Chemistry
and Culture
Intended Audience
The Chemistry and Culture Workbook is designed for high school students that can be used to augment general chemistry curriculum or serve as a stand alone curriculum such as a summer program. Students learn standard operating chemistry lab techniques in a kitchen setting through incorporation of safe, green, chemistry instruction in everyday cooking and baking. These materials also integrate cultural exploration and relatability into each lesson plan to ensure the unity between chemistry and different cultural perspectives. The curriculum is intended for use in:
100-level non-science at community college or university
Home-schooling
Low-resource schools - kitchen based
Features
Historically excluded students (underrepresented minorities, females, low income, disabled, etc.) pursuing college degrees are faced with unique challenges that often result in them leaving science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and health science fields. The goal of the Chemistry and Culture Workbook is to engage students from diverse backgrounds and encourage a sense of belonging within the STEM and health science fields.
Native American culture and stories are emphasized but instructors can modify to include examples from their student demographics – examples will be provided with the instructor manual
Curriculum includes the work from two Native American chemists – Dr. Naomi Lee who is Onodowaga (Seneca) and Dr. Joslynn Lee who is of Diné (Navajo), K’awaika (Laguna Pueblo) and Haak’u (Acoma Pueblo).
Contents
Lab Safety
Kitchen Safety
Waste Management
Periodic Table and Atomic Structure
Significant Figures, Reading Labels, Unit Conversions, and Measuring Volumes/Mass
Density Calculations
Stoichiometry: Pancakes vs. Crepes
Separations, Liquid Measurements, and Solution Preparation
Saturated Solutions and Recrystallization
Biochemistry: Proteins, Enzyme Lactase, and Acid/Base Chemistry
Supply list and slides available with an instructor copy
REActivites To Try

Significant Figures, Reading Labels, Unit Conversions, and Measuring Volumes/Mass

Saturated Solutions and Recrystallization
Chemistry and Culture REActivities Workbook
Interested in adopting the REActivities workbook for your Chemistry and Culture lab? Click below to see how you can access the workbook and even customize a lab manual through Lab Library from Xanedu.
Contact Information:
Dr. Naomi Lee
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Northern Arizona University
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
928-523-7379
Naomi.Lee@nau.edu
The authors acknowledge our ancestors and their contributions to chemistry.
The REActivities team is grateful for the generous support of the National Science Foundation, Rochester Institute of Technology, the National Institutes of Health, the University of New Mexico, Northern Arizona University, and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute for their generous support with our design and development of these materials.