Experiences

Alcohols The topic of hydroxyderivatives

Darina Dolešová

Slovakia

Lower Secondary School

Chemistry

Teaching in class

Direct

Opis skúsenosti Curriculum topic: Alcohols
The topic of Hydroxyderivatives, part Alcohols belong to that part of the curriculum which goes with its importance beyond the very subject of chemistry. At the beginning of the theme, students were familiar with the characteristics of hydroxyderivatives, their functional-group characteristics, followed by an overview of the most important hydroxyderivatives - alcohols.

While studying the characteristics of the group and its general characteristics students did not show higher interest but when talking about the properties and effects of alcohol started, students began to grin and some made comments. Since the curriculum is taught in the second year of secondary school that is around the age of 16 years. At this age almost all of the students have experience with the properties of alcohol, specifically ethanol. The vast majority has already tried its effects by themselves personally. Others knew the effects of alcohol on others in daily life. Therefore it is an interesting topic for students. However they did not want to talk by themselves, rather they quietly amused each other with an occasional loud note to those classmates of which they knew had some previous problems with alcohol. For those students it was rather an unpleasant topic. I have been thinking how to make the subject interesting for everyone and how to actively engage all of them in a conversation.

I divided the students into three groups with approximately 6-7 members. The first group was given the task to talk among themselves about the meaning (or negative effects) of alcohol for the Youth. The second group had to process the alcohol topic and its impact on the family, and the third group analyzed the impact of the issue and the impact of alcohol on society and the state.

So there were three topics:
1. Alcohol and young people
2. Alcohol and family
3. Alcohol and society
Students had about 15 minutes to discuss the topic and prepare on paper the negative effects and impacts of alcohol on a given group (Youth, family, society).
The blackboard was divided into three parts, one for each group. After the time was spent the members of each group gradually went to the blackboard and marked down effects (both positive and negative) for their category in brief points. Then each group chose a spokesperson that commented and explained their observations.
Students from the other two groups had the opportunity to comment on each presented item, add their own ideas about it and agree or argue why they disagree. An interesting debate developed during which students presented their particular negative experiences with alcohol and talked openly without barriers.
This way they learned many facts about the curriculum topic. Although they may have known them before they did not connect the negative effects of alcohol in the contexts of family, society, and their friends and classmates.