From Alchemy to Chemistry: the Science of Symbols
From Alchemy to Chemistry: the Science of Symbols
Author(s): Amanda Maez
Date lesson will be taught:
Grade level: 10th grade Chemistry
Lesson Source: Fabrizzi, Luigi. “Communicating about Matter with Symbols: From Alchemy to Chemistry.” Chemistry for Everyone (2008). 85: 1501-1511. Web.; Amanda Maez
Concepts: History of chemistry as developed out of alchemy. The development of different alchemical and chemical symbols to explain chemical concepts.
Objectives: Students will be able to…
• Explain how chemistry emerged as a science out of the pseudo-science of alchemy.
• Develop their own chemical symbols based on properties of elements or compounds.
• Recognize that chemistry has changed and become much more in depth over the course of history.
Kansas Science and/or Mathematics Standards, Benchmarks, and Indicators:
SCIENCE AS INQUIRY – The student will develop the abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and develop an understanding of scientific inquiry.
Benchmark 1: The student will demonstrate the abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.
1. ▲ actively engages in investigations, including developing questions, gathering and analyzing data, and designing and conducting research
CHEMISTRY – The student will develop an understanding of the structure of atoms, compounds, chemical reactions, and the interactions of energy and matter.
Benchmark 2: The students will understand the states and properties of matter.
▲ understands the periodic table lists elements according to increasing atomic number. This table organizes physical and chemical trends by groups, periods, and sub-categories.
History Standard: The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of significant individuals, groups, ideas,
events, eras and developments in the history of Kansas, the United States, and the world, utilizing essential analytical and research skills.
Benchmark 1: The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of individuals, groups, ideas, developments, and turning points of the Global Age of Exploration (1400-1750).
Materials list (be specific about quantities for whole class and for groups), advance preparation, and handouts (include handouts at the end of this lesson plan document):
-1 Copy of “Communicating about matter with Symbols: Evolving from Alchemy to Chemistry” by Luigi Fabrizzi (See attached pdf) for each student handed out the class period before lesson is to be taught.
-Chemistry textbook (1/student)
-1 list of Aristotelean Symbols, Alchemical Symbols, Early Chemical Symbols, and Modern Chemical Symbols/ group of 2 students.
-1 poster each of Aristotelean Symbols, Alchemical Symbols, Early Chemical Symbols, and Modern Chemical Symbols, and notecards with the names of the elements and compounds listed.
-1 period table of the elements (see attached pdf)/ group of two students.
-Notecards (2/group)
-computer with access to the internet
Safety: Students will follow all classroom safety rules.
Accommodations: All students will be able to participate in this lesson. Those who need assistance will be paired up with another student who will aid them in completing the assignment.
Five-E Plan
Teacher Does Probing Questions Student responses
|Engage: |Critical questions that will connect to |Expected Student |
|Learning Experience(s) |prior knowledge and create a need to know. |Responses/Misconceptions |
| | | |
| | | |
|Time: __7____minutes | | |
|The week before the lesson is to be taught,|As you read, think about how the symbols |Do we really have to read this whole thing?|
|assign the students to read “Communicating |that represent different substances and | |
|about matter with Symbols: Evolving from |chemicals have changed. | |
|Alchemy to Chemistry” by Luigi Fabrizzi |How is alchemy different from chemistry? | |
|(See attached pdf) for homework. Tell them|How are they similar? | |
|to skip the section on Art and Alchemy. | | |
|Encourage them to take their time with the | | |
|reading, and fill out the worksheet as they| | |
|read. | | |
|Put posters with Aristotelean Symbols, | | |
|Alchemical Symbols, Early Chemical Symbols,| | |
|and Modern Chemical Symbols (use ~8 of each| | |
|of the last three groups of symbols; | | |
|symbols can be found at the end of the | | |
|lesson plan) on the board. | | |
|Divide the students into three groups, and| | |
|hand each of the groups a stack of note |Do any of these symbols look familiar to | |
|cards with names of elements or compounds |you? | |
|on them. Say, “ Now within your groups, | | |
|try to decide which poster your symbols | |Ya, they were in the reading; Ya, but I |
|correspond to, then try to match the | |don’t remember which ones are which; ya, |
|correct symbols to the correct name of the |If you don’t remember exactly which element|I’ve seen those, that one’s Mercury, that’s|
|compound or element.” |goes to which symbol, what are some ways |water! |
| |you could maybe figure it out? | |
| |If you really can’t figure it out, try your|Look at the symbols, and see if they have |
| |best, and afterwards we will talk about |any features of the element or compound. |
| |them. | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |What if we don’t know? |
|Once the students have matched all or most |Which order historically should these |Aristotelean, Alchemical, Early Chemical, |
|of their symbols, have them sit back down, |posters go in? |Modern Chemical |
|and ask them to put the posters in | | |
|historical order as a class. |What do you notice about how the symbols |There are more symbols as they progress; |
| |have changed? |they symbols are just letters now |
| | | |
| |Does anyone remember from the reading why | |
| |the alchemical symbols are so cryptic? Why |Alchemists used to want to keep their work |
| |did they try to disguise their work so |a secret. |
| |much. | |
Teacher Does Probing Questions Student responses
|Explore: |Critical questions that will guide students|Expected Student |
|Learning Experience(s) |to a common set of experiences. |Responses/Misconceptions |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|Time: ___15___minutes | | |
|Pair the students off, and give each pair a| | |
|periodic table of elements (see attached | | |
|pdf), a chemistry textbook, and a list of | | |
|symbols (Aristotelean, Alchemical, and | | |
|Early Chemical). Say, “Just as chemists | | |
|have had to do throughout the ages, you, as| | |
|scientists, are going to develop a way to |How will you choose which elements or |The ones that I know most about; the ones |
|communicate about some of the things you |compounds you are going to use? |that are on the list. |
|observe in a chemistry laboratory, or even | | |
|in everyday life. You need to choose 3 | | |
|compounds or elements either from the |How are you going to explain your symbols |Draw what they look like, and tell about the|
|periodic table, or from your book and |to your classmates? |features of each symbol. |
|develop symbols to represent those | | |
|compounds or elements. You need to be able| | |
|to explain why you chose the elements or |Would someone who doesn’t know anything |Yes; no |
|compounds that you did, and also the |about chemistry be able to recognize or use| |
|rationale behind the symbol for each. Be |your symbol? | |
|creative!! Use what you know about each | | |
|element to come up with something that | | |
|would enable someone who isn’t a chemist to| | |
|recognize it; or you can also come up with | | |
|a secret symbol like alchemists used to do | | |
|that only other chemists would understand. | | |
|Creativity counts here, so work together to| | |
|come up with some great symbols!” | | |
|Allow the students to work for 7 minutes on|What would be a good element or compound to|One with obvious properties. |
|their symbols in pairs, and walk around the|choose? | |
|room aiding students if needed. | | |
| |How did alchemists choose elements to |They were the compounds that they worked |
| |symbolize? |with. They used them to describe their |
| | |methods to someone else. |
|After 7 minutes of work time, put 2 pairs | |Students will begin to talk about their |
|of students together in groups (presumably | |symbols in their larger groups. |
|the groups they were in for the engage), | | |
|and say, “ Now in your larger groups, I | | |
|want you to explain your symbols to each | | |
|other. Explain to your fellow scientists | | |
|which elements or compounds you chose and | | |
|why. How did you come up with the symbol | | |
|to represent each? After discussing all six| | |
|of your symbols, I want you to choose two | | |
|that you think best represent the elements | | |
|or compounds, and write them on these | | |
|notecards. Write the symbol on the front, | | |
|and the element or compound on the back.” | | |
|Give each group 2 notecards (different | | |
|color for each group). | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |They are easily recognizable; they are |
| |What are some good characteristics of |simple; they represent the properties of the|
| |symbols? |element or compound; everyone can understand|
| | |them |
| | | |
Teacher Does Probing Questions Student responses
|Explain: |Critical questions that will help students |Expected Student |
|Learning Experience(s) |clarify their understanding and introduce |Responses/Misconceptions |
| |information related to the lesson | |
| |concepts/skills. | |
| | | |
|Time: ___15___minutes | | |
|Say, “ so now that you have made your own |What did you find most challenging when |Figuring out the properties of the elements|
|symbols, let’s talk about the process…” |developing your symbols? |or compounds and which one to use in the |
| | |symbol; making the symbol simple enough to |
|Lead a discussion of the history of | |be easily recognized; not using the same |
|chemistry and the development of symbols, | |symbol that we have for it today. |
|comparing the students’ experiences | | |
|developing their own symbols to the | |The elements and compounds are so small; |
|possible experiences of early chemists. | |most people don’t understand chemical |
| | |properties; it’s not like English or |
| |Why is it so hard to talk about chemistry? |literature where you can describe things |
| | |very easily to everyone; |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |Witches; magicians; Early chemists who used|
| | |furnaces to try to turn metal to gold and |
| | |try to find the philosopher’s stone or the |
| | |elixir of life. |
| | | |
| |What were alchemists, and what were there | |
| |two main goals? | |
| | |They didn’t know anything about the |
| | |structure or properties of the elements. |
| | |They had to do their work in secret, they |
|Draw student attention to the Alchemical | |didn’t want anyone else to know; they |
|symbols. | |didn’t have technology |
| | | |
| |What were some of the challenges alchemists|The Greek and Arabic alchemists’ work; |
| |faced when they first started developing |Aristotle’s work; the things they knew |
| |symbols? |about substances from trying to turn it |
| | |into gold. |
| | | |
| | |They didn’t want to make gold, they wanted |
| | |to understand the properties of substances |
| |What foundations were they building upon? |and develop a set of rules about the |
| | |substances. |
| | | |
| | |There were more compounds and elements |
| | |being discovered; they didn’t have a |
|Draw student attention to early Chemical | |universal way of naming them; they still |
|symbols. |What was the motivation of early chemists |were limited in what they knew about |
| |as opposed to alchemists? |chemistry |
| | | |
| | |Explaining them to everyday people; |
| | |categorizing all the different elements; |
| | |they don’t face any; |
| |What were the challenges early chemists | |
| |faced when developing their symbols? | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |What challenges do chemists face today when| |
|Draw student attention to Modern Chemical |classifying and naming chemical compounds? | |
|symbols. | | |
|On the board, make a Venn diagram to |What are some of the similarities between |They both use symbols; They both used |
|compare and contrast Alchemists and Modern |alchemists and Modern Chemists? |chemicals; they both use fire; they both |
|Chemists. | |use metal; they both do experiments; |
| | |chemistry came out of alchemy; used same |
| | |foundations |
| | | |
| | | |
| |What are the differences? |Alchemy: secret science; used to get rich; |
| | |search for immortality; not accepted by |
| | |society; never a university study… |
| | | |
| | |Chemistry: accepted by society; used to |
| | |study and obtain knowledge; studied at |
| | |universities; use of technology; much more |
| | |is known about chemicals… |
Teacher Does Probing Questions Student responses
|Extend / Elaborate: |Critical questions that will help students |Expected Student |
|Learning Experience(s) |extend or apply their newly acquired |Responses/Misconceptions |
| |concepts/skills in new situations. | |
| | | |
|Time: ___7___minutes | | |
|Put the students’ symbols they developed at|Which compound or element do you think |Various answers. |
|the beginning of class up on the board and |these symbols represent? |Students will come up to the board and |
|have other groups try to match elements or | |match the symbols with the elements and |
|compounds with their correct symbols. | |compounds they think are correct. |
|Include a word bank of choice for the | | |
|students to match the symbols they created | | |
|with. | | |
| | | |
|After matching, have a few groups explain | | |
|their rationale behind the development of | | |
|the symbols they chose. | | |
| | |Students will volunteer. |
|Show some biochemical structures (ie. |Has anyone seen a symbol like this before? |No! What is that? |
|Protein structures from RCSB Protein Data | |Ya, isn’t that like organic chemistry or |
|Bank-) | |something? |
|and some organic structures (ie. Molecular | | |
|models |How has technology affected the symbols | |
| chemists produce today? |They are a lot more detailed; they are a |
|ule.html or the structure for common drugs | |lot more specific; there are a lot more |
|such as acetaminophen—aspirin or the | |symbols; there are symbols for many types |
|structure of acrylonotrile, which is used | |of chemistry |
|to made plastics—it is important to show | | |
|structures of compounds that the students | | |
|can relate to, things that they would most | | |
|likely be familiar with) to show how | | |
|advanced chemical symbols have become with | | |
|the increase in understanding of chemistry | | |
|and the advances in technology. | | |
Teacher Does Probing Questions Student responses
| Evaluate: |Critical questions that ask students to |Expected Student |
|Include summative evaluation below. |demonstrate their understanding of the |Outcomes |
| |concepts and process skills. These | |
| |questions must directly relate to the | |
| |lesson’s performance objectives. | |
|Time: ___5___minutes | | |
Pre-Test:
1. What is an alchemist?
2. What is something you learned from the reading?
3. Explain how chemistry developed as a science based on what you learned in the reading.
Post-Test:
1. Explain the differences and similarities between alchemy and modern chemistry.
2. Why do scientists develop symbols and representations?
3. You are given an element that is highly combustible and gives off a pungent odor when splashed with water. Develop a symbol for this element:
Aristotelian Symbols
[pic]
Alchemical Symbols
[pic]
Early Chemical Symbols
[pic]
Modern Chemical Symbols
Hg- Mercury
NH3- ammonia
Pb- Lead
(NH2)2CO2- urea
P- phosphorous
[pic]Water
H2SO4- Sulfuric Acid
HCl- Hydrochloric Acid
NaCl- Sodium chloride
Name:______________________
Worksheet for Communicating about Matter with Symbols: Evolving from Alchemy to Chemistry by Luigi Fabrizzi
1. Why is it so difficult for chemists to communicate about their work to the world? What systems have they developed to overcome this problem?
2. What was the original purpose of alchemy?
3. What were two reasons alchemists used symbols?
4. Describe one of the alchemical symbols explained in the reading that you think is particularly interesting.
5. Describe the opinion that society had of alchemy.
6. What year did alchemy officially evolve from chemistry?
7. Name two important chemists in the 18th century, and describe what they did for the field.
8. Who is responsible for the development of modern chemical notation? How does it work?
Sources
Fabrizzi, Luigi. “Communicating about Matter with Symbols: From Alchemy to Chemistry.” Chemistry for Everyone (2008). 85: 1501-1511. Web.
Gregory, Frederick. "The Emergence of Chemical Science." Natural Science in Western History. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. 197-219. Print.
Harrison, Karl. 2005-2010. Digital Image.
Periodic Table of the Elements. 2006. . Web.
RCSB Protein Data Bank. 2010.
WWU Virtual Molecular Model Kit. Chemistry Department (2006).
Reflection
I really enjoyed writing this lesson plan. It gave a different, and relevant approach to learning chemistry. I thought this was an interesting way to look at properties of different elements and compounds, along with prompting inquiry. Something difficult for me in this assignment was integrating actual concepts the students might be learning in class into the history lesson. I chose to do a lesson on alchemical symbols because it is an area of understanding that I feel most high school students have little knowledge of, and I felt that it would aid in their understanding and appreciation of the subject of chemistry. Though this project was originally assigned for groups, and I was worried at first about completing the work, once I got started writing, it was actually easier to make the sections flow together than if I were to have worked with a partner. One mistake I made was giving myself a limited time to complete this assignment, and it limited the amount of sources I was able to draw from to develop the lesson. For the next lesson plan, I hope to begin working sooner so that I will be able to develop my sources a little better.
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