Summary

In this activity, students research and present a molecule they find relevant to real life, either in the past or present. They must submit notes to the teacher the day before they present their findings in five to 10 minutes to their chemistry class.

Grade Level

High school

Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to

• Relate molecular structure to molecular formula and physical properties of various molecules.
• Understand the uses and importance of various molecules.

Chemistry Topics

This lesson supports students’ understanding of

• Molecular structures
• Molecular formulas
• Physical properties
• Relevance of chemistry to the real world

Time

Teacher Preparation: none

Lesson: 5-10 minutes per student

Safety

There are no special safety considerations for this activity.

Teacher Notes

• I share a molecule of the week each week of the fall semester, in a similar way to this assignment (see article about this activity in Chemistry Solutions). This introduces to students what I look for in the assignment and exposes them to a variety of interesting molecules.
• I have one student present per week on Friday as a fun way to finish the week. You could have several students present on the same day, but that takes away from the molecule of the week idea.
• After students choose their date (I have them draw dates out of a hat), I post the list of presentation dates. I also email each student individually the week before his/her presentation to remind him/her about the date and that they must submit their notes to me the night before.
• This activity could be turned into a longer individual or group project. You could add a formal written component to the presentation for a longer, more in-depth assignment.
• Some suggested molecules to get you started (these are some I use, and some creative ones my students have presented).