National Chemistry Week

The purpose of National Chemistry Week is to help schools, businesses and entire communities recognize the importance of chemistry to the quality of human life. The American Chemical Society, which sponsors the event, has more information, including how to participate, at their website.

There are plenty of ways to celebrate chemistry, however. As I was telling a fellow writer, I hated chemistry in school. It was dry and boring, with plenty of bookwork and limited experimentation. The same went for physics. When people asked me about science I would usually wrinkle my nose and murmur how I hated it—no matter that it had been a favorite subject up until my high school days.

But what I didn’t realize was that I loved—and still love!—science; I simply didn’t think of it that way. My husband and I love to conduct “experiments.” We did the Supersize Me experiment where you keep fries for weeks and weeks to see if they decompose. (They didn’t!) We like to buy those experiment kits from hobby stores where you can grow rocks, make slime and a plethora of other fun and/or gross things. My sister just gave us some Harry Potter experiments she had purchased that we plan on using just for this week.

The point is, chemistry is anything but boring as long as you don’t make it boring. Don’t make it about reading books (unless your children are interested in them; if they are, then by all means, let them read—but don’t force it!). Like math, it shouldn’t be a dull, one-dimensional experience. Why do worksheets when you can use test tubes to create? Why do addition on paper when you can create jumping games to play that teach the same thing instead?

For National Chemistry Week, try…

• Getting one of the kits I mentioned above and doing something fun. You might enjoy making your own lip gloss or making a classic volcano erupt.
• Playing with the elements. Lightly “teach” them by introducing one or two of them, and instead of requiring rote memorization, find items in your life that contain those elements. Make them relevant to your life.
• Exploring what careers use chemistry as a foundation. Maybe you have a chemist, doctor, pharmacist or even a veterinarian in your life who can help explain what they do to your child.
• Blow things up! If done safely with an approved kit, you can show how cans, rockets and even water explode. Be sure to follow guidelines down to the fine print!