December 2014 - January 2015

A collection of chemis-trees

Jean Hein

five chemis-trees made from classroom lab equipment and materials Thanks to the following teachers who sent in pictures of their class chemist-tree for this issue’s cover.

Erika Fatura, Pentwater Public Schools in Pentwater MI

I had a benzene ring for a star. The tree has all of my chemistry classes’ ornaments on it. It generated a lot of interest from my younger students.

Sue Bober, Schaumburg High School, Schaumburg IL

Mike Palazzolo and I spent an afternoon looking for clamps. The bottom is covered with an “Instant Snow Polymer” and we put a benzene molecule on top for the star.

Kristin Gregory, West Geauga High School, Chesterland OH

I have enjoyed the photos in the current edition of Chem 13 News and my lab assistant was excited to be able to help create a tree. We tried to be authentic with copper tinsel strands and aluminum strip icicles.

Alberto Moniz, Streetsville Secondary School, Mississauga ON

Streetsville’s chemist-tree has become a bit of a tradition along with singing chemistry carol lyrics. Last Christmas carols were sung up and down the halls of our school with great enthusiasm.

Beth Johnston, St. Michaels University School, Victoria BC

Each year during our school-wide Christmas assembly the chemistry students sing a couple of "Chemistry Carols". This year a few students constructed the chemis-tree.

The following carol — along with the others in this holiday issue — is here thanks to the creativity of Alberto Moniz.