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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.
Distillation Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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Distillation Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

(1)
This is a fun Chemistry tarsia for revision of rates of distillation. 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: apparatus, bonds between particles, order of evaporation, pure vs impure substances, naming fractional distillation, naming steam distillation, change of state. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Diffusion particle theory lesson - fun lesson using sound effects, spices practical
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Diffusion particle theory lesson - fun lesson using sound effects, spices practical

(1)
This is a lesson on diffusion for younger students. The lesson begins with a literacy word unscramble activity that introduces keywords for the lesson. Students then carry out a practical where small amounts of 10 spices are placed around the classroom and they rate the smell from 1 to 10 weakest to strongest. Be careful as some spices contain traces of nuts - check for allergies at the start of the lesson. Discuss what makes a spice smell stronger using the word 'particle'. Answers may include that some particles are smaller or travel faster through the air. Higher ability groups may be introduced to the word 'vaporise' to explain why some substances have stronger smells. They then look at a large water trough (demo) that is filled with water and yellow food colouring. A drop of red food dye can be dropped into the tank to illustrate diffusion means. They then draw what is happening using coloured particle diagrams. You may play soundtracks from the film Finding Nemo or the song Who Let The Dogs Out. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Halogens properties and reactions - AS Chemistry
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Halogens properties and reactions - AS Chemistry

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This is an AS Chemistry lesson grades C to A. For grade C students write down symbol equations. For grade B they need to research chlorate compounds using ICT or discuss research they have already done on this for homework set the previous session (FLIP learning). For grade A students combine and balance redox half equations. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Polarity glossary AS chemistry
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Polarity glossary AS chemistry

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This is a detailed 2 page glossary that is used as part of a lesson on polarity. It is excellent for getting students to use and understand key terms and goes beyond what is needed just to pass the exams. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Literacy - Instant determination of reading age
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Literacy - Instant determination of reading age

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The website Read-able is an outstanding literacy resource providing instant determination of the reading content of material. You paste a website URL or a text (e.g. copied from a PDF or Word doc) and instantly get a range of data including reading and grade (US year group). Add 1 to the US grade to get the UK year group. An example analysis is attached of differentiated websites for a science graded task that I produced for GCSE. This will help in determining the correct level of challenge for students in lesson. Please share this with other teachers, SENCO and teaching assistants.
Electromagnetic Spectrum level assessed task
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Electromagnetic Spectrum level assessed task

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This is am ICT research level assessed task that has been designed for key stage 3 levels 5 to 7. It would also work well as a GCSE task for a middle ability group grades D to B. The starter is the fun YouTube video that gets students discussing and explaining what light is. Differentiation is through keyword, website and level. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Solutions particle theory - covers solubility, solute, solvent
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Solutions particle theory - covers solubility, solute, solvent

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This is a lesson designed for higher ability Key Stage 3 students on solubility. The lesson starts off with a key a question about how much sugar is in coffee. This linked to a news item about a famous coffee brand that has up to 25 teaspoons (100g) of sugar in one cup of coffee. Students then consider what a concentrated an dilute solution looks like in terms of the arrangement of their particles. Finally students need to use the printed spreadsheet to calculate the concentration of various drinks and suggest what could be done to dilute them. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Redox definitions tarsia puzzle
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Redox definitions tarsia puzzle

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This powerpoint contains a starter, learning objectives and definitions match up puzzle for an A2 chemistry lesson on redox. This can be taught before half cells and electrode potentials. Slide 8 is the tarsia that can be modified. Slide 9 is the slide to be printed and cut out (possibly laminated). Feedback to my TES inbox please.
Making conclusions on global warming lesson
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Making conclusions on global warming lesson

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A 3 part lesson sequence on making better conclusions is suggested and a lesson provided for the 3rd lesson in the sequence - making your own conclusion on whether global warming is supported by evidence.
Dingbat engaging starters for science KS3 to KS5
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Dingbat engaging starters for science KS3 to KS5

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These are a series of dingbats that I have created as engaging starter activities. They work really well as a short punchy starter that students answer on whiteboards before the 4 minute song finishes that students hear as they walk in (e.g. Bon Jovi, Olly Murs). The words are keywords that are referred back to in lesson. There are dingbats for KS3, KS4 and KS5 on these topics: photosynthesis, respiration, compounds, hydrocarbons and carbonyls (A level). Students could post it note their answers with their names and stick them on the whiteboard next to the image. Please leave feedback.
Polymerisation GCSE
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Polymerisation GCSE

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This is an action packed lesson on polymerisation. The starter is a dingbat that is shown whilst students listen to music to help them. Part 1 is where students make ethene then link to make polythene using molymods. Part 2 is where students write down the formula of a polymer, write that on post its then stick it posters. Part 3 is where students design a cheese rolling suit using information about polymers. The plenary is a 6 mark question on their design that brings the lesson together. These are activities for a fun and potentially outstanding lesson. Please leave feedback.
Nitrogen cycle bacteria information sheet
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Nitrogen cycle bacteria information sheet

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This is a series of information sheets on the 3 main species of bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle plus an overview of the cycle itself. Pupils may highlight keywords/ phrases and use this information to create a 6 mark exam question and mark scheme that another pupil answers. 1 mark should be for quality of writing.
Science club activity 1 - Fire writing
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Science club activity 1 - Fire writing

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This is one of a series of popular engaging science club activities for students that a colleague and I organise. This is a fire writing activity where students make and use a saturated sodium nitrate solution if they are able (HAZARDOUS). For weaker students this could be made in advance. They then paint this solution onto filter paper and dry it using a low temperature hairdryer and apply a glowing (not lit) splint. This is based on a RSC practical. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Multiples - lowest common multiple
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Multiples - lowest common multiple

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This is a lesson plan for multiples to be taught to year 7. The learning objective slide aids assessment for learning and is printed to be stuck in student books. Many interesting real life applications for the lowest common multiple are used to stimulate and develop students learning. Feedback to my TES inbox please.
Bread making yeast respiration ppt
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Bread making yeast respiration ppt

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This ppt forms the basis of a lesson on respiration - containing data on how temperature affects yeast respiration. The photo can be used as an image prompt to get students thinking about what they need to make break. An older PowerPoint ppt format has been added.
Blooms level descriptors for classroom display
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Blooms level descriptors for classroom display

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This is a comprehensive list of 82 Blooms level descriptors that are printed in colour and laminated. I am putting on these on display around my whiteboard - as shown on the photo provided. Only 5 of the 6 Blooms levels are given equating to levels 3 to 7 KS3, E to A* GCSE. The top 2 Blooms levels are included together. These would work well when used with my AFL resources - see my other resources. Any feedback or suggestions? Please e-mail me at rowan.savage@hotmail.com.
Why did the Neanderthals die out? comprehension
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Why did the Neanderthals die out? comprehension

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Why did the Neanderthals die out? This is a comprehension task based on a newspaper article. I encourage students to use highlights to highlight short phrases and keywords - developing good exam technique.