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A Humorous Comparison of Two Elements: A Secondary School Project Current emphasis in discussions of chemical education often centers on the student's involvement with the curric- ulum Various methods of motivation such as interest-captivating demonstrations, student experiments, symbol crass- words, chemical bingo, and individualized instruction are in vague. One of my students recently devised a novel addi- tion to the above list which I believe merits consideration in the general concern of humorizing chemistry. In our unit an the Periodic Table, I assigned an independent library research project on the comparison of two ele- ments. Each person chose those elements (preferably of the same group, in order to provide for relevant contrasts and comparisons) that he wished to learn mare about. Then a master list showing all possible handbook data as well as items relevant to their natural occurrence, abundance, discovery, and periodic properties was provided. One god of this project was familiarity with the "Chemistry Handbook." Other suggested references were chemical dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other textbooks. In addition to a tabular listing of the above, a summary of relevant comparisons stressing periodic properties was required. The mast intriguing summary 1 received was written as a play. It is indicative of a clear understanding of ehemi- cal properties. Most importantly, it has served to thoroughly involve a student with an atherwise quite abstract subject matter. One certainly could not hope to have these elements for display or experiment in our classrooms. I have included the teat of the play as an example of a superb way to make chemistry fun for the students. In the fut- ure, I shall request such an assignment from my classes, and I hope that others of you on reading the following will think the suggestion worthwhile. A Conversation between Ytterbium and Lutetium, Elements Number 70 and 71 Yllrrbium: lmustrsvtharvovr nnreiirhiny, likoasilver mhlet. 1,": You'rero.. . . !veneelYllyl cubic. 1,utelium I ~ ~ ~ l d n r talk if I the" use vour. for a mirror. if'^ so Yb: Well. I can't help that. You know. 1.utia. they ray you're e hexaxonsl crystal. Ha. rellrcti~c. ha, ha, ha. ha! Yh: If must he a family trail. We haw the Grandpa. Monazite Sand. We're dp. Lu: (more than parboiled now1 Well! I'm Ewe there are other heraponal crystals on rcmdant;ol the lhsuehtil~l Yttriumline. I'm nsmedahrrhim. Lanthanide Street. 1.u Yer. . . we do come from money. Hnwwer. (with a smirk1 I'm worth more than Yb: !still laughing1 I wouldn't count on it. (ceasing the laushterl You can't think better Y"". than I, you're much denser. Yb: lhoilinl (iod'il petynu ior that htia! Lu: Howwould you know, you're pretty denreyounalf. Lu: That's you Yfty, you always did have a low boiling point. And with the puyr!- Yb: Well, look at it this va~: other subslancea don't like dumbdumbr, nor do they? YOU melt likc butter. Now take me, I'm cml and collected, I hardly ever melt Now I admit, we are vew d~~five. wo don't mix with commoner, like thorp nou- amund men.andalmostnoihin~can make me boil over.. . veau~riche HzO's up the elley and around the corner. At least alenhol will accept Yb Excent arn1ar ,urnace. me. hut who will accept you at a mixine, partyq-Nobody. Nobody likes a denso Lu Nllwiuouldn~tfaik. Ytty. You'd boiltoo! like you!. . . Yb: lpauring and stsrine at Lu] You know you lwk 80 PLUS TWOISH these days. Lu: llyou weren't my muain. l'd~marh you: Lu teurdently healed !wouldn't ynu k too if ampone paid that mymJJ Oh! Shut UP! Yb: icontiming as if nothine had been said) . . . and anyway, I lorm more compounds You're u, wishy~warhy in fhnt it maker my head swim. arcas as tic ally) Today than you. it's two. fomormw i t ' ~ three. H~~~~~ knows hat you'll do reek- 1.u: That's only because you're so wiihy~ws=hy-you use your friends liiic? lwhiiper~ PLUS SEVENTEEN!"' ine and rhowinematmnly fman) which isn't niee. Yb: !ohviourly anseredl You'resoabiolut~ly useless! llonq pausel 1.": Imappimg hack) Soarsow Yh: Well. I must ray . . . there go four hnndrome young, available chlorine5 I'm feelinp plusfwoirhfodsy. I.et'n#omake a bond. Areyou~ame? (lonp pausel 1.u: (ueivinp all pmvious servpler siidol Of courre! Author to whom correspondence should be addressed Waterford High School Waterford, Connecticut 06385 Barry Levine Sara C. Myers' 564 / Journal of Chemical Education
