Author: Monika Bartova
Origin: CZECH REPUBLIC
Implemented in: Poland, Ireland and Portugal
The aim of this GP is to raise students’ interest in chemical compounds by discussing vitamin C. Students are split into groups and receive six information cards about six different chemical elements. They match the symbols in the right order to find the name of the compound: vitamin C. After that the whole class discussed what contains vitamin C, why it is necessary for our health and what diseases appear due to lack of vitamin C. Following this introductory lesson the students return to their former groups and start online research on the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, which fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C and how much, and how to cook without losing vitamin C. This exercise will open the eyes of many students and make them more aware of their own consumption of fruit and vegetables. Following the lessons the students are asked to count on a daily basis how much fruit and vegetable they eat during a day/week and calculate how much vitamin C they get from it. In a following lesson the students have to carry out an experiment in which they mix various substances with vitamin C tablets and make the vitamin C change colour so that they can see the amount of vitamin C that is contained in their mix.
Success stories
A teacher from Poland used this GP as a cross-curricular lesson, as she taught it in English. Her students enjoyed this GP very much and some of them were surprised to learn that “a lack of vitamin C in the body can cause weak immunity, and even scurvy.” The students also enjoyed doing the experiment in which they had to find out whether they had enough vitamin C to stay healthy. This motivated them, as vitamins are a very real-life topic that they can relate to. The fact that this GP was taught in English was also useful, as according to the teacher “learning science in English will help students learn both subjects. They will be handling real meaning rather than just words and structures. Something more than language must carry messages. That something else is what we see, hear and feel around us”. A teacher from Portugal and a teacher from Ireland were both also satisfied with the learning result of their students after having implemented this GP. The students were motivated and therefore participated in all the activities with enthusiasm, but they were also made more aware of the importance of healthy nourishment and the role of vitamin C.
