On March 3rd, Westwood chemistry teacher, Jeffery O’Shields, taught his class to separate different colored dyes in grape Kool-Aid. This experiment is called Kool chromatography. The students did this by using column chromatography, a popular method used in research and industry to separate, isolate, and purify components of mixture.
Throughout the course of his career, Mr. O’Shields has taught the Kool chromatography experiment multiple times. His favorite part is seeing his students’ final results and their excitedly accomplished expressions.
“When I see my students faces it make me happy seeing there reaction when they separate the dyes in the grape Kool-Aid I love teaching chemistry¨ O´Shields
O’Shields started doing in-class experiments to give his students the opportunity to work hands-on. This lesson impacts O’Shields students by covering an important part of chemistry. Kool-Aid chromatography demonstrates the principles of separation through chromatography.
A technique used to isolate and identify components of a mixture based on their interactions with a stationary and mobile phase. The stationary phase is a solid or liquid that stays still .The mobile is a liquid or gas that moves and carries the mixture’s components with it.
Kool-Aid chromatography not only helps students understand the fundamentals of chemistry, it helps them follow directions and teaches them teamwork through collaboration. Despite the importance of these skills for the future, some students in the class miss out on the value in the lesson.
“I noticed that some students don’t follow directions, I noticed that some students make more of a problem each year. (They) also have problems with listening skills”, O’Shields said when discussing what he noticed when students don’t get the correct results from the experiment.
“Some students are struggling to follow (the directions). I hear other teachers also talking about the behavior of students”, said Mr. O’Shields. O’Shields mostly teaches sophomores this year.
Jay West, Redhawk Junior, a student at Westwood. West has learned the separation of colors, how alcohol affects the water color. West also learned how oxygen is affected. So far West likes this experiment. West did not get through the whole experiment but from what he learned. West likes the experiment. West favorite part was when he saw color changes on the tray.
Faith is a student at Westwood .Faith has learned how to separate color and Kool-Aid. She also has learned separating these two substances makes alcohol. Faith believes that the experiment is fun. Faith really enjoyed participating. Faith was hands-on and participated during the whole experiment.
Faith’s favorite part was seeing the colors separate. Something that shocked her was the simple fact that these two substances, alcohol and Kool-Aid can be separated.
