„…natürlich Chemie!“ : Chemieunterricht in naturnaher Umgebung und naturbezogenen Kontexten ; ein Unterrichtskonzept für die Sekundarstufen I und II

Even though many natural phenomena are based on chemical processes, most people consider chemistry and nature as strict contrasts, with chemistry as the evil and nature as the good part on a scale. A connection of both concepts cannot be perceived. These tendencies are, on the one hand, frequently illustrated in specialized literature; on the other hand, they have been explored as well as verified in the context of a survey in spring 2013 in schools close to Siegen and Olpe. Such an antagonistic view is not far-reaching, because chemistry is only one way to interpret the world by focusing on compounds and their conversions.

Teaching chemistry in free nature and with natural contexts can be an opportunity to immediately experience and understand chemical phenomena to close this gap and provide a personally meaningful, exciting and motivating access to chemistry. The teaching concept „…natürlich Chemie!“ can be a useful way to realize this idea. By doing so, traditional contents should not be replaced, but the reference frame of chemistry education is widened.

By teaching chemistry this way, the importance of sustainable acting and the accountability to the environment become clearer, when nature as the substantial basis of all living is focused. So it is easily possible to integrate aspects of Education for Sustainable Development (ESP), which is, on the one hand, politically postulated and, on the other hand, socially important, as proved within the executed study.

Until now, three units for higher school levels have been developed: (1) More than tasty food: chemical investigation of milk, (2) Sweet and interesting: honey in the focus of chemistry and (3) About risks and side-effects: natural medicine.