Chemistry in the Real World Project: Proposal

Workshop Goals
Identify and describe connections between the CIRW project activities and course learning outcomes and module learning objectives.
Identify and describe connections between the CIRW project activities and your academic, professional, and personal life.
Review rubric criteria for the CIRW draft assignment.
Participation Instructions
Share your draft course connections. Start with the bulleted list from your proposal. Take a fresh look at the course learning outcomes (located in the syllabus) and the module learning objectives in relevant modules to ensure you have a comprehensive list. Convert your bulleted list into 1-2 paragraphs that explain the connections between your project and these outcomes and objectives. Before posting your draft, review the CIRW rubric for the Draft. Are you proficient in both the “Module Connection” and “Real World Connection” category?
Provide feedback to your peers on their course connections. Be sure to refer specifically to the expectations from the rubric, where applicable. Feedback should be actionable. Don’t just say what needs work. Explain why and suggest action. Example: “This paragraph structure and flow is a bit confusing. Making this two paragraphs, each with a topic sentence would help the reader follow your thinking better.”
Discuss key transferable skills (competency) from ERAU’s General Education Program
(Links to an external site.)
that you are honing through your project.

Review the rubric to understand how your participation in this workshop will be graded. You can expect guidance and support from your instructor and input from your peers – but this can only happen with timely participation. Your workshop participation should be ongoing throughout the module. Remember, you will get the most out of this if we are all working together. Help your peers and they will do the same for you.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A CLASSMATES SUBMISSION

Greetings Class,

Originally, I had submitted a large swath of potential module and learning connections that I could tie to my home-fermentation exploration project. I have narrowed down my connections to the following bullet points:

Relevant Course Learning Objectives:

Distinguish between elements, polyatomic ions, compounds, and mixtures.
Perform stoichiometric calculations for balanced chemical reactions, to include identification of limiting reactant, calculation of theoretical yield, and calculation of percent yield.
Identify reactions as synthesis, decomposition, displacement, combustion, or oxidation-reduction.

Relevant Module Objectives:

Identify a compound as ionic or covalent. (Module 3)
Apply the law of conservation of mass in determining the number of atoms in the reactant and products to write a balanced chemical equation. (Module 4)
Given the actual quantity of a product, determine the percent yield for a reaction. (Module 4)
Describe variables that affect the rate of a reaction, including the presence of a catalyst. (Module 6)

In my project, I will be exploring the basic chemistry elements present in the fermentation process. I will explore major components (water, sugar, must, yeast) not only as ingredients, but as the relevant compounds, mixtures, or catalysts that the items truly are. While the reactions that take place inside of a yeast cell to produce ethanol from glucose fall outside of the scope of this class, by comparing my research thus far to course material, I have learned that the process can be simplified into a recognizable, balanced chemical equation that can be used to display a sort of “net” reaction type, with yield values appropriate for the purposes of this project.

My relatively short time in attending this class, paired with scientific readings into one of my personal hobbies has already contributed greatly to both my information and scientific literacy skills. I find myself in a sort of feed-back loop bouncing between different resources and references in order to translate terms or concepts I had no experience with before. This project is an example of how a seemingly “magic” phenomena can be explored and understood with just a little bit of legwork and exercised critical thinking skills.