Creative Chemistry Story

The Activity
Below is an activity suitable for Year 9 to 11 students designed by The McClintock Collective, a group of female educators interested in developing inclusive science curricula. Write a response to either Scene 1 or 2. Post this on the discussion forum for EDF5465.

The atoms party.
Prepare a script as set out below ( pick one scene)
Your writing must be based on scientific concepts but the story line is fictional. Be as creative as you like: give characters names and personalities; use drawings if you wish. Strip cartoon format is also acceptable. Submit your responses on the chat forum.
Scene 2
While all this is happening you are drawn into a strange relationship yourself. As one of the dew oxygen atoms at the party, you find yourself the topic of conversation amongst a nearby group of happy hydrogen atoms.

Suddenly two of the hydrogen atoms move away from their groups and approach you. The music continues to fill the room. What happens to you during the rest of the evening? What type of relationship are you drawn into? Is this the beginning of a very watery affair? Include the following terms in your description: covalent, electrons, sharing and shells.

(Note: This activity first appeared in McClintock Memos, Volume 8, December,1987.)

THE RESPONSE
Presenting the…
LOVE TRIANGLE

I always felt growing up that I had something missing. In my teenage years I was diagnosed with an incomplete outer shell and was constantly looking for a partner or partners to complete me to fill my electron shells. When I meet Oxy we discovered we had so much in common. Both needing to be more balance we we quickly entered a relationship after covalent bonding ceremony. It was all going so well we had many journeys together, into the ocean and into a wombat until last night when we were invited to the atom party. We stuck together throughout the night until we interacted with glucose. For the first time ever I was separated from from Oxy and found myself involved with two the Proton Twins. He left me to create a family with his twin and Carby. While Oxy and I had a balance relationship we shared our electron equally the Proton Twins are terrific they seem to be so happy for me to have their electrons more often than not. I feel so much more negativity but their positivity means be are balanced.