Campus Compact » Chemistry

Chemistry in Service of the Community

tdomf_26a6d — Fri, 31 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction
CHEM 331 is designed to provide a meaningful community-based learning experience for students interested in applying chemistry to directly serve the needs of residents in the Northeast Neighborhood. The course was developed by the Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry and the Center for Social Concerns, in collaboration with Memorial Hospital, the City of South Bend, and Greentree Environmental, Inc. Participating students will join with community partners in helping to identify neighborhood homes that have unsafe levels of lead contamination. In the one-credit course, each student will:

a) learn about the health effects of lead poisoning,
b) help to educate local homeowners, landlords, and residents of the risks associated with lead contamination,
c) join trained professionals in using well-established protocols to collect paint, dust, and soil samples from area homes,
d) assess and contrast competing analytical techniques for sensitively measuring lead levels,
e) inform affected occupants of ways to protect their families from further lead exposure,
f) explore first-hand how lead contamination affects individuals, families, communities, and society,
g) reflect on the experience of applying one s professional skills to the betterment of society.

The laboratory component of this project, i.e., testing lead levels in samples collected from area homes, will be integrated into Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 333L).

Why Focus on Lead Testing?
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 4.4% of all children in America between the ages of 1 and 5 have high levels of lead in their blood. Lead is particularly dangerous to children, because it can induce damage to the brain and nervous system, behavior and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, and headaches. While lead poisoning crosses all socioeconomic, geographic, and racial boundaries, the burden of this disease falls disproportionately on low-income families and families of color. In the U.S., children from poor families are eight times more likely to be poisoned than those from higher income families. African-American children are five times more likely to be poisoned than white children. About 22% of African-American children living in pre-1946 housing are lead poisoned, compared with 5.6% of White children and 13% of Mexican children living in older homes. Lead poisoning research suggests that the primary sources of lead exposure for most children are:

deteriorating lead-based paint, < > lead contaminated dust, and < > lead contaminated residential soil.

Lead poisoning is entirely preventable if one identifies and reduces the sources of lead in a child's environment. With this mission in mind, we set forth

Learning Goals:
CHEM 331 is designed to provide a rich, multifaceted experience for students. It is expected that students will grow with respect to their:

Professional expertise application of chemical principles and skills to solve problems
Social Concerns Better understand the needs and concerns of members/groups of our society and identify root causes of societal problems
Leadership Recognizing, nurturing, and harnessing the gifts that individuals bring to a team
Civic engagement make commitments toward bettering the world through action and affecting institutional change

It is difficult, if not impossible, to assess how a student progresses in each of these domains. However, there will be a number of points during the course where we will try to gain a glimpse of where you are along the journey. This will guide us in directing/redirecting the course and in assigning letter grades for awarding individual academic credit.

Grading Scheme:
The following input will be used in assessing each student s letter grade for the course:

Participation in class discussions
Professionalism in conducting risk-surveys and home risk-assessments
Lab report on lead levels in a tested home (written for the non-expert resident)
Journal reflections on experiences in community
Mock newspaper article to inform public of health risks associated with lead exposure
Final Paper addressing strategies for reducing health risks in our community

Class meets from 7:00-7:50 in DBRT 244 on Tuesday evenings (except weeks with italics)

Week, Date, Topic/Activity, Student Assignment

1. Aug. 27, Introduction to Course Health Risks of Lead Exposure Selected Readings
2. Sept. 3, Contrast Analytical Laboratory Techniques for measuring lead. Demonstation of XRF instrument Selected Readings
Sept. 9, Attend Northeast Neighborhood Meeting
3. Sept. 10, Sources of Lead in the Home Environment (Lead 101) Read brochures in course packet
4. What is involved in performing a Risk Assessment? Role Play for Neighborhood Survey Write a mock newspaper article on lead in the home environment.
5. Sept. 24, Survey Northeast neighborhood Visit area homes6. Oct. 2, Help support Information Night at Robinson Community Learning Center Journal Entries
7. Oct. 8, Reflection on Community Interactions Questions for Reflection
8. Oct. 15 , What s involved in lead stabilization? Low-cost interventions for creating a lead-safe home environment Select Readings
FALL BREAK
9. Oct. 29 , Student Teams join Greentree staff on Risk Assessments of Area Homes. Field samples are digested in CHEM 333L lab Visit targeted homes Journal Entries
10. Nov. 5, Students test their field samples outside of regularly scheduled CHEM 333L lab Technical Lab reports
11. Nov. 12, Compare lab results and prepare reports
12. Nov. 19, Revisit neighborhood homes or RCLC to share lab results and discuss strategies for making homes lead-safe Write lab report that can be understood by a home owner
13. Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Reflection on Student Experiences in Community Questions for Reflection
14. Dec. 3, Discuss societal impact of lead poisoning Relevance of Catholic Social Teaching Select Readings
15. Dec. 10, Discuss EPA, HUD, and OSHA policies regarding lead. Legal and ethical implications. Submit Final Paper

First Year Seminar in Chemistry – Chemistry Through a Child s Eye

tdomf_26a6d — Wed, 11 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Email: levinger {at} lamar.colostate(.)edu
Website: www.chm.colostate.edu/nel/CCC192/index.html
(also linked to the Chemistry Department and Dr. Levinger's homepages)

Service-Learning Assistant: Sherrie Ann Vander Vliet

Course Objectives: The First Year Seminar Courses at Colorado State University have three primary goals:
1) to help you make the transition from high school to college as smoothly as possible
2) to enhance your written and oral communication skills
3) to give you a small, intimate class experience

In addition, through this class you will be expected to develop interest and appreciation of chemistry
1) through reading about and repeating experiments in chemistry
2) by service-learning in which students will take chemistry into local elementary schools
3) by exploring current topics in chemistry, or science in general

Required Reading: Uncle Tungsten, by Oliver W. Sacks (Alfred Knopf, New York, 2001) and handouts that will be distributed during the course.

Service-Learning
Service-learning is a process in which students reinforce ideas and information learned in the classroom by performing outreach activities in the community. Service-learning activities are not just outreach they present participating students the opportunity to Learn by doing . The service-learning activities in this class will focus on teaching chemistry to elementary school students. By exploring chemistry with elementary school students several times throughout the semester, students in this class will improve their understanding of chemistry and their ability to communicate concepts that we will cover in the class. Credit will not be given directly for the service-learning activity, that is, going to the elementary school and instructing. Students will be assessed on the basis of their preparation before the activity, their reflection about the activity afterward and their group participation.

Course Activities:
Labwork We will be performing all the experiments that will be used for service-learning. We will also explore selected experiments with chemistry from Uncle Tungsten.

Service-learning All students in this class will participate in service-learning where they will present chemistry to elementary school students in local schools. Students will work in groups of ~6 per elementary school class and will visit the classes 3 times over the course of the semester.

Group project All students will make a mini presentation to the rest of the class about a current topic in chemistry or science. This project must be a group effort including a contract from the group showing division of labor. The projects will be presented during the final exam time.

Written assignments Students will be required to keep a journal of service-learning activities. Journal assignments will be associated with the service-learning activities and will count toward that part of the course grade. There will be various other writing assignments throughout the semester.

SOME COURSE ACTIVITIES WILL INVOLVE LABWORK STUDENTS MUST ALWAYS COME TO CLASS PREPARED FOR LABWORK!
For Labwork Students must always:
Wear safety goggles or glasses. There will be no extra safety eyewear students are responsible for their own goggles/glasses.
Wear appropriate clothing pants that cover the legs completely, preferably made from natural fibers (cotton or wool); shirts that are not too baggy and cover the torso completely (no bare middrifts); shoes with closed toes and heels.
ie long hair back
Because the classroom is a laboratory, eating and drinking in class is strictly forbidden.

Grading: Several important aspects of this course will count toward your grade.

In-class Participation
10 points/per class meeting
Total for the semester= 300
10 points = in class on time and participating in class discussions
5 points = in class on time
2.5 point deduction for arriving late to class
For every two (2) unexcused absences, a student s course grade will drop one letter value (8 unexcused absences will result in a failing grade)

Service-Learning
Total 300 points
This will be a group project in which all group members must participate. Students will be required to sign a contract agreeing to participate in the activity. Points will not be assigned for the act of going out to the public schools. Rather, points will be given for up-front preparation and reflection/journal exercises

Written/homework assignments
10 points each
Total 50 points
A few written assignments that are not associated with the service learning activity will be collected through the semester.

Group project
100 points
A final group project will cap the semester

TOTAL 750 POINTS

NOTE: You can earn 40% of the total possible points by simply coming to class on time and contributing to the discussion of the day.

Chemistry

tdomf_26a6d — Thu, 25 Jan 2001 00:00:00 +0000

TEXTS: Chemistry, Principles and Reactions, 3rd Ed., Masterton andHurley (Required)

Lecture Outline: Chemistry Principles and Reactions, R. O. Ragsdale (Required)

Problem Solving in General Chemistry, R. O. Ragsdale (Optional)

Laboratory Manual (Chem 121) available from the University Bookstore after October 14. (Required)

RECITATION: Tuesday and Thursday at times and places stated in the Class Schedule.

The first Recitation meeting will be held Thursday, September 26 and will be supervised by your Chemistry Teaching Assistant(T.A.)

Chemistry 131 students: You cannot participate inthe service learning project since you will not be checked into alaboratory

LABORATORY: At the times noted in the Class Schedule. Labs for theservice-learning students will begin on October 1. Students who havesatisfactorily completed Chemistry 121 within the past two years who wishto be excused from the laboratory may not enroll in the service learningcourse. You should be registered for Chem 121-2, not Chem 121-3.

We aim to have each student invest 20 extra hours over the duration of the Quarter in the service project described below. Our course has officially received the service-learning designation. The rewards for enrolling in the service section of Chem 121 will include: the satisfaction of having performed a community service, the opportunity to learn some additional skills in the freshman chemistry laboratory, opportunity to become better acquainted with the teaching assistants, other students and the professor, and the advantage of being graded for the class on the basis of service activities as well as the usual general chemistry multiple choice examinations. You will also gain the advantage of an SL designation on your transcript of credits. A service-learning Chem. 121 section in Winter, 1996 surveyed the lead metal contamination of Jordan River sediments. Beneficiaries of this service were the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service local offices. Comparatively little lead metal is present in the sediments so that the undergraduate students were only able to collect samples and prepare them for spectroscopic [ICP] analysis at the Kennecott Environmental Laboratory, Magna, UT. The actual metal analysis was carried out by technicians at Kennecott rather than by students. A situation in which environmental lead metal concentrations are higher would have two advantages for a student service project: the lead threat to the community would be more serious and thus more interesting to the chemistry students and the detection of lead in the samples could be carried out in the student laboratory.

In a study published in the Journal of the American MedicalAssociation, Herbert L. Neddleman, M.D., professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, the University of Pittsburgh reported that a correlation exists between the level of lead in a boy's leg bones and aggressive and delinquent behavior in a study of 212 boys. It is believed that babies are especially susceptible to lead poisoning from paint dust as they crawl around in older homes. Laws now exist that prohibit painting with lead based paint. However, many older homes have underlayers of lead based paints that produce dangerous dust in the course of remodelling or normal wear and tear of the building.

Mr. Gordon Lund of the Salt Lake County Health Department has aided in formulating a service project in which Chem 121 students will determine the prevalence of lead metal in house paint in the lower "Avenues" neighborhood of Salt Lake City. As many as 80% of the lower "Avenues" homes are thought to have been painted with lead paint. However, only a dozen children in Salt Lake City have been identified as suffering from the effects of elevated blood lead levels. This fortunate paradox raises an interesting question: Are fewer homes actually contaminated with lead paint than has been speculated? Our Chemistry 121 students are in a position to provide an answer to that public health question. Students enrolled in the service-learning section of undergraduate general chemistry will receive instruction regarding health hazards arising from deteriorating lead paint in older homes. These students will go door to door in teams of two during daylight hours distributing a one-page description of lead paint health hazards and asking adult householders in an assigned "Avenues" neighborhood for permission to sample house paint. Students will assure the householder that only the householder will receive address specific information about the lead content of the sampled paint.

The students will determine whether collected paint samples contain lead in the freshman chemistry laboratory. The professor and the students will prepare a report for Mr. Lund that does not disclose addresses but does give the number of houses sampled and the number that had lead paint in a multiblock area bounded by specified streets.

The business of collecting paint samples and analyzing them for lead content in a student laboratory poses no greater risk than is normally encountered by students completing undergraduate chemistry laboratory exercises. Samples will be coded so that students will not analyze the specific samples they have collected and thus will not know which specific houses have lead contaminated paint. Feedback to householders will be by1st class U.S. mail from the professor.

The Chem. 121-3 service-learning students will be tested at the beginning and the end of the academic term to determine whether their attitudes toward service-learning have changed because of their participation in the service project. Anonymity of the students will be preserved in this testing process.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL STUDENTS:
The text assignment should be read before the lecture. Problem assignments are due at the recitation section on the day noted in the syllabus.

Students can repeat one examination (1st, 2nd, or 3rd hour exam) on Tuesday, December 3, at 5:30 p.m. This exam can take the place of the earlier exam (if you get a higher score). If you have missed an earlier exam because of an illness or an emergency, then this exam is taken as a make-up. The room assignment for the make-up exam will be given later.

The last day for a withdrawal from this class is Friday, November 8. After this date, a withdrawal will only be given for extenuating circumstances (not including poor academic performance) approved by your College dean. (Your instructor's approval is no longer required.)

To receive credit for the course, it is necessary to complete with a passing grade at least 3 of the 4 non service learning labs since the laboratory is a very important part of the course. Completing only three rather than all 4 labs will naturally result in a significantly lower laboratory grade.

In addition to all the examination, problem assignments, lectures, and laboratory exercises noted in the Chem 121 2 syllabus, all Chem 121-3 students will be required to do the following:

1. Sign a waiver that absolves the University and its employees of responsibility for any problem or accident arising from your collecting and analyzing paint samples. (If you are under 18 years of age, the waiver form must also be signed by your parent or guardian.)

2. Attend special seminars in which local experts will describe the lead metal environmental problem and how it is monitored.

3. Keep a short handwritten "journal" with no fewer than 5 total entries describing your service-learning experiences, the amount of time you spent on each, and your feelings about the project. (Journals will be collected the first time on Oct. 22 with no fewer than three entries.)

4. Participate in several reflection sessions with other Chem 121-3 students in which you will discuss your impressions of the service-learning project and your participation in it.

5. Prepare a typed 400 word essay describing some aspect of lead paint environmental contamination and the potential consequences. The essay must be turned in at your discussion class on Tuesday, October 8. (This early deadline assures that you will have a good understanding of the public health aspects of lead paint in homes before you collect samples.)

6. Go in teams of two door-to-door in an assigned "Avenues" neighborhood distributing a flyer that describes lead paint hazards and seeking permission to collect paint samples. Where written permission is granted you will collect samples, bag them and log the location and date.

7. Analyze paint samples for lead in the student laboratory. (To accommodate this added lab work you will begin attending your laboratory exercises on October 1, three weeks ahead of the Chem 121-2 students.)

Your letter grade for Chem 121-3 will be assigned on the basis of the following possible point scores:

First Hour Exam, Tuesday, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. 100 points
Second Hour Exam, Tuesday, November 5 at 5:30 p.m. 100 points
Third Hour Exam, Tuesday, November 26 at 5:30 p.m. 100 points
Final Exam, Wednesday, December 11, 3:15 – 5:15 p.m. 100 points
Total Possible Exam Points 400 points

Possible Number of Discussion Points 100*, **
Possible Number of Laboratory Points 75*
Possible Number of Essay Points 50
Possible Number of Journal Points 35
Possible Number of Reflections Points 50
Total Possible Points 710

*All discussion class and laboratory points will be normalized. The overall class average for lab and discussion will be approximately 70%. Points for individual discussion classes and lab classes may be raised or lowered depending on the "toughness" or "easiness" of the T.A. and on the performance of each section. The T.A. will give several written quizzes in your discussion section during the quarter that will be the primary basis of your discussion grade.

**Problems which have been assigned from the textbook should be solved in a notebook which is used for this purpose only. These problems should be attempted before going to the discussion class. The notebook should be taken with you each time to the discussion class.

Approximately 10 points of the final examination will involve questions from the laboratory portion of the course. The final examination will include questions from all 7 textbook chapters as well as materials related to the lead paint service project. The final examination will consist only of multiple choice questions.