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George G. Stanley

Cyril & Tutta Vetter
Alumni Professor

Choppin Hall Room 614
Phone: 225-578-3471
gstanley@lsu.edu

PDF File with overall description of program along with sample teacher evaluation forms, student essays and some classroom photos

LSU ChemDemo Program

The LSU ChemDemo program currently involves various sections of our introductory chemistry courses (General Chemistry 1201/1202 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1001/1002, typically 180-250 students per section).  Interested faculty members who teach sections of these courses assign a bonus homework assignment to the class that involves visiting a K-12 school and performing one set of chemical (or sometimes more general science) demonstrations for a class of students.  We currently have seven sets of tested, safe demonstrations for LSU students to choose from that usually involve hands-on participation of some or all of the students in the classroom that is being visited.  We provide detailed instructions for each set of experiments that includes a list of chemicals and items needed, how to perform and explain the science behind the demonstration, presentation tips, and connections of the chemistry/science involved to everyday life.

ChemDemos (Word  files)

Demo # 1 - The Atmosphere

Demo # 2 - Silly Putty

Demo # 3 - Styrofoam, Starch, Solubility & Recycling

Demo # 4 - Acids & Bases

Demo # 6 - Energy

Demo # 7 - Light Reactions

Demo # 8 - Kinetics, Equilibrium & Catalysis

ChemDemos (PDF files)

Demo # 1 - The Atmosphere

Demo # 2 - Silly Putty

Demo # 3 - Styrofoam, Starch, Solubility & Recycling

Demo # 4 - Acids & Bases

Demo # 6 - Energy

Demo # 7 - Light Reactions

Demo # 8 - Kinetics, Equilibrium & Catalysis

The ChemDemo Program was initiated by Profs. Patrick Limbach and George Stanley in the Fall of 1997.  We would especially like to thank Profs. Tamara Nauman and Patrick Kolniak for preparing demonstration kits and assisting in the restocking of them.  Ben Fowler in the Organic Stockroom has also provided last second support on many occasions in fetching liquid nitrogen and dry ice. 

 We received some initial financial support from the Louisiana Chemical Association ($1,000) and ExxonMobil ($2,500) and thank them for their contributions.  The LSU Chemistry Department provides routine supplies like liquid nitrogen, dry ice, oxygen & hydrogen gas, etc.  Profs. Stanley and Chan have purchased other supplies from their NSF research grants (thanks NSF!!).  Prof. Steve Soper and the new NSF-funded Center for BioModular Multiscaled Systems is now providing additional support for supplies and staff assistance to help expand the ChemDemo program.

The following list outlines the participation in this program:


Semester, Year

# LSU
Students

# K-12
Classrooms


Professors Involved

Fall 1997

229

110

Limbach, Stanley

Spring 1998

267

103

Nauman

Fall 1998

302

153

Lyon, Nauman, Stanley

Fall 1999

233

121

Limbach, Stanley

Spring 2000

146

71

Kolniak

Summer 2000

55

18

Kolniak

Fall 2000

240

108

Kolniak, Maverick

Spring 2001

420

202

Kolniak, Stanley

Summer 2001

71

23

Kolniak

Fall 2001

332

139

Kolniak, Stanley, Hammer

Spring 2002

312

138

Kolniak, Stanley, Hammer

Summer 2002

76

25

Kolniak

Fall 2002

162

85

Kolniak

Spring 2003

425

248

Kolniak, Stanley

Summer 2003

84

32

Kolniak

Fall 2003

225

102

Kolniak, Maverick

Spring 2004

385

176

Kolniak, Stanley

Summer 2004

96

36

Kolniak

Fall 2004

394

215

Kolniak, Stanley

Spring 2005

    

Kolniak, Stanley

Totals:

4454

2105

  

Since Fall, 1997 we have sent out over 4,400 LSU undergraduates who visited 2,100+ classrooms impacting more than 50,000 K-12 students.  As part of these ChemDemo classroom visits, we obtain evaluations from the K-12 teachers about how well the LSU students did with their demonstrations.  Virtually all the LSU students received the maximum possible ranking and in the comment section of the evaluation the K-12 teachers raved about the ChemDemo program. We also have the LSU students write a 2-4 page essay about their classroom experience.  Many of these essays contain vivid descriptions of how amazed the LSU students were at performing chemistry (and science) demonstrations in front of a class and how eager, excited, and enthusiastic the students in the classroom were.

Anne Price and Tim Robichaux (not shown) visit Mrs. Bennett's Class at Baker Heights Elementary School in 1997 and have the class make "Silly Putty."

Danny Pino and Jamie Bordelon visit Mrs. Brunson's class at Bernard Terrace in 1997 and have the class make "Silly Putty."

Aggie Domino and Elizabeth McDaniel visit  Mrs. Smith's Class at Parkview Baptist Elementary School in 1998 and perform the Acid-Base Experiments.  

Lien Le and Anna Vu visit Mrs. Marino's third grade class at Cedarcrest Elementary School in 1999 and perform the Atmosphere Experiments. 

Hollie LeMaire visits Mrs. Leonard's class at Forked Island - East Broussard Elementary School in 1999 to do the Atmosphere Experiments.

Melissa Martello visits Mrs. White's Class at LSU Lab School in 1999 and has the class make "Silly Putty."