Lawn Chair Stereoisomers

Stereoisomers are often a difficult concept for students in the nonmajor’s General,Organic, and Biochemistry course. Typically, the concept of stereoisomers is discussed; however, the assignment of R/S configuration is not usually covered. Children’s plastic stacking lawn chairs that have been modified with colored tape can be used as a visual aide for teaching stereoisomers. This visual aide is easy, inexpensive, and demonstrates the concepts of nonsuperimposability, superimposability, enantiomers, and diastereomers to the students in a nonintimidating manner.