2012 Volume 53 Issue 1 Pages 61-67
In this paper, we report that a micro-scale experiment is an effective method not only for the protection of the environment, but also for the improvement of students' critical thinking abilities. We developed a junior high school science lab experiment using a new plastic container with transparent sides (called a Pack-Test container) that allows detailed observation of chemical phenomena around the electrodes during classroom lab experiments with cells and electrolysis. Using the teaching materials we developed for cell and electrolyzing experiments, several classes for junior high school students were conducted. From a questionnaire and written responses, we found that the present teaching materials have the efficacy to cultivate and improve students' scientific abilities to hypothesize, analyze, and explain through observing chemical reactions near the electrodes.
