Why This Class

In today’s world, it can be difficult to tell if a scientific claim stems from real facts or pseudoscience—whether it’s a nutritional fad, health cure, or even an environmental study. You want your student to be able to separate truth from fiction, and this course helps by increasing their knowledge of the hard facts of chemistry.

Mentors in this course introduce students to thermochemistry—the heat used in and created by chemical reactions—as well as concepts including the states of matter, the properties of solutions, and chemical equilibrium. Students also explore the waves of the electromagnetic spectrum and the basics of nuclear chemistry. Finally, students complete a summary project that solidifies their understanding of the experimental method and present a thorough analysis of their findings.

Students emerge from this course with an enhanced ability to discuss scientific discoveries intelligently. They use their new knowledge to recognize and avoid pseudoscience and think more independently in all areas of life.

Overarching Questions

How does energy from a reaction interact with its environment?

What are the properties of solutions and how do they form?

What are acids and bases and why do they matter?

What is the electromagnetic spectrum and how does it relate to light and energy?

How do I determine the difference between good science and bad science?