Chemistry 131-MWF

Work Shops

Fall, 2007

Assignments

Useless Conversions





You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view many of the files available here. If it is not on the computer you are using, click on the image below for a free download.

The class will be divided into Workshop sections of about 20 students. The Workshops will meet each week for 75 minutes to work on problems related to the previous week's assigned course material (lectures, text, problems from the text). The Workshops are an integral part of the course.

Each Workshop will be led by two undergraduate leaders who were successful in first semester general chemistry. The leaders are selected because they are expert at learning and are trained to facilitate small group work.

Each Workshop focuses on a set of problems. The problems are constructed to engage you with the subject matter and with other students. They are NOT homework problems; they are designed to be worked on in the Workshop, in discussion and debate with other students. Students work in small groups and explain their answers and reasoning to classmates and to the Workshop leaders. We believe that when students explain and defend their ideas, it promotes a deeper understanding of the general chemistry concepts.

Each Workshop is worth 16 points: 5 points for correct completion of a pre-Workshop problem and 11 points for correct completion of two post-Workshop problems. The two lowest Workshop grades will be dropped when computing your course grade. The workshop contribution to your final course grade is about the equivalent one Hour Exam.

Each set of Workshop problems is divided into the following sections:

Introduction (to be completed prior to Workshop)

The ideas, definitions, and equations covered in the previous week are assumed as a starting point for the Workshop. Each week, you will be given some ideas to consider before coming to Workshop (e.g., reading in the text, viewing computer animations or video clips). In addition, you will be required to complete a pre-Workshop problem.

Initial Ideas (participate in class discussion)

The Workshop begins with a discussion that brings out students' ideas about a particular topic. The structure may be open-ended or in the form of a multiple-choice question.

Exploration (work in groups of 4)

The Exploration is intended to help the students think about the ideas addressed in the Introduction and Initial Ideas sections. These exercises ask students to give explanations and integrate ideas. Instead of asking "what", the exercises encourage students to think about "why".

Closure (work on your own, then participate in class discussion)

Students are guided by the Workshop leader to summarize and reflect on the ideas covered in the Workshop.

Applying the ideas (complete on your own)

Students apply the concepts presented in the Workshop by working individually to complete two post-Workshop problems that are submitted to the Workshop leader for grading. The purpose of the post-Workshop problems is for the leader and the student to assess the student's understanding of the key ideas.

Prof. Todd Krauss

Department of Chemistry
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627

Prof. Krauss' Homepage