BUENA PARK : Lab Classes Have Right Chemistry

In Catherine France’s eighth-grade chemistry class, students used beakers, cylinders, aluminum foil, copper sulfate and diluted hydrochloric acid to conjure up a reaction to get pure copper.

“Oh . . . it stinks,” said Jennifer Buntyn, 13, as she stirred the solution of chemical compounds. “But it’s more interesting than reading a book because you actually get to do it and see what happens.”

Students at Buena Park Junior High School agreed that a new chemistry lab provides the setting for an exciting learning experience.

During one recent morning, students put on goggles and lab aprons and began their assignment for the day: to separate copper from the compound copper sulfate using chemical energy.

“It’s fun to see what new chemicals you make when you do it in a lab,” said Rita Patel, 12, who plans a career in the sciences.

Classmate Mike Cao, 13, said he likes the atmosphere of the lab, complete with new carpeting, desks, chairs and air conditioning.

“The experiments are fun,” he said. “It’s the only thing everybody looks forward to.”

Inside France’s classroom, there are 10 lab stations with electronic scales, gas outlets for Bunsen burners and sinks with hot and cold running water.

School officials said that the sophisticated lab, completed for the start of this school year, helps to spark students’ interest in chemistry and encourages them to pursue the sciences in upper grades and in college.

“The hands-on experience at this age gets them excited about science and helps them to understand it and not be afraid of it,” said France, a 23-year chemistry teacher who has been teaching for 13 years at the junior high school.

The Buena Park School District spent about $250,000 for the lab, part of a recent expansion of the school that also included adding five other new classrooms.

District officials said the money to pay for the school’s renovation came from the sale of three elementary schools.

Money from the property sales will be used to upgrade other schools in the district, officials said.

Principal Ronald L. Barry said the money was well spent because not too many junior high schools in Orange County are equipped with such an advanced chemistry lab.

“It’s highly unusual for any middle school or junior high school to have such an elaborate science facility as the one we offer students,” Barry said. “The thrust is in math, science and technology, and so we’re certainly moving in that direction.”

All the students at the junior high receive two years of science classes, including earth science, life science, physical science and chemistry.

“Most junior high schools offer only one year of the sciences and any lab work has to be done by pushing desks together,” said France, who started her career as a research chemist.

In the basic chemistry class, of which 200 students are enrolled this semester, France teaches how to write equations, predict reactions from mixing chemicals and compare different types of reactions.

France’s goal is for her students to become familiar with “reading, writing and speaking” chemistry and to understand chemical reactions and why they occur.

“Chemistry terms are almost foreign language at this age,” she said. “But when they leave, they’re very familiar with it.”

France said that when she hears about former students who choose careers as chemists, “it makes me feel it’s all worthwhile.”