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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.
Group 2 nitrates and carbonates - AS Chemistry
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Group 2 nitrates and carbonates - AS Chemistry

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This is an engaging AS Chemistry lesson on the group 1 and 2 nitrate and carbonate decompositions and has grades C to A. The starter is fire writing using sodium nitrate solution. Please read CLEAPPS safety and Royal Society of Chemistry advice on this compound and the practical. For grade C students describe the reactions. For grade B students explain the decompositions and for grade A they evaluate their answers. An extra activity such a diamond 4 could be included for students to rank their answers. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Group 2 metal compound reactions - AS Chemistry
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Group 2 metal compound reactions - AS Chemistry

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This is an AS Chemistry lesson on the group 2 metal compounds and their reactivity and solubility at grades C to A. For grade C students write symbol equations. Note that the hydroxides and sulphates show opposite trends in solubility. For grade B they consider the aluminium sulphate Camelford water poisoning in Cornwall and write ionic equations. Note that all ions are aqueous and that Barium chloride and aluminium sulphate are soluble compounds. For grade A they analyse different data and use this to explain trends in solubility of group 2 compounds. For an engaging starter you could show the reaction of potassium with water and ask students to predict how the reactivity of group 2 metals would be different (less owing to increased charge density and 2 ionisation energies to make the ion). Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Designing cars for the future level assessed task
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Designing cars for the future level assessed task

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This is a how science works level assessed task aimed at levels KS3 levels 3 to 7. This assesses the learning of global warming and renewable resources by getting students to design a car for the future that reduces carbon dioxide emissions. I use this as part of a year 8 scheme of work. The word document can be used to edit the LAT and then save it as a JPEG file that is pasted into PowerPoint. The PowerPoint is the A4 document that is printed for students. The video shows a very cool solar road car driving at 10% max speed for testing. Feedback to my TES inbox please.
Organ transplants
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Organ transplants

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This is a lesson that was observed and rated outstanding by OFSTED criteria. Lesson menus in the main ppt are printed on 2 slide handouts then cut out. LO are printed on 6 slide handouts and then cut. The patient slides are are also printed on handouts and used as cards. Use patient 1 to start with. A practical can be used also and a transplant shown by removing a torso heart and replacing it with a free-standing plastic model.
Socrative quiz - GCSE balancing half equations - high ability
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Socrative quiz - GCSE balancing half equations - high ability

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In this lesson plan you will find the SOC codes to import our quiz and our short answer task to your Socrative room. These great revision activities that you can use with the whole class as starters, plenaries, or to consolidate learning. This links to the GCSE Chemistry topic of electrolysis.
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.
Acids and alkalis word and symbol equations from pictures KS3
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Acids and alkalis word and symbol equations from pictures KS3

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This is a lesson on word and symbol equations for the KS3 acids and bases topic. Levels 4 to high level 6 are covered. This would also suit GCSE classes. Students replace pictures with words to write word equations in their books or on whiteboards. The level 6 task is writing symbol equations where the formulae of salts is provided. There are a variety of differentiated worksheets. There are acids and bases labels than be cut and laminated for a kinesthetic activity. They need to add water. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Global warming activity
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Global warming activity

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This may be used in conjunction with my other resource on global warming. Pupils here are given 2 different theories and evaluate the evidence for and against.
Redox lesson plan and activities A2 OCR A Chem
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Redox lesson plan and activities A2 OCR A Chem

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This is a lesson on redox for OCR A chemistry F325 module 2. The main skill developed is writing and balancing half equations. The lesson that follows is on cells and uses half equations. Slide 9 is a tarsia that is printed and cut out. The youtube clip is a 3 minute periodic table timer for the starter activity. The practical is OCR A practical 23 on redox reactions. Plenarising is thorugh mini whiteboards for equations and scores on tarsia and plenary exam q. This observed lesson was a 2 but has potential to be a 1 if there is sufficient student engagement. Feedback to my TES inbox please.
pH acids, bases and ka calculations loop game A2
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pH acids, bases and ka calculations loop game A2

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This is a loop game made of 18 separate questions to help revise and understand acid, base and pH calculations as part of A level chemistry - for example in OCR A Chemistry module F325. This makes for an engaging plenary in lesson. I write the equations up on the left of the white board as they are read out and refer back to them in lesson. If there are any suggestions for improvement or general comments please leave them.
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.
Dative covalent bonding lesson AS Chemistry KS5
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Dative covalent bonding lesson AS Chemistry KS5

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This is a lesson on dative covalent bonding. Included is a lesson plan with answers, a student handout and practice exam questions for homework or for revision. For the handout print slides 2 to 13 as 6 slides per page. Print slides 14 and 15 as 2 slides per page. Print slide 17 as one slide. Print slides 18 to 21 two slides per page. The main task is designed to allow students to reach up to grade A and involves teamwork and peer assessment. I suggest students carry out the main task on A3 paper in pairs. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
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.
Greenhouse effect GCSE - The importance of infra-red radiation  - 2016 AQA specification
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Greenhouse effect GCSE - The importance of infra-red radiation - 2016 AQA specification

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This is a lesson on the greenhouse effect for the 2016 AQA specification. The lesson starter is a matchup activity that is printed and handed to students as they enter the classroom. Required learning for this activity is knowing the percentage of gases in the atmosphere and an overview what the greenhouse effect is from KS3 science or geography. More able students will know for the starter that UV is produced from the Sun and the earth emits IR. The lesson then discusses what IR radiation is using an exam of hair curlers. Students then use PHET simulation laminates to compare how greenhouse gases affect the amount of IR being 'trapped' (absorbed by greenhouse gases and re-emitted back to space and the surface of the Earth). They count the number of yellow dots (representing photons of UV light) and red dots (representing photons of IR light). The laminates could be colour printed and laminated in A4 with each table (4 to 6 students) receiving one complete set of laminates. The amount of UV photons remains fairly constant but the amount of IR photons increases as the amount of greenhouse gases increases. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Heart GCSE graded task (LAT) - OCR B3 biology
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Heart GCSE graded task (LAT) - OCR B3 biology

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This is a graded task on the heart and circulatory system in format of a level assessed task used at KS3. There are graded keywords for students to use as well as clear graded objectives taken from the OCR Gateway B3 biology specification (current for 2013/14). The heart diagram can be cut out by students. The two website links are to a heart song and heart musical quiz - both are YouTube hosted. Feedback to my TES inbox please.
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.
Molar gas volume lesson - AS Chemistry
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Molar gas volume lesson - AS Chemistry

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This is a lesson with grades D to B on molar gas volumes for AS Chemistry. The hook for the starter is to consider different types of fire extinguisher. Students then consider how they would calculate the volume of carbon dioxide produced from a CO2 extinguisher and 4 extinguishers that contain a solid that decomposes on heating to produce CO2. There is an A grade extension question as well as exam questions with mark schemes. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Combined NMR IR Mass spec analysis A2 chemistry
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Combined NMR IR Mass spec analysis A2 chemistry

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This is a lesson plan and activities for using combined analytical techniques - NMR (proton and carbon), mass spec and infra red spec. Differentiated LO are provided and 3 unknown compounds are analysed (salicyclic acid, ethyl butanoate and aspirin). There is a group task that makes this a student led independent learning lesson where what matters is the justified analysis using annotated evidence rather than the correct answer. Feedback to my TES inbox please.