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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.
Transition metals High School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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Transition metals High School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

(0)
This is a fun High School Chemistry tarsia for revision of transition metals and is suitable for more able students. 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: transition metal uses, transition metal properties, magnetic metals, catalysts, aqueous copper ion colour, pH of iron hydroxide vs iron nitrate. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
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.
Group 1 metals High School tarsia - differentiated - covers ions, protons, flame colours, reactivity
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Group 1 metals High School tarsia - differentiated - covers ions, protons, flame colours, reactivity

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This is a fully differentiated High School Chemistry tarsia puzzle for revision of the 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.
Acids and alkalis High School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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Acids and alkalis High School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

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This is a High School Chemistry tarsia for revision of acids and alkalis. 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: H+, OH-, ionic and symbol equations for neutralisation, state symbols of acids alkalis and water, ammonia. 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.
History of the periodic table High School tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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History of the periodic table High School tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

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This is a High School Chemistry tarsia for revision of history of the periodic table. 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: nationality of Dobereiner, Newlands and Mendeleev, law of triads, law of octaves, atomic number, gallium, number of natural elements and number of elements known to Mendeleev, grouping of the elements. The 'fjsw' file can be opened and modified with tarsia software that is free to download. Please note that the software does not work on Mac computers.
Halogens High School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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Halogens High School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun High School Chemistry tarsia for revision of the halogens. 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 the halogens at room temperature (astatine is unstable), uses of the halogens, trend for melting point and reactivity with group 1 metals, charge of group 1 metal and halogen ions. The tarsia software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Metals and non-metals KS3 tarsia
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Metals and non-metals KS3 tarsia

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This is a fun KS3 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.
Debating strategies for the classroom
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Debating strategies for the classroom

(11)
Debating and critical thinking skills are an absolutely essential component of scientific thinking. I have provided a range of resources to promote debating skills: a lesson plan where students consider the disadvantages of cars and create their own solutions, debating strategies ideas and student instructions that can easily be adopted into a wide variety of lessons across different subjects. Feedback to my TES inbox please. Thank you.
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

(0)
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.
Alkenes GCSE - 2016 specification - includes tests with bromine, chlorine and iodine + practical
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Alkenes GCSE - 2016 specification - includes tests with bromine, chlorine and iodine + practical

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This is a chemistry lesson designed for the 2016 specification for the exam board AQA. The updated specification specifically makes reference to chlorine and iodine and so the results of alkene tests with these halogens has been included. There is a practical that is based on a RSC practical. Instructions and safety advice for the practical are included in the lesson. Please only carry out the practical in a room with windows that is well ventilated. The lesson starts with a recap of cracking - this is taught previously in my scheme of work. It then moves on to alkene formulae. The students then carry out the alkenes and bromine water practical. They then write word and symbol equation for the tests. More able students can identify the functional groups in the molecules. The lesson finishes with a fun plenary using whiteboards. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Organic Chemistry GCSE complete scheme of work - 2016 Specification - includes carboxylic acids, alcohols, condensation polymers, biological molecules -
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Organic Chemistry GCSE complete scheme of work - 2016 Specification - includes carboxylic acids, alcohols, condensation polymers, biological molecules -

17 Resources
This is a very comprehensive set of resources that has been planned specifically for the 2016 specification - AQA topic 4.7 organic chemistry. The teaching sequence is: crude oil, alternatives to crude oil (includes combustion), fraction properties (practical + homework set), alkanes, fractional distillation (practical + homework due), cracking (demo), alkenes, addition polymerisation, alcohols, carboxylic acids, condensation polymerisation (practical) and biological polymers (practical). There is thorough differentiation and the varied starter activities recap prior learning. There are lots of exam questions to check progress.
Condensation polymers GCSE - 2016 specification - includes bioplastics class practical
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Condensation polymers GCSE - 2016 specification - includes bioplastics class practical

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This is chemistry lesson designed for the 2016 specification for the exam board AQA and topic 4.7 organic chemistry. This lesson covers content that is new to GCSE and was previously covered only in A level chemistry. The challenge with planning this is that students are greatly limited by what they learn at GCSE. For example they do not learn about terms such as 'arene', 'carbonyl', 'amine' and do not recognise that (CH2)6 = CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2. The lesson recaps addition polymers then introduces condensation polymers as polymers that are found in nature as well being man-made. There is an exam of an easier A level past paper question on identifying the monomers. Most A level questions on this topic are far too challenging to be put into the 2016 GCSE specification. Students then compare the environmental impact of natural vs manmade polymers (RSC paper cups activity - link has been provided) and answer a 6 mark exam question. They then peer mark the exam question using a student friendly marking grid. There is the option of carrying out a bioplastics practical that I have created - note that the bioplastics take at least 2 days to dry out. Please rate these resources and leave feedback.