Secondary School Feature Articles

Stimulate High School Science Fair Participation by Connecting with a Nearby College by Mary Ellen DeClue, Kevin Johnson, Howard Hendrickson, and Pamela Keck, p 608.

JCE Classroom Activity: #27. How Does Your Garden Grow? Investigating the "Magic Salt Crystal Garden", edited by Nancy S. Gettys and Erica K. Jacobsen, p 624A.

Some Articles of Interest

photos by Jerrold J. Jacobsen and Nancy S. Gettys

This month's issue covers a wide variety of topics, from historical notes to the latest software from JCE. Gas burners are such familiar items in the laboratory that little thought is given to their development. An interesting article by Kathryn Williams (pp 558-559) explains how these humble devices came into being, beginning with Robert Bunsen's invention in 1857, through their adaptation in the United States in the 1930s to burn natural gas. Bunsen, in collaboration with Gustav Kirchhoff, used his invention in constructing an emission spectrometer that could be used in chemical analysis. A drawing of the instrument appears in the Williams article. The spectrometer is described in more detail in an article titled "A Brief History of Atomic Emission Spectrochemical Analysis, 1666-1950". Author Richard Jarrell traces the history of this important and lasting method of analysis from Isaac Newton's discovery of the visible spectrum to the development of the powerful analytical instruments that were in use in the 1950s. For readers who have a deeper interest in atomic emission spectroscopy, Jarrell's article is the first of five that are based on a symposium conducted in 1999 (pp 573-607).

Visualizing the structure of ionic crystals is the topic of articles by Keenan Dungey (pp 618-619), Bruce Mattson (pp 622-623), and J. Kamenícek and M. Melichárek (pp 623-624). The ionic crystal theme is also carried out in JCE Classroom Activity #27 (pp 624A-B) and a demonstration on the preparation of sodium iodide, written by Zelek Herman (pp 619-621). Together, the five articles provide an interesting combination of ideas for investigating and describing both the macroscopic and the submicroscopic views of ionic crystals.

Is It the "Write" Time for You?

The end of the school year is approaching quickly. In previous years, several readers have submitted manuscripts soon after the end of the school year, while ideas were fresh in their mind and there was relief from the demands of daily classes. If you have an idea for an article, I encourage you to think about writing as soon as the school term ends. I can probably guess what you are saying, "I don't have anything that readers would be interested in." This is a common reaction, to which we frequently respond by reminding high school teachers that this is "your journal" and the only way to ensure that topics of interest to you are considered or published is by your active participation. In this presidential election year I am reminded of the familiar sentiment, "I voted in the election, so I have earned the right to complain about the politicians." I do not wish to encourage complaining, but there is a relevant correlation. By submitting manuscripts to the Journal, you are ensuring that you will continue to get your money's worth because it will include topics of interest to you.

When considering a submission, many prospective authors are overwhelmed at the thought of preparing a complete manuscript. Don't let that stop you. If you have an idea, an outline, or a rough draft, any of the feature editors or I would be happy to discuss it with you. This one-on-one interaction during the development process will help you express your ideas more effectively. Many teachers across the country who are faced with similar situations and problems each day would benefit from an article discussing innovative teaching strategies or a new way to look at principles we teach every year.

As you begin to formulate your ideas, I would like to emphasize five features whose editors are fellow teachers:

• JCE Classroom Activities. An invitation for contributions was issued in the April issue of this column (JCE, 2000, 77, 431).
• Chemical Principles Revisited, edited by Cary Kilner
• Interdisciplinary Connections, edited by Mark Alber
• Second Year and Advanced Placement Chemistry,
  edited by John Fischer
• View From My Classroom, edited by David Byrum

Information about the expectations for each feature and contact information for each feature editor may be found online, http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/AboutJCE/Features/index.html. So review the various features today, and drop one of the editors or me an email briefly discussing your idea. We will begin a dialogue to explore the topic more thoroughly and do our best to provide feedback to help you submit the best possible manuscript.

If you have selected a topic and are ready to prepare a manuscript for submission, be sure to consult the Guide to Submissions (JCE 2000, 77, 29-30 or http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/Journal/Authors/Guidelines.html). If you are considering writing about a laboratory experiment, consult Supplemental Guidelines, JCE Lab-Experiment Manuscripts ( this issue, p 562). We look forward to hearing from you soon.