Mr. Priester and Ms. Smith’s honors and standard chemistry classes have been working on a unique project called “Advertise an Element”. Each student had to pick any element from the periodic table to advertise and persuade others to buy in to idea that his or her chosen element is the best element on the Periodic Table.

After students chose their element, they had to decide what properties of the element made it unique and worthy of being the best element. Students were allowed to choose how they wanted to promote their element. They could create an advertisement in the form of a poster, brochure, billboard, Instagram post, or video advertising. Students then shared their advertisements with others in the class.

We were able to interview Ms. Smith and Mr. Preister to get to know a bit more about them and about the project!

What was successful and unsuccessful about the project?

Ellen Smith: “Successful the people who picked elements that they didn’t really know about and were able to learn more about the element they picked.”

Steven Priester: “Unsuccessful, not doing at all or students that thought just let me get a bunch of random, boring, dry facts”

What might you change to improve the project for next year?

Ellen Smith: “I think I had them include a lot of facts and next year I would want more of the advertising part of the project”

What is your personal favorite element?

Steven Preister: “Sodium. It’s so boring yet it’s so reactive… I live for the fact that its letters have nothing to do with what sodium is”

Ellen Smith: “My favorite element is Nickle because I love how it got its name” “and it’s the Nickle, and I love money”

Also – fun facts about Mr. Preister and Ms. Smith

What is your favorite spot to eat?

Steven Preister: “This place in Louisville, Toasty oh, it’s so good.

Ellen Smith: “Most Tacos; their delicious fried avocado taco with lime juice. Amazing”

What do you enjoy doing for entertainment or in your free time?

Steven Preister: “I’ve been enjoying Canning. My favorite food I’ve canned so far is holiday cranberry jam”

Ellen Smith: “In my free time I like to knit and play the guitar”

Do u have any pets? Neither have pets but Ms. Smith is “getting a dog in May. I think Imma get a Dachshund”

Here are some of the honors and standard Chemistry students are work:

Dahlia Jerome (10th) Element Project on Lead

Lucille Block (10th) Element Project on Xenon

Eleanor Harris (10th) Element Project on Neon

Boris Primero Ruiz (11th) Element Project on Calcium

E’Leah Fleming (10th) Element Project on Gold