PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH
You Be The ChemisT aCtivity guiDeS: leSSon PlanS For making ChemiStry Fun overview The You Be The Chemist (YBTC) Activity Guides offer a variety of exciting science lesson plans, enabling educators to bring hands-on learning to students, inside and outside of the classroom. The Activity Guides are divided by grade level, one for grades K-4, the other for grades 5-8. Each Activity Guide booklet contains approximately 30 educator-reviewed lesson plans, activity sheets, and a resource guide filled with safety information, tips for non-chemistry teachers, and much more!
DiStriBution & imPlementation In 2011, companies and organizations from across the country distributed CEF’s Activity Guides in their communities. Chemical industry companies, such as The Dow Chemical Company, ICL Performance Products LP, Brenntag North America, Inc., and Producers Chemical Company all contributed to enhancing science education in their communities through the Activity Guides. Educational entities distributing the Activity Guides included the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, Toledo Public Schools, the Louisiana Department of Education, the University of Oklahoma, and homeschooling parents. Through these distribution channels, CEF estimates that over 27,000 new students are exploring the exciting world of science through CEF’s Activity Guides – just this year!
aCtivity guiDeS in aCtion: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Conference One hundred attendees of the NSTA area conference in New Orleans, LA, received copies of the Activity Guides to take back to their schools. The November conference was themed Science: Eye on the Future and provided Southeastern Louisiana science educators with seminars on science teaching best practices, dynamic conversations about the future of science, and STEM education workshops. The Activity Guides were distributed during a conference award ceremony. Penn State University (Abington Campus) Summer Camps For the second year in a row, Penn State University’s Abington Campus heldYBTC summer camps for area students. Each weeklong camp, one for grades K-4 and one for grades 5-8, utilized experiments from the Activity Guides to introduce students to scientific methodology and to explore such topics as chemical reactions, polymers, thermal conductivity, solubility, and more! Oklahoma Women in Science Conference The Activity Guides were featured as the cornerstone piece of educator goody bags handed out at the Oklahoma Women in Science Conference in October. The free, one-day conference allowed grade 6-12 students to engage in hands-on science activities; learn firsthand about science and technology career opportunities from Oklahoma’s top female scientists and engineers; and receive college preparation information from college, university and outreach representatives in Oklahoma.
Chemical educational Foundation | www.chemed.org
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Employees of Brenntag North America, Inc. introduced Pennsylvania students to the You Be The Chemist programs at a local educational fair.
Student attendees of the Philadelphia Science Carnival Festival used the Activity Guide experimentWackyWaxy Watercolors to learn about properties of matter!
CEF staff and volunteers display You Be The Chemist materials at educator and industry conferences across the country!