Chemistry is a science that helps combine atoms or matters together to shape the world. It predicts what will happen if we interact by a chemical “change”. However, the idea of “change” exists not only in science but in a normal chemistry class…

In Pre-AP chemistry, there is a concept which may be the foundation of the whole chemistry science. It’s called trends and patterns of periodic table or periodicity. In the following paragraph, two methods of teaching periodicity are discussed here to present you a “different” class in the teaching philosophy of “change”.

The first way here we can describe it as “separation”. In the traditional Pre-AP text book or exam guider, the periodicity is separated from the periodic table. One is in chapter 3 and another chapter 8. The periodicity has to be taught after kids finish learning the Periodic Table, compounds, equations and atomic structure. That may be reasonable due to kids in States knowing few about compounds and atomic structures in their previous education before they come to the Pre-AP course. Regarding this, a “Separation” of periodicity from periodic table can help them get an impression of the periodic table and its “mysterious arrangement” at first and then help them get the answers why those elements are fixed in this arrangement by fully understanding the trends and patterns in this “periodicity”. This kind of “separation” benefits those students a lot in the American Education system. However, when I applied this “separation” into my Chinese Pre-AP class last year, problems arose. Students seemed know few about the periodic table, they just remembered the periodic table elements without telling what the “mystery” was in its arrangement. Thus, they failed to keep the curiosity and eager to find out what is behind the periodic table. Supposedly, I think two reasons probably suppress their motivation to learn more of the periodic table. One is they are Chinese students. They have learned chemistry for one year and know the periodic table before. They take the periodic table chapter as a review or knowledge retelling in English more than a new chemistry concept. It seriously undermines their exploration for more behind the periodic table. And another reason is that there are several chapters between chapter 3(periodic table” and chapter4 (periodicity) which make knowledge coherence “separated”.

As a result, I know it needs some “changes” for the Chinese students. Technically, I combine the “periodic table” which is in chapter 3 and “periodicity” which is in chapter 8 together in this year. When it combined, apparently, the textbook seems not so much relied on, and knowledge in both periodic table and its periodicity is discussed together in a more refined way. For the students, they show really impressive improvement by connecting the periodic table with periodicity. When it refers to one individual element, they can make a reasonable predict on its possible chemical property by reflecting ideas in the periodicity of the periodic table. And that is very important for our students to understand chemistry. Luckily, I know this “change” works.

This little “change” is just a small reflection about the “difference” in the worldwide AP teaching. The difference between US education system and Chinese system coexists and will coexist forever even in the same AP course. Anyway, what’s more important is: chemistry, as a science shares the same ideas no matter in china or US. We teachers need to “change” for “difference” in local education systems with accordance to the same chemistry.

Mao Heifeng