The document discusses the importance of storytelling and engagement in learning chemistry, using the comic series 'The Adventures of Allison and Friends' to illustrate chemical concepts as a natural language. It provides examples of various chemical structures and their contexts, emphasizing how such narratives can enhance understanding and retention. Key figures such as Seymour Papert and Albert Einstein are referenced to support the notion that imagination and emotional connection are vital to education.

1. Learning Chemistry Language Early
with
The Adventures of Allison and Friends

2. “Education has very little to do with explanation; it has to do
with engagement, falling in love with the material… There is
no good learning without strong emotion.”
-- Seymour Papert

3. Imagination is more important than Knowledge
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is
limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world,
stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. It is, strictly
speaking, a real factor in scientific research.”
-- Albert Einstein

4. Chemistry Language is similar to Natural Language
“The language of chemistry is very similar to any natural
language. Thus, there exists a great similarity between the
language of chemistry and the natural language including the
process as well as the mechanics of learning.”
-- Mahadev Kumbar

5. Storytelling is Critical
“Storytelling is critical. If you organize information in storytelling,
children are more likely to learn it. And adults are, too.”
-- Jennifer Kotler Clarke,
Sesame Street’s VP for
research and evaluation

6. The Adventures of
Allison and Friends
A comic series for young
readers exploring the world
of everyday chemistry,
where chemistry language
is treated as
a natural language with
chemical structures as words
in a visual narrative.
Samples from the series are as
follows.

7. The Context of a Chemical
Structure is depicted in the
Visual Narrative
2-methylundecanal
This compound smells
herbaceous, orange, and
ambergris-like. It is used in a
prestigious perfume, namely
Chanel No. 5.

8. The Context of a Chemical
Structure is depicted in the
Visual Narrative
Limonene
Limonene takes its name from
the lemon as the rind of the
lemon, like other citrus fruits,
contains considerable
amounts of this compound,
which contributes to their
odor.
Limonene is a chiral molecule
– with (R)-limonene smelling
like orange and (S)-limonene
smelling like lemon.

9. The Context of a Chemical
Structure is depicted in the
Visual Narrative
Silk Protein Molecule
What is shown here is known
as the pleated structure of the
molecules making up silk ,
where chains of the protein
molecule are aligned side-by-
side with every other chain
aligned in the opposite
direction.
One source of such silk
molecules is the thick mat of
byssus threads of a pen shell
used to anchor it in the
seabed.

10. The Context of a Chemical
Structure is depicted in the
Visual Narrative
Curcumin, with its powerful
antioxidant and anti-
inflammatory properties, is
the most active constituent of
the turmeric spice, which is
extracted and produced from
rhizomes, tuberous
underground stems of a
turmeric plant.

11. The Context of a Chemical
Structure is depicted in the
Visual Narrative
Galantamine, an alkaloid that
can be isolated from the bulb
and flower of such flowers as
snowdrop (shown here) or
daffodil, has been used in the
treatment of memory
impairments, in particular
those of vascular origin.

12. The Context of a Chemical
Structure is depicted in the
Visual Narrative
Anthocyanin absorbs light in
the blue-green wavelengths,
allowing the red wavelengths
to be scattered by leaf tissues
and make them visible to us in
shades of red, purple and
crimson.

13. The Context of a Chemical
Structure is depicted in the
Visual Narrative
Amylose and amylopectin
are two varieties of glucose
polymer making up – in
respective proportions of 30-
70% or 20-80% - what is
known as starch, a common
ingredient among such food
as mashed potatoes, bread,
gravy and sauce…
While amylose is an
unbranched chain of glucose
units, amylopectin is highly
branched with amyloselike
chains.

14. For Further Exploration
Available on Amazon com in both formats – digital and print:
The Adventures of Allison and Friends
A Treasure on the Beach
The Secret of the Golden Yarn
Hidden Treasure Pathways of the Great Forest
More to come

15. References
• Roald Hoffmann and Pierre Laszlo, Representation in Chemistry [in Roald
Hoffmann on the Philosophy, Art, and Science of Chemistry, Oxford
University Press (2012)]
• Mahadev Kumbar, Chemistry in a Day of Student’s Life, iUniverse (2003)
• Jim Tankersley, Study: Kids can learn as much from ‘Sesame Street’ as
from preschool, Washington Post, June 7th, 2015.
• Stephen J Weininger, Contemplating the Finger: Visuality and the
Semiotics of Chemistry, An International Journal for the Philosophy of
Chemistry, Vol. 4 (1998), 3-27.