The two main types of Hess cycles shown on a poster: cycles with combustion enthalpy data and formation enthalpy data. There’s versions both in colour and black and white. The diagram focuses on teaching them using a vector method which shows which arrow needs to be reversed. The answers of what to do are on the side of the poster.

One of the hardest questions the examiners can ask at A-level is how to predict the second and third ionisation energy. It’s not clearly labelled in the textbooks how to do this. So here’s a three-page set of notes on how to do this, working through some exam-style questions. Specification references include: OCR A 3.1.1, AQA 3.1.1.3

Colourful revision notes in checklist form of all the bond angles for the AQA course over two pages. It’s very helpful to be able to run quickly down a list of all the bond angles and check you remember them-this is very common in foreign languages where you have to learn lots of vocabulary: you cover the answers and run through them one by one. Lists of both the standard case study chemicals from the textbooks, and also others students may run into e.g. organic chemicals, which the textbook doesn’t link to this topic but exam questions may do. There’s also an explanation of the key points to make in explaining why bond angles exist based on past paper questions. There’s versions both in colour and black and white.

Ready reference notes on the group 7 elements, covering their colour and state as elements, their colours dissolved in water and organic solvents, the precipitation reactions with silver nitrate, and their redox reactions with concentrated sulphuric acid. Both an attractive, colourful version showing all the colours and a version in black and white for photocopying. Suitable especially for the AQA exam board. I’ve also added a version squeezing everything onto a single page. It looks very compact but won’t photocopy well as well as the text gets quite small.

Two page set of notes in table format on intermolecular forces, listing the forces, where they come from and how strong they are: instantaneous dipole-induced dipole forces, permanent dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonds. Also includes notes on which type of chemical has what forces. Page 2 explains how aldehydes and ketones and esters are hydrogen bond acceptors. Following the example of Chemguide, explains permanent dipole-dipole as more adding a bit of strength on top of instantaneous dipole-induced dipole forces forces than making the molecule highly polar and hydrophilic like hydrogen bonding. Bold, eye-catching typography and careful design sets this lesson plan out. Special bonus! This pack contains three sets of notes depending on what your course calls instantaneous-induced dipole forces/van der Waals forces/London forces, so if you teach multiple courses you’re always covered: Cambridge/CIE, OCR, Edexcel, AQA. I sell multiple SKUs of this set of three notes to show up on searches for teachers teaching different courses, but they contain the same content: all three files in the same pack.

Two page set of notes in table format on intermolecular forces, listing the forces, where they come from and how strong they are: van der Waals, permanent dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonds. Also includes notes on which type of chemical has what forces. Page 2 explains how aldehydes and ketones and esters are hydrogen bond acceptors. Following the example of Chemguide, explains permanent dipole-dipole as more adding a bit of strength on top of van der Waals forces than making the molecule highly polar and hydrophilic like hydrogen bonding. Bold, eye-catching typography and careful design sets this lesson plan out. Special bonus! This pack contains three sets of notes depending on what your course calls van der Waals forces/London forces/instantaneous-induced dipole forces, so if you teach multiple courses you’re always covered: AQA, OCR, Edexcel, Cambridge. I sell multiple SKUs of this set of three notes to advertise at teachers teaching different courses, but they contain the same content: all three files in the same pack.

Two page set of notes in table format on intermolecular interactions, listing the forces, where they come from and how strong they are: London forces, permanent dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonds. Also includes notes on which type of chemical has what forces. Page 2 explains how aldehydes and ketones and esters are hydrogen bond acceptors. Following the example of Chemguide, explains permanent dipole-dipole as more adding a bit of strength on top of London forces than making the molecule highly polar and hydrophilic like hydrogen bonding. Bold, eye-catching typography and careful design sets this lesson plan out. Special bonus! This pack contains three sets of notes depending on what your course calls London forces/van der Waals forces/instantaneous-induced dipole forces, so if you teach multiple courses you’re always covered: Edexcel, OCR, AQA, Cambridge. I sell multiple SKUs of this set of three notes to advertise at teachers teaching different courses, but they contain the same content: all three files in the same pack.

Two page set of notes in table format on intermolecular forces, listing the forces, where they come from and how strong they are: London forces, permanent dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonds. Also includes notes on which type of chemical has what forces. Page 2 explains how aldehydes and ketones and esters are hydrogen bond acceptors. Following the example of Chemguide, explains permanent dipole-dipole as more adding a bit of strength on top of London forces than making the molecule highly polar and hydrophilic like hydrogen bonding. Bold, eye-catching typography and careful design sets this lesson plan out. Special bonus! This pack contains three sets of notes depending on what your course calls London forces/van der Waals forces/instantaneous-induced dipole forces, so if you teach multiple courses you’re always covered: OCR, Edexcel, AQA, Cambridge. I sell multiple SKUs of this set of three notes to advertise at teachers searching for different courses, but they contain the same content: all three files in the same pack.

One-page poster of the transition metal formulas and colours of aqua ions and reactions with hydroxide ions, ammonia, carbonate ions and HCl. Covers Fe2+, Fe3+, Al3+, Cu2+ and Co2+ ions. Versions in full colour and black and white. For AQA A-level chemistry. These notes are inspired by vocab check lists you use when you learn a foreign language-you cover the answers and read through. Getting the points to learn into an order you repeat over and over is really helpful for learning everything. UPDATE, October 2023: based on feedback from students, more details on the cobalt complexes and the problem of what you are and aren’t asked to know, the half-equation for oxidation by dissolved oxygen in alkaline solution has been added, the equation of ammonia acting as an alkali in water, and an explanation that on non-course materials you may see the hydroxide formulas without showing that they’re hydrated.

Notes on the tests for gases and for water for Edexcel 9-1 chemistry GCSE on one page. The notes include an explanation of what the tests tell you about the properties of each chemical and links to recommended videos. Versions both in colour and in black and white for photocopying. Gases covered are tests for hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine, ammonia, and carbon dioxide.

Poster naming some of the most common inorganic reactions at GCSE and A-level chemistry: metals reacting with water and acid, metal hydroxides, oxides, carbonates and ammonia reacting with acids. Clean, modern design highlighting similarities between the reactions e.g. water formed. There’s versions both in colour and in black and white. The formulas of the negative ions are given for nitrate, chloride and sulfate ions. Suitable for all major GCSE exam boards (e.g. Edexcel, AQA, Cambridge), and I find it really helpful to help A-level students recap what they learned at GCSE and forgot over the summer!

Notes on purifying an organic liquid, including links to RSC YouTube clips of the processes. These notes are oriented towards exam technique and don’t include a complete practical method. The notes are particularly targeted towards the AQA chemistry A-level and required practical but could be used for other courses or as a basis for other lesson plans. 2018 AQA paper 3 question 3 was consulted writing the notes.

One-page reference of the most common oxidation numbers for A-level with clear layout. Lists the elements which have particularly unpredictable oxidation numbers and gives case studies of them. Also lists the most common oxidation numbers of transition metals, with half-equations for the reduction of manganate(VII) and dichromate(VI) ions. Versions in colour and in black and white for photocopying. Specification references include OCR A 2.1.5 and AQA 3.1.7.

Notes on the tests for gases and for water for Edexcel 9-1 chemistry iGCSE on one page. The notes include an explanation of what the tests tell you about the properties of each chemical and links to recommended videos. Versions both in colour and in black and white for photocopying. Gases covered are tests for hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine, ammonia, and carbon dioxide.

Notes on the tests for gases and for water for Cambridge chemistry iGCSE on one page. The notes include an explanation of what the tests tell you about the properties of each chemical and links to recommended videos. Versions both in colour and in black and white for photocopying. Gases covered are tests for hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. The reaction of ammonia with hydrogen chloride is also covered.

Notes on one page covering all the tests for cations for AQA 9-1 GCSE chemistry, including the precipitation equations. I’ve also included model equations, both complete and ionic, for the precipitation reactions, with examples for a +2 and +3 ion. Versions both in colour and in black and white for photocopying and links to videos of the tests.

Worksheet covering the equations and rules for solution electrolysis for AQA 9-1 GCSE higher chemistry on two pages. Covers electrolysis of sodium chloride solution (brine/saltwater), copper sulfate solution with inert graphite electrodes, and electrolysis of pure water. Diagrams, a mark scheme and links to recommended videos from Fuse School and ChemJungle are included. Versions in colour and converted to black and white.

Simple worksheet on two pages covering electrolysis of aluminium for students to fill in. Covers the equations at the cathode, anode, redox, why the process is environmentally damaging and why recycling aluminium is a good thing to do. There’s also links to recommended YouTube videos from Fuse School and the RSC. This plan targets the Edexcel GCSE 9-1 chemistry course although should be suitable for other exam boards. Versions both in colour and black and white. This lesson plan is given away for free in order to encourage recycling! But if you like it please check out my lesson plan on metallic bonding and other lesson plans. I also have versions for AQA and Edexcel iGCSE. Update: 13/3/24: added clarification that the cathodes are graphite and added a link to a video showing bauxite mining to show the amount of land needed.

Worksheets for teaching polymers on the AQA chemistry specification, covering the current 9-1 GCSEs: a two-page question and answer worksheet covering addition and condensation polymers, and a fill-in-the-blanks sheet for the common addition polymers and their uses. Practices definitions and drawing organic molecule structures. Mark schemes are attached. I include a lot of alternative ways the molecules could be drawn in case the person giving the lesson isn’t a chemistry specialist.

One-page reference giving a case study of how to answer questions on experiment design. Suitable for GCSE and A-level students. The case study is testing catalase-catalysed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide at different temperatures. This set of notes is oriented towards exam technique and how to answer multi-mark questions on this kind of topic: the need to define and set up an independent variable, to measure a dependent variable, define some control variables, and maybe plot the data and mention some safety precautions. I specifically mention that you don’t need to give too many control variables-students often think they can get more marks listing dozens.