Dr. Jackie Trischman
Abstract:
Students in this chemistry course for non-chemistry majors take a chemical investigation through chocolate. The concept of melting points can be boring, In this course, however, students collect chocolate from different areas around the world. The cocoa beans have different melting points based on the proximity to the equator. Students have the choice of putting the chocolate out in the sun, letting it melt in their mouths, or any other method to help determine how fast each type of chocolate melts. They then document their findings and apply what happened to the melting point predictions. Any course can take a topic and contextualize it to the environment and make it fun.