timelinescience - Midgley - teacher's notes

resources

Thomas Midgley - man of ideas

National Curriculum links (Key Stage 3 science)
Sc1 1c	... about the ways in which scientists worked in the past, including the roles of experimentation, evidence and creative thought in the development of scientific ideas
Sc3 1c	... that the elements are shown in the periodic table and consist of atoms, which can be represented by symbols
Sc3 3h	... to identify patterns in chemical reactions
National Curriculum links (Key Stage 4 double science)
Sc1 1c	... ways in which scientific work may be affected by the contexts in which it takes place ...
Sc1 1d	... to consider the power and limitations of science in addressing industrial, social and environmental questions ...
Sc3 2p	... how the Earth's atmosphere ... [has] changed over time
Sc3 3a-e	The periodic table
Sc3 3h	... the properties, reactions and uses of the halogens

Resources

Thomas Midgley - man of ideas shows how Midgley solved problems presented to him and the way the Periodic Table was a major asset to him in his research. It covers the development of antiknocking agents for petrol and safe refrigerants.

Thomas Midgley trouble looks at the problems which resulted from the use of lead in petrol and CFCs. It also considers how the problems have been tackled. Midgley's bizarre death - another good idea which went wrong - is also mentioned.

Activities

Activity 1
Questions about Midgley's work and the periodic table.
Activity 2
creating a display to tell the story of the development of the use of lead in petrol creating a display to tell the story of the development of CFCs (links to possible Web sites to support learning about the way in which these compounds have damaged to ozone layer are included) writing activities based on the effect that scientists may have on the lives of other people