Teaching Approaches Teaching Separation Methods by Integration of Chemistry, Art and Craft   Teaching Seperation Methods in Chemistry     Subject Teaching methodology, chemistry, art and craft Level Upper secondary Language English Type Lesson sequence   This practical work has been developed for 7th grade pupils to relate their chemical knowledge to everyday things and increase their motivation for chemistry. Teenagers are very aware of their appearance and colours play an important role. Many young students are also interested in environmental protection and ecological values, which are also considered in the Finnish national curriculum. Natural colourants offer a many-sided and interesting context for integrating chemistry, art and craft lessons. According to Peacock, contextualizing improves access to knowledge and thus provides equity to disadvantaged groups. Following the Finnish national curriculum of chemistry, 7th graders are taught several separation methods. At Kannelmäki comprehensive school, we have carried out practical work, in which coloured pigments of the fungus Dermocybe sanguinea are isolated in powder form. The different separation methods needed are: extraction, filtration, evaporation and distillation. A dilution to a definite concentration is also made. Students learn how to use several pieces of laboratory equipment and how to take accurate measurements. Finally, the compounds are identified by using two-dimensional, thin-layer chromatography. The solid colourant, which has been isolated in chemistry lessons, is then used in craft lessons for dyeing yarn and cloth or printing cloth. Dyed and printed materials are then made into products. In the end, most of the students said that they could use chemistry in everyday life and that learning in this way was more interesting than learning the traditional way. This was especially an opinion favoured by girls.     Contact details   Name Tuija Timonen Email tuija.timonen@edu.hel.fi       Last update: 17 July 2007 More Teaching Approaches  •  Beyond the Blackboard (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMXHSXXV2F_0.html)  •  CLIL - Team Teaching Sciences and Foreign Languages (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMUZSXXV2F_0.html)  •  A Mission in Physics (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMYJ78OY2F_0.html)  •  Physics in Kindergarten and elemntary school (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMY2KC4VUE_0.html)  •  Magic? Toy? Discovery? Science? (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEM2BF8OY2F_0.html) Download  •  Teaching Separation Methods by Integration of Chemistry, Art and Craft PPT (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/scienceonstage/FI_Timonen_integration_chemistry_art_ craft.ppt)