Exploring the Everyday Context of Chemical Elements: Discovering the Elements of Car Components

Abstract

This paper presents a project about the chemical elements made by 15-year-old Spanish high school students of Chemistry. It focuses on contex-based teaching combined with the advantages of creating a large mural which subsequently is exposed in the school. The project consisted of researching the chemical elements in the different materials that make up a car, identifying the uses of some chemical elements in daily life, and remembering the names and symbols of the elements. Students’ response to the activity was evaluated through a survey in which progress can be seen in the pupils’ knowledge regarding the names, symbols, and uses of the chemical elements in daily life. An additional attitudes’ survey showed that students had enjoyed the project and the task had helped them understand how chemical elements are used to create materials.