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DAY 1 (Teacher reads with class)
A high school chemistry class is interested in learning
about chemistry as it is carried out in the chemical
industry. The class invited a local chemical company to send
information on the methods and skills they use in product
development and testing. The class suggested a comparison of
two competing consumer products be used in an illustration
of these methods and skills. The four packets of information
from the chemical company each begin with an employee job
description - chemist, laboratory technician, product
analyst and a marketing representative. A brief description
of educational background is given. Then the students are
invited to perform a task related to the role of the
employee being presented. To prepare for the activities, the
teacher divides the class into four groups. She/he explains
cooperative learning and assigns one of the following roles
to the students for Activity 1:
Principal Investigator - responsible for getting
group started and keeping everyone on task.
Materials Manager - bring needed equipment to work
site, e.g., this activity needs loose leaf paper for report
and names of group members need to be on paper.
Recorder/reporter - record data and group answers
and report results to class, e.g., what class of chemical
compounds each group of students will test, what brands will
be tested and who will bring in the samples the next day.
Monitor/checker - keep time and be sure that total
group is involved in activity.
ACTIVITY 1 - Cosmetics - Comparison of Competitive
Products
(Students perform the following activity in their
groups of four.)
Each group picks a class of cosmetics that contains at
least two (2) chemicals, for example:
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shampoo
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liquid soap
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toothpaste
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mousse
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deodorant
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bubble bath
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The cosmetics class must have at least two (2) competing
products that each group member is willing to use at least
five times. For example:
Pert� vs. Neutrogena� for shampoo.
At the end of the activity, the teacher reassembles the
students, invites the recorder/reporter to name the products
being tested, and reminds students to bring samples
tomorrow.
DAY 2 THE CHEMIST - (read with entire
class)
With an advanced degree in chemistry and a background in
science and computing, the chemist has the educational tools
needed to respond to customer requests. Generally, marketing
puts the chemist in contact with these requests. The chemist
spends much initial time searching the literature to find
what has been tried on the subject. Compounds and their
properties as well as possible chemical procedures are
reviewed. The chemists develops ideas into working
hypotheses (educated guesses) that are tested by experiments
carried out by the laboratory technician.
ACTIVITY 2 - The Chemist Gathers Information
Complete the chart for Activity 2 by making a list of the
compounds in both of the consumer products you have chosen.
Search the organic compounds in your textbook, the Merck
Index and other references, and write the type of
compound/function of each compound next to it. Is it a soap?
a salt? a dye? a colorant? Many manufacturers provide
"1-800" numbers for obtaining information on their consumer
products on the label.
Here is an example for Activity 2:
Product Name - "Crest �- Cool Mint Gel"
Producer - Procter and Gamble
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Ingredient
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Type of
Compound/Function
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Sodium flouride
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Inorganic ionic salt fights
tooth decay
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The teacher assembles the students in
the same groups they were in yesterday. The teacher reminds
the groups that they will perform an information gathering
activity that a chemist would perform in producing the
cosmetic product.
The following task is
assigned:
- Choose a "chemist" to be the
principal investigator for the day and assign other
students to roles of materials manager,
recorder/reporter, and monitor/checker.
- Students in role of chemist
reminds other group members of their roles as materials
manager, recorder/reporter and monitor/checker.
- The "chemist" organizes the group
to complete the next two pages.
Please complete the following chart
for your products.
PRODUCT A
Product Name:
Producer:
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Ingredient
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Type of
Compound/Function
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PRODUCT B
Product Name:
Producer:
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Ingredient
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Type of
Compound/Function
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QUESTIONS
- Are any of the ingredients toxic?
In what way? Are there any skin irritants, poisons?
- How do the ingredients differ in
the competing products you choose? Are there major
differences? Only minor differences?
- Are these products protected by
patent(s)? If so, what number is the patent? Is it
protected by trade secret?
DAY 3
(and 4 if needed)
THE LABORATORY
TECHNICIAN (read in large class group)
The Laboratory Technician may or may
not have a bachelor's degree in chemistry or biology. The
Laboratory Technician has excellent laboratory skills needed
to carry out the experimental procedures outlined by the
chemist. The technician patiently makes adjustments and
discusses results with the chemist until a consistent as
well as desirable product is formed. A reproducible process
can be scaled-up for plant production if marketing demand is
sufficiently high.
ACTIVITY 3 Laboratory
Technition at Work
Complete at least two (2) of the tests
for physical properties listed in ACTIVITY 3 charts, i.e.,
pH, viscosity, solid content, conductivity. Remember to use
good laboratory technique.
Divide the group of four (4) into
teams of two (2). Each team is to perform the experiments
and compare the results for reproducibility.
Here is an example of ACTIVITY
3:
Product: Scope�
Producer: Procter and Gamble
1. pH determination
a. Place a piece of red litmus and a
piece of blue litmus paper on a watch glass. Dip a clean
stirring rod into the mouthwash and touch each piece of
litmus paper. Record the color and classify the substance as
an acid or a base.
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Team A
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Team B
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Color
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red
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red
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Acid/base
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acid
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acid
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b. Using the results above, place a
strip of the appropriate range pH paper on a watch glass.
Dip the clean stirring rod in the mouthwash and touch it to
the pH strip. Record the color and pH.
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Team A
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Team B
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Color
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gold
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gold
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pH
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6
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6
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c. Repeat "a" and "b" if there is not agreement in the
result.
The teacher may also want to review
procedures for viscosity, percent solids and conductivity as
outlined in the following section.
The teacher assembles the students in
the same groups they were in yesterday. The teacher reminds
the groups that they will perform lab activities similar to
checks that a laboratory technician would make on the
experimental process.
The following task is assigned:
- Choose a "laboratory technician"
to be the principal investigator for the day and assign
other students to roles of materials manager,
recorder/reporter and monitor/checker.
- Student in role of laboratory
technician reminds other group members of their roles as
materials manager, recorder/reporter and
monitor/checker.
- The laboratory technician
organizes the group to complete the next five
pages.
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