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Outstanding GCSE and A level chemistry resources

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Having taught GCSE and A level chemistry for 6 years and being an examiner I have developed a solid understanding of what makes a lesson outstanding and seek to share this with other teachers.

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Having taught GCSE and A level chemistry for 6 years and being an examiner I have developed a solid understanding of what makes a lesson outstanding and seek to share this with other teachers.
Metals and non-metals Middle School tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or for revision
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Metals and non-metals Middle School tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or for revision

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This is a fun Middle School Chemistry tarsia for revision of metals and non-metals. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make an equilateral triangle. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: element symbols and properties of metals and non-metals. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Fractional distillation of crude oil High School Chemistry tarsia - starter, plenary or revision
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Fractional distillation of crude oil High School Chemistry tarsia - starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun High School Chemistry tarsia for comparing different theories of atomic structure. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make an equilateral triangle shape. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: names and uses of different fractions, size of alkanes and flammability, alkanes vs alkenes and fractional distillation apparatus. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Haber process High School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or for revision
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Haber process High School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or for revision

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This is a fun yet challenging High School Chemistry tarsia for revision of the Haber process. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make an equilateral triangle. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: formula of ammonia, catalyst used, conditions used, feedstocks, reversible reactions, equilibrium, endothermic, exothermic, yield and rate of reaction. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Group 1 metals GCSE tarsia - differentiated - covers ions, protons, flame colours, reactivity
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Group 1 metals GCSE tarsia - differentiated - covers ions, protons, flame colours, reactivity

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This is a fully differentiated tarsia puzzle for GCSE alkali metals. It is a fun kinesthetic way of revising the alkali metals. This sort of revision activity is particularly useful for boys. Answers are provided as well an 'easy start' that provides 4 of the 16 triangles as a starting point for weaker students. The 'group 1 metals A4 2 page' is an A4 tarsia that has 8 triangles per page. I suggest that these are printed on card and students cut them out. They are great for AFL. end of lesson plenary or plenary. If the writing of the A4 tarsia is too small then use the medium version. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Enthalpy changes - covers bond enthalpy, energy-level diagrams, calculations - Senior High School
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Enthalpy changes - covers bond enthalpy, energy-level diagrams, calculations - Senior High School

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This is a comprehensive lesson that provides an introduction to enthalpy changes and serves as the first lesson in a scheme of work on energetics for Senior High School Chemistry. The lesson starts with a recap of GCSE chemistry then moves on to defining enthalpy changes. Students learn the definitions of each type of enthalpy change for homework due in the following lesson. Students then consider energy level diagrams for the grade C task. For the grade B task students predict enthalpy changes using bond dissociation data. There is a worked example of this using the Haber process. The grade A task involves converting enthalpy change values into Joules per gram values that might be used in calorimetry. Scaffolded resources and a markscheme are provided. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Equilibrium -  A level chemistry - writing an expression for Kc - 2016 specification onwards
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Equilibrium - A level chemistry - writing an expression for Kc - 2016 specification onwards

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This is a thoroughly planned A level lesson writing an expression for the equilibrium constant Kc. The 2016 specification DOES NOT include Kp - partial pressures and thus students must ALWAYS write their expressions using SQUARE brackets (Kp uses curved brackets). The lesson starts with a recap of equilibrium then moves on to heterogeneous and homogeneous reaction systems. The lesson then moves to students writing expressions for Kc for a variety of reactions. Note that solids are left out of the expression for Kc as their concentration hardly changes during at equilibrium (they occupy a small volume). Answers are provided. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Polymerisation GCSE tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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Polymerisation GCSE tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun GCSE chemistry tarsia for revision of polymerisation. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make a parallelogram. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: catalyst, thermal decomposition, formula of ethene and methane, elements in ethene, natural polymer, synthetic polymer, cross links, addition polymerisation. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Cracking GCSE tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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Cracking GCSE tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun GCSE chemistry tarsia for revision of cracking hydrocarbons. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make a parallelogram. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: state of ethene, octane and polyethene at room temperature, supply vs demand, formulae of ethene, decane and pentane, bromine water test. The software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Gas Laws Senior High School Chemistry
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Gas Laws Senior High School Chemistry

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This is a Senior High School Chemistry lesson that covers the ideal gas law. There are clear Assessment For Learning tasks for the middle of the lesson (grade C) and end of the lesson (grade B and grade A). It is suggested that the lesson before this lesson a homework is set to research conversions and the Kelvin temperature scale. Slides 23 and 24 may be printed per student for students to peer assess each others work. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Constructing Born Haber cycles - Senior High School Chemistry
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Constructing Born Haber cycles - Senior High School Chemistry

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This is a Senior High School Chemistry lesson on constructing Born Haber cycles in order to calculate lattice enthalpy for ionic compounds. Students do not calculate lattice enthalpies in this lesson but rather consider using a diamond nine how various factors affect how exothermic the lattice enthalpy value is. I suggest printing the diamond nine on slide 23 and using it as a kinesthetic activity. Please rate this resource and leave feedback
Fermentation High School Chemistry - covers symbol equations and the two methods of making ethanol
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Fermentation High School Chemistry - covers symbol equations and the two methods of making ethanol

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This is a thoroughly planned lesson on the production of ethanol by fermentation of glucose and hydration of ethene. It has differentiated resources and a variety of activities and exam question plenaries to check student understanding. There is an optional production of ethanol practical that could be included in this lesson or as a separate lesson. Students start by recalling the formulae for different substances then learn the symbol equations for the two methods of ethanol production. They then carry out a literacy activity where they sort the advantages and disadvantages of each method of ethanol production. The lesson concludes with an exam question plenary. The practical could be included before comparing the advantages and disadvantages of hydration versus fermentation.
Alloys High School Chemistry - independent learning through role play, creative task and using data
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Alloys High School Chemistry - independent learning through role play, creative task and using data

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This is an independent learning lesson on alloys for High School Chemistry. It is designed to promote independent learning and higher level thinking through role play, designing an aeroplane and justifying the choice of metals used by using data from a data table. The lesson starts by getting students to think about what three properties metals used to make the worlds fastest jet engined plane (SR-71 Blackbird) would need. Students could be shown a short video from YouTube to prompt their thinking and write their answers on post-it notes. They they then discuss what alloys are and could be asked identify the alloys in the metal trump cards pack (this would need to be printed in advance). They are then introduced to the 4 person role play task where they design an aeroplane. Limit their on this task to around 20 minutes. At the end they could either present their work or answer the 6 mark exam question at the end of the lesson. There is a student-friendly marking grid provided. The lesson menu is available for weaker students. Please look carefully at each of the resources provided before the lesson and decide which ones would best suit your group and length of lesson. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Rate of reaction tarsia for High School / ACT - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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Rate of reaction tarsia for High School / ACT - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun High School Chemistry tarsia for revision of rates of reaction. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make an equilateral triangle. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: symbol equations, factors affecting rate and rate graphs. The software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Relative formula mass and relative atomic mass High School tarsia - starter, plenary or revision
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Relative formula mass and relative atomic mass High School tarsia - starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun High School Chemistry tarsia for revision of calculating relative formula mass. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make a parallelogram. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: relative atomic mass of atoms and isotopes (isotopes are limited to isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen) and relative formula mass of different compounds. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software. The software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Balancing equations High School tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or for revision
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Balancing equations High School tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or for revision

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This is a fun High School Chemistry tarsia for revision of balancing equations. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make an equilateral triangle. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: reaction with oxygen, why we need to balance equations, a variety of balanced and unbalanced equations and number of atoms. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software. The software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Atomic theory High School Chemistry tarsia - use as starter, plenary or revision
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Atomic theory High School Chemistry tarsia - use as starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun yet challenging High School Chemistry tarsia for comparing different theories of atomic structure. There are 18 triangles with 21 pairs of questions and answers that make a kite shape. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following topics: names of scientists such E.R. Rutherford and J.J. Thomnson who played important roles in developing atomic theory, isotopes, electron shells and the periodic table, charge on subatomic particles and comparisons of the main models. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
State symbols High School Chemistry tarsia - use for starter, plenary or revision
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State symbols High School Chemistry tarsia - use for starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun High School Chemistry tarsia on state symbols. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make an equilateral triangle shape. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following chemicals: calcium carbonate, hydrochloric acid, water and carbon dioxide. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Formulae High School Chemistry tarsia - use as starter, plenary or revision
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Formulae High School Chemistry tarsia - use as starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun High School Chemistry tarsia on chemical formulae. There are 16 triangles with 18 pairs of questions and answers that make an equilateral triangle shape. I suggest that the A4 tarsia is printed on card and then the outline is cut out. Students can then quickly cut out the individual triangles. Included are the following chemicals: calcium carbonate, hydrochloric acid, water and carbon dioxide. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.