May 2006
Full issue available online.
Column
A-level assessment under scrutiny
In March the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) launched a formal consultation on its revised criteria for all GCE AS/A-levels. QCA is looking to reduce the burden of as...
Sussex 'closure' prompts further discussion
In March the proposal to cease teaching a chemistry degree from 2007 at the University of Sussex and 'refocus' the chemistry department's work into organic chemistry and chemical b...
HEFCE funds Chemistry for our future
Chemistry for our future, the RSC-led initiative aimed at ensuring a strong and sustainable chemical science base within HE in England and providing a sound basis for the continuin...
Budget boost for science
The recruitment, retraining, retention and reward of 3000 science teachers, a new entitlement to study the full range of science subjects at GCSE level, and the funding of 250 afte...
Right result puts Colchester school on top
A team of students from Colchester Royal Grammar School, Essex, led a field of 28 teams to take first prize at this year's Top of the Bench national final, held in April at the Lon...
Contribute to KS3 review
As part of its review of the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum and post-16 science, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is inviting stakeholders to contribute to the re...
Photos capture chemistry
In March the winners of the Royal Society of Chemistry's (RSC) 2005 Chemistry Week photo competition were announced.
RSC archive to support science in Africa
With the February launch of its Archive for Africa initiative the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) made its science journals archive freely available to researchers in developing c...
Young scientists put it to MPs
At the end of February some 150 young scientists and engineers from across the UK gathered at the House of Commons to debate issues in science with MPs as part of the 2006 Voice of...
Welsh meeting for teachers
This summer the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) will be running the first national meeting for chemistry teachers in Wales at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells on 21-22 Jun...
Readership survey feedback
The results of the recent Education in Chemistry readership survey, analysed by an independent marketing company, NSM, find that the magazine is well received by its readers.
Short items
Short items
Did you know?
Ted Lister, chemical education consultant, shares anecdotes and 'did you knows' to help you add that 'wow' factor to your lessons. In this issue: hair today, gone tomorrow.
Chemlingo
Peter Childs, University of Limerick, investigates words in chemistry. In this issue: Highs and lows.
Soundbite molecules
Simon Cotton, teacher at Uppingham School, takes a look at those compounds that find themselves in the news or relate to our everyday lives. In this issue: roses are red, violets a...
Prize crossword puzzle
Readers are invited to solve Education in Chemistry's teacher crossword, set by Richard Nash
Letters
Letters
Education in Chemistry Letters, May 2006
Exhibition Chemistry
A spectacular reversible reaction
In this series, Colin Baker of Bedford School provides spectacular demonstrations, designed to capture the student's imagination. The demonstrations are easy to prepare, safe to di...
Features
Titan - a museum of the Earth's atmosphere
Titan, the largest moon of the planet Saturn, has an atmosphere that is predominantly nitrogen with a small amount of carbon present in the form of methane and higher hydrocarbons....
Spicing up chemistry
Spices have been used in cooking since Roman times, and were believed to be important as antiparasitic agents and as gastrointestinal protectants in the diet.
Chlorpromazine - unlocks the asylums
The history of pharmaceuticals is enriched by accounts of drugs developed for one therapeutic purpose that found application in another. This is true for chlorpromazine, a treatmen...
Pioneering women chemists of Bedford College
In the early part of the 20th century, a few institutions seemed to have been havens for women interested in chemistry.
In the steps of Markovnikov
The addition reactions of HCl and HBr to propene to give either 2-chloropropane or 2-bromopropane are often given as examples of Markovnikov's Rule, but in his original 1870 paper,...
Web watch
Wilson Flood, chemistry education consultant, takes a look at some websites of interest to chemistry teachers.
Reviews
Medicinal chemistry: a molecular and biochemical approach (3rd edn)
Thomas Nogrady and Donald F. Weaver
Catch up chemistry: for the life and medical sciences
Mitch Fry and Elizabeth Page
Odyssey: matter in motion v2.0
Fable Multimedia
Distillates
Understanding titrations
Keith Sheppard of Columbia University has done some research with a group of 16-17-year old high school chemistry students to find out the nature of their misconceptions acid-base ...
Learning to teach argumentation
A group of researchers from London and Bristol Universities has completed a project designed to inform the development of resources and training to help teachers learn the skills o...
The way we teach
There are very few studies that follow the teaching of science to a class for a whole year but Linda Darby of the University of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia has done just that.
Infochem
Fusion for the future
In the summer the Government will publish the recent review of its energy policy.
Full Infochem supplement
Download the full InfoChem pupil supplement from the May issue
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