped them better understand the impact of OA on the environment. Two students reported it was their favorite lab for the semester on the survey. One student verbally indicated that it was his favorite experiment. He said it challenged him and encouraged him to think through the experiment development and all the details involved in collecting good data.
  • 91.91% of students said they felt better equipped to do research and identify reliable sources because of the OA project. This same number of students indicated I should continue the study of OA in the course.

While what I have developed is not perfect or as complete as I would like, it is a solid start to updating the general chemistry II curriculum. I will continue to build and revise this project to improve the student learning experience. Student feedback indicates it is a start in the right direction.

I hope the outline, resources, data, and experiences I have shared here are helpful to you and your goal of providing a positive and effective educational experience to your students.

References

Aubrecht, K. B. (2018). Teaching relevant climate change topics in undergraduate chemistry courses: Motivations, student misconceptions, and resources. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 13, 44–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2018.03.008

Cooper, M. (2010). The Case for Reform of the Undergraduate General Chemistry Curriculum. Journal of Chemical Education, 87(3), 231–232. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed800096m

Cooper, M., & Klymkowsky, M. (2013). Chemistry, Life, the Universe, and Everything: A New Approach to General Chemistry, and a Model for Curriculum Reform. Journal of Chemical Education, 90(9), 1116–1122. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed300456y

Erickson, G., Crews, T. (2019). From Dissolution to Solution: New approaches to teaching ocean acidification. The Science Teacher (National Science Teachers Association), 86(5), 56–65.

Gorospe, K. D., Fox, B. K., Haverkort-Yeh, R. D., Tamaru, C. S., & Rivera, M. A. J. (2013). Engaging Students in the Pacific and Beyond Using an Inquiry-Based Lesson in Ocean Acidification. Journal of Geoscience Education, 61(4), 396–404. https://doi.org/10.5408/12-390.1

Hibbard, L. (2019). Case Studies for General Chemistry: Teaching with a Newsworthy Story. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(11), 2528–2531. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00420

Jensen, D., Narske, R., & Ghinazzi, C. (2010). Beyond Chemical Literature: Developing Skills for Chemical Research Literacy. Journal of Chemical Education, 87(7), 700–702. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed1002674

King, D. A., King, C. A., Hammond, D. G., & Stan, P. L. (2021). Using Scientific Literature to Affect Students’ Identification with the Scientific Discourse Community. Journal of Chemical Education, 98(2), 506–509. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01192

Mitchell, M. J., Jensen, O. E., Cliffe, K. A., & Maroto-Valer, M. M. (2010). A model of carbon dioxide dissolution and mineral carbonation kinetics. Proceedings of the Royal Society. A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences, 466(2117), 1265–1290. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2009.0349

Muench, S. B. (2000). Choosing Primary Literature in Biology to Achieve Specific Educational Goals. Journal of College Science Teaching, 29, 255-260.

NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. https://www.nextgenscience.org/

Pence, & Losoff, B. (2011). Going beyond the textbook: The need to integrate open access primary literature into the Chemistry curriculum. Chemistry Central Journal, 5(1), 18–18. https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-153X-5-18

Schmid, K. M., Dunk, R. D., & Wiles, J. R. (2021). Early Exposure to Primary Literature and Interactions With Scientists Influences Novice Students’ Views on the Nature of Science. Journal of College Science Teaching, 50(6), 40–47.

Sloane, J. D. (2021). Primary Literature in Undergraduate Science Courses: What are the Outcomes? Journal of College Science Teaching, 50(3), 51–60.

Spain, D.D., Mendoza, V.M. (2020). An Investigation into Ocean Acidification. National Science Teachers Association. https://www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/investigation-ocean-acidification

Sumter T.F., Owens, P. M. (2011). An approach to teaching general chemistry II that highlights the interdisciplinary nature of science. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 39(2), 110–116. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20465

Terry, T.J. (2020). Equilibria in the Environment. National Science Teachers Association. https://www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/equilibria-environment

Treptow. (2010). Carbon Footprint Calculations: An Application of Chemical Principles. Journal of Chemical Education, 87(2), 168–171. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed8000528

VC3Chem Team. (n.d.). Visualizing the Chemistry of Climate Change. Retrieved July 14, 2022. https://www.vc3chem.com/

Versprille, A. N., & Towns, M. H. (2015). General Chemistry Students’ Understanding of Climate Change and the Chemistry Related to Climate Change. Journal of Chemical Education, 92(4), 603–609. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed500589g

This webpage was designed to supplement a presentation given at the Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education at Purdue University on August 1, 2022.

The information here will be updated as I develop this curriculum for my general chemistry II course. Please check back periodically for updates.

This blog is also listed on my Projects page for easy access.

Originally posted: July 27, 2022

Last Updated: July 31, 2022

Do you have any comments, questions, or feedback about this blog? Complete the form below to send me this information. Constructive feedback welcome.

Name
Please type your comment or question below. Constructive feedback welcome.