The World of Chemistry Secondary School Project (WCSS) is a distinctive cost-effective education package for use as supplementary materials for secondary schools, based upon materials developed for the college level course which was principally funded by the Annenberg/CPB project. The materials will include a set of 20 modules on chemistry, which can be used for basic to honors level first chemistry courses. Each module will comprise a 15 minute video tape with accompanying written materials of a maximum of five pages per module. The written materials will be published as a loose leaf Instructional Manual to provide for easy duplication. Each video module will illustrate and highlight a given concept or idea in a multi-faceted way: at the molecular level with two and three dimensional graphics and state-of-the-art animation; at the macro level through laboratory demonstrations and suggested in-class activities for students; at the very broad macro level through industrial applications and practical problem solving by scientists and engineers; and at another macro level through relating concepts to everyday life, such as bio-medical applications, food preparation, and the environment. HIgh school chemistry courses have long been in need of revisions and revitalization. In addition, many schools have severely curtailed laboratory experiments due to financial and liability issues. These materials will address both problems by providing excellent supplementary and current information in the area of chemistry. Where laboratory activities are minimal to nonexistent, the portrayal of experiments and practical applications will help fill a serious gap. The developmental process is being modeled on a proven process used by the successful project, Adaptations of the Mechanical Universe and Beyond.
