3D Molecule Modeling w/ Chemdoodle 3D, a Pro Chemistry Software Program! (STEM)

In this 8-session course, students learn how to use a powerful 3D chemistry modeling software called ChemDoodle3D! ChemDoodle3D is used by science professionals to create high-quality molecular models and graphics for research papers. In this software program, students will have access to unlimited atoms and a molecule library to build complex molecular structures. No more running out of atoms parts when building molecule models! Learners will also be able to save and output their 3D molecule graphics as printable pages. The course starts off gradually to help learners acclimate to the software program, and then proceeds to explore complex molecules including proteins, carbohydrates, RNA and DNA. 

This course complements and moves beyond the Hands-on Molecule Building courses that we offer, since the software has more built-in resources and advanced features. 

Learn more about the ChemDoodle3D software here: https://www.chemdoodle.com/3d

Please Note: Students will use the ChemDoodle3D software during this course, which can be downloaded and used for $18/month during the duration of the course (2 months, total cost $36). The software program can be downloaded for either Mac or Windows/PC computers. There is also a free 14-day trial available. Please see purchase info in the Supply List section for more details. 

This course has a Flexible Age Range. If a learner under the age of 10 has previously taken our Hands-on Molecule Building courses, and feels comfortable using a computer independently, then they may take this course. 

Class Schedule:
Session 1: Introduction to ChemDoodle Interface 
- Setting up Chem Doodle 3 for our sessions
- Molecules Made: Water, Alkanes (methane, ethane), Ethanethiol, Alkenes and Alkynes 
- Topics covered: The structure of atoms - protons, neutrons and electrons, types of Covalent Bonds, learn about chains of carbon atoms called alkanes, alkynes and alkenes

Session 2: Atom Orbitals and Molecule Shapes
- Molecules Made: Carbon dioxide, Methane, Carbonate ion, Chlorine Trifluoride, Sulfur Hexafluoride
- Topics covered: Electron orbitals, make orbitals using Chem Doodle widget, learn about VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory) used to predict molecule shapes 

Session 3: Functional Groups
- Molecules Made: Formaldehyde, Citric Acid, Aspirin
- Topics Covered: Aldehyde and Acid functional groups in organic chemistry

Session 4: Proteins
- Molecules Made: Amino acid template, Methionine (needed for break down of fat to release energy), Lysine (calcium absorption)
- Topics Covered: Amino acids as building blocks of protein, protein structures (ribbon and backbone) and bringing in protein structures using the database in Chem Doodle 

Session 5: Carbohydrates
- Molecules Made: Glucose, Amylose (linear glucose chain in starch), Fructose, Sucrose and Stearic Acid
- Topics Covered: Idea of biomolecules, what are carbs, polysaccharides, lipids and how soap works with a fatty acid, concepts of hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules

Session 6: Nucleic Acid Structures 
- Molecules Made: Deoxyribose, phosphate group and nitrogenous base Adenine
- Topics Covered: What are nucleic acids, what is a nucleotide and the structure of a nucleotide

Session 7: Nucleic Acids, DNA and RNA continued
- Molecules Made: Guanine and Thymine; turn them into Nucleotides 
- Topics Covered: Continue exploring nucleic acids, nucleotides and the structure of a nucleotide

Session 8: Nucleic Acids, DNA and RNA continued
- Molecules Made: Cytosine and a simplified model structure of DNA 
- Topics Covered: Continue exploring nucleic acids, nucleotides and the structure of a nucleotide