Chemistry in School

Kaijsa and a friend. The halls of glory... hours of fun! Gulberg's periodic table... very helpful on tests when he forgot to take it down! The AP Chemistry class books. Also hours of fun.

Our interview with Dr. Larry Gulberg took us to Woodinville High School, a place veiled in mystery and excitement... for others. We'd already graduated a few months earlier from the place (and were freeeeeeee...). At the time of our visit, the actual science rooms were in a state of disarray, the floors having been freshly waxed (and we happily demonstrated our ample intelligence by walking through the wet wax), and so we didn't get any pictures of Dr. Gulberg's classroom itself. After interviewing Larry Gulberg (or "Doc" as many students call him), he was kind enough to take us into the backroom of the science department of Woodinville High School for some photo-taking fun. The backroom is the hub of science at WHS, with rows of chemicals and equipment lining the shelves, waiting to be used to further the education of hundreds of eager (and not so eager) students. Yessir, we could feel the power. Doc. Gulberg teaches a variety of classes, including a few accelerated chemistry classes and AP chemistry. In fact, both Darren and Kaijsa are alumni of his class! Both got passing grades on the test, and so did a large number of others that took the class, which speaks highly of Doc's commitment to teaching and his ability to teach. But while studying hard and paying attention may have helped them on the test, the visual aid and hands-on experience that came from working with the chemicals from the back room helped that information gain a foothold in the their minds. All sorts of neat chemical reactions came out of the back room. Flame-color tests were carried out with copper, nylon was created and pulled out of beakers, acids and bases were neutralized. And then there was my personal favorite: the melting of extraneous change with thermite. Most students are kept out of the backroom area, due to the chemicals and the fact that during the day the science faculty retreat to this area of seclusion to relax. We, being the scientifically splendid fellows we are, had been back here many times on various projects, errands, and quests. So there you have it: a glimpse into the world of a teaching chemist. Don't we all wish we had such splendid toys?

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