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Napoleon's Buttons: Teaching the Role of Chemistry in History
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Abstract
The nonscience majors course described here employs the book titled Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History as its key pedagogical tool. The book is an engaging account of 17 molecules or groups of molecules that have, like the tin buttons worn by Napoleon and his army, greatly influenced the course of history. Napoleon's Buttons frequently discusses how slight variations in the structure of a molecule can have a large impact on its properties. This theme provides the basis for both the classroom and laboratory components of the course. In addition, the major goal of the course is the compilation of our class book (modeled after Napoleon's Buttons), with each student contributing a specific molecule as a chapter. This unique approach encourages students to think in depth about how an individual molecule can shape historical events and how these events can, in turn, have an impact on the field of chemistry. Therefore the focus of this course is on the role of chemistry in history rather than on the history of chemistry. Students expressed that the project fostered camaraderie and the course helped them to become more interested in the role of chemistry in their lives.
Keywords (Audience):
First-Year Undergraduate / GeneralKeywords (Domain):
History / PhilosophyKeywords (Pedagogy):
Communication / WritingKeywords (Subject):
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This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).
Spicing Things Up by Adding Color and Relieving Pain: The Use of Napoleon’s Buttons in Organic Chemistry
Kevin M. BucholtzJournal of Chemical Education2011 88 (2), 158-161Spicing Things Up by Adding Color and Relieving Pain: The Use of Napoleon’s Buttons in Organic Chemistry
Kevin M. BucholtzJournal of Chemical Education2011 88 (2), 158-161For some students, organic chemistry can be a distant subject and unrelated to any courses they have seen in their college careers. To develop a more contextual learning experience in organic chemistry, an additional text, Napoleon’s Buttons: 17 Molecules ...
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- Received: August 03, 2009
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