Chemistry and Society Project

Subject Area

This activity is designed primarily for the Grade 11 advanced Chemistry curriculum as part of Core Unit 7: Industry and Society in which the preparation of a formal report is a required activity.

Learning Outcomes

Teaching, learning and evaluation will focus on the student's ability to:

• Research the contribution of a Canadian company;
• Critically analyze the impact of chemical industry on our lives and economy, and contrast the value with the social and environmental cost;
• Discern the difference between corporate-based agenda and the needs of society;
• Evaluate a product in terms of its environmental impact and social value;
• Present information to a larger group.

Classroom Development

1. Students, working in groups of four, should complete a research proposal at the beginning of the research period. The project proposal should outline the areas of research, each group member's responsibilities, and the format of the presentation. The proposal should be referred to at the end of the project when each student does an evaluation of their group.
2. Presentations should be 10 min and may include a video, skit or demonstration. Inform students that reading of a written report will be given a failing mark regardless of the quality. Also, use a stopwatch, or a timer with an alarm, and allow exactly 10 min for the presentation. The severity of these two points is to make students aware of the difficulties involved with working within various constraints that they will encounter in the workplace.

Background Information

Most students will write letters or call 1-800 numbers to start their research. Students should keep a record of all phone calls and include copies of all letters which they send. Some will run into dead ends and may discover "secret recipes" which the companies will not disclose. A good strategy is to encourage students to start with two topics or two products, send out requests for information and consider the product which gives them the most success.

Encourage students to consult consumer advocacy magazines to help them target companies and products which have already caught the eye of the environmental community.

Timing

About 20 min are required to outline the project and expectations. An activity such as "The Impact of Chemistry and Technology on Society" may be completed before this activity to provide background. One or two work periods should be allotted, though senior students should be expected to do at least part of this work on their own time. Students should be given at least six weeks to complete this project, with a proposal due during the first two weeks. This is a good activity for the last week of May.

Cross-disciplinary Links

Media - Many students may prepare videos. The videos may range from a tour of a production plant to a commercial or demonstration of the product.

Visual Arts - Presentations may include the production of posters.

English - Writing letters and a report are necessary elements of the projects.

Business - The importance of the industry to our economy, human resources, and the organization of a large company may be explored.

Student Activity

Chemistry and Society Project

This assignment involves the study of a company in Canada that produces a common household chemical or product. Working in groups of four, you will obtain background information on the company and product by contacting the company.

The project will have two sections:

1. A formal report on your findings;
2. A short presentation to the class.

Possible chemicals and products for this project:

baking soda hydrogen peroxide vinegar soap

toothpaste household bleach cosmetics fertilizer

shampoo stainless steel hair products spermicide

detergent pain killers condoms antacid tablets

drain cleaners paint oven cleaners window cleaners

Formal Report

The formal report must be typed (double spaced).

The report should include most or all of the following:

• Information about the company-location, size, human resources, history and development, economic importance, other products made, research and development, public relations;
• Information about the product, including: chemical name and formula, raw materials, use, societal importance, development;
• An explanation of the production process for this product: chemical processes, energy requirements, waste products;
• Environmental concerns related to the production, use or disposal of this product, corporate ethical policy, measures taken to deal with waste, energy, packaging, recycling, transportation, necessity of product, environmentally friendly substitutes or alternative for the product;
• Resources used in the researching of this report. This may include the results of phone calls, and letters. Include a copy of all letters which you sent and briefly comment on which ones led to success. Keep a log of all phone calls made, including wrong numbers, and calls to operator assistance.

Class Presentations

You will be given a 10 min opportunity to make an interesting and exciting presentation based on your research. You may include: samples of products, demonstrations of production or uses of the product, posters, videos, skits, slides. Sometimes reference to events which occurred as part of your research will also be of interest to your peers.