Adaptation of Periodic Table to nahuatl language: a proposal of teaching and inclusion

Abstract

Periodic table is an important tool in science. From elementary school to high school, students take a formal chemistry class, where the learning of chemical elements is necessary. Periodic Table has been translated into many languages, nevertheless, the native languages are not considered. Evidently, is important to link both schemes; cultural and scientific, that would be favored the scientific vocations in students of indigenous people. In this article, an adaptation of the Periodic Table to náhuatl language is shown following three translate criteria: I) the etymology of the name, directly; II) the etymology of the words from which the name of the element comes from III) some main characteristics of the element. It is worth to note, that of our knowledge this is the first proposal of adaptation of the periodic table to náhuatl language or any other native language in Mexico. This could be a good option to implement it in the chemistry teaching in bilingual schools.