Several years ago I first read this book. Of course, when I first picked it up I thought that it was JUST a chemist writing about the Periodic Table. What I discovered, however, was that it was much more than that - it is the story of a man's life as seen through chemistry.

Primo Michele Levi (31 July 1919 – 11 April 1987) was an Italian Jewish chemist and writer. He was a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland during the 2nd World War. He was the author of several novels and numerous poems. The Periodic Table (1975) was named the best science book ever written by the Royal Institution of Great Britain.

My challenge to you is to read a section (or more, if you wish) of this book, and then pick your element and write a story based on how YOU see this element you have chosen relating to your life. This story can be real or autobiographical, fiction, or a dream work. As an alternative if your creative interests are otherwise, you could do an art project - picture, drawing, etc. - that incorporates an important aspect, for you, of the element you are working with.

This project is not just a telling of the history of an element (that is another extra credit opportunity), this is trying to give you an opportunity to go way beyond the usual, to combine different parts of what you know, different skills. This is an opportunity to combine reality with illusion, to use your whole self.

This project will be evaluated by both me and an appropriate other department (English, Fine Arts, etc.) as a "project" under "Tests" in your grades. Your work has to show a significant amount of effort and will not get a grade just for handing something in, and, although you can give it in anytime prior, must be submitted by 3:05 PM on the last day of classes for the 3rd quarter. (This will give us time to properly evaluate your work, and the result will show in your 4th quarter grade.