Traditionally the Chemical Sciences course was taught as a lecture and a separate laboratory. The course included topics from atomic structure to drugs and medicines (appendix #7). In the new course, the entire class of about 50 students met in a "lecture room" two times a week for an hour and fifteen minutes. The class was divided into two "lab" sessions, which met once a week for three hours (from 4:00-7:00 p.m.) The only scheduling change to accommodate our new course design was to schedule our lab time one hour earlier (3:00-6:00 p.m.).The new course contained all the same topics except medicines and drugs (appendix #8).

As a result of discussions and planning the NOVA team modified the Chemical Sciences course to include the following innovations.

I. Science clubs at local elementary schools to involve college students with

elementary school children; there were a total of five schools and over 220 elementary children.

II. The total integration of "lecture" and laboratory" to assure best use of time

and relevance of activities.

III. A new text book approach to model teaching and stimulate higher level learning.

IV. Papers on people in science so that our students have an appreciation of the human dimension of science, and have models to share with children.

V. Directed inquiry laboratory activities to have students experience science investigations.

VI. Collaborative test taking to promote the view that sharing and talking enhance learning, and that fellow students are sources of information and support.

VII. Speakers to offer some real-life examples of professional chemists and elementary science teaching.

VIII. Weekly journal entries (blue books) so that students can share insights and questions with the instructors and get regular feedback.

IX. Team teaching which provides students with more than one outlook and approach to teaching and chemistry.

Below is a more detailed description of each component.