Decide what topic you would like, and email me; I will add you to the list on our Canvas page - first come, first served, in order of emails, and once you see your name and topic there, then you can proceed with it. Otherwise, I'll send you a note back that someone already took that particular topic. Don't worry, there's a lot of topic areas out there....Better to start with a bigger broader topic area than a narrow one though, so that you can follow the information and not be limited initially.
Start with a topic statement with description of the topic area, due 9/29 (you can revise it later in the term for your final product), and then will build pages based on tying your topic to representative molecules which fit into the topics of this course. At the end a presentation will be made of your topic for which your pages can be used as the visuals. The goal for maximum credit is to tie 10 major molecule groups of this course into your project along with 10 class objectives. (helpful hint: I have no problem with using Wikipedia as a citable source!)
Project:
Tuesday October 6: Two pages due, for which each page includes a drawing of a molecule which pertains to your topic in some way. Identify what type of molecule it is. If pertinent, identify functional groups or make other comments about structure and properties based on the structure and your reading. (If proteins or other macromolecules, identifying functional groups probably does not apply at this time; revisit when we've looked into those chapters and see what points can be included regarding molecular structure that apply to that type of molecule.)
Describe how this molecule relates to your topic - what role is it playing? You should have a grand total of 14 molecules by the end of the project, each with its own page. Each Tuesday you should turn in two more; hopefully you will have more to say about each one as we go through the course and as you continue to read up on your topic.
At the end of the term, revisit your entire project, see what else you can say analytically about the type, structural features, properties and function of your molecules, and arrange in a logical order to turn in a finished product and to give a presentation to your classmates. Hopefully over the term, additional chemical insights will jump out at you that you can apply to your project as you look back over it.
For the presentation, you can use the document that you assembled, and just go over featured points you wish to share with your classmates for their edification, or you can put those main points into a PowerPoint specifically for oral presentation.
Citations should be included as footnotes on each page. No particular format required, but be clear about your source and when you accessed your source if online. Individual pages should be cited individually; don't just use "Wikipedia" as your source; list the individual page and date accessed. You don't need to go over your citations with your classmates!
Overall, 100 points:
- 30 points: 2 pts each page turned in on time including topic page (each Tuesday): 15 x 2
- 20 points: 2 pts each for identifying maximum of 10 different major molecule groups that can be applied to 10 of your 14 molecules collection (write clear footnotes for these, explaining the connection to specific group). These major molecule groups may include: aromatics, alcohols, ethers, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, esters, amines, amino acids, peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids or triglycerides, nucleic acids or nucleotides, steroids, fat soluble vitamins. That's 10 separate molecule groups, no more than one per representative molecule, so 10 of your molecule collection.
- 20 points: 2 pts each for identifying how maximum of 10 different class outcomes (see list in syllabus) apply to your topic (write clear footnotes for these; don't just put in list numbers). It is ok to apply more than one of these to a given molecule page.
- 15 points: finished project, organized into a logical sequence, citations and footnotes all included, edited for syntax/grammar/spelling etc.
- 15 points: presentation to your classmates