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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.
Learning objectives slide good for AFL in lesson
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Learning objectives slide good for AFL in lesson

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This is a LO slide that can be easily modified to all key stages and classes. A photographic example of a students work is provided. The first column of boxes is completed at the start of the lesson. The second column is completed half way through. The last column is completed at the end during a plenary that makes use of the LOs. Pupils write R,O,G in the boxes and show their red, orange or green colour cards. The cards can be left on the table during the lesson so the teacher can check understanding.
Cracking, polymers and ethene tarsia AFL activity
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Cracking, polymers and ethene tarsia AFL activity

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This is a fun match up activity that provides instant AFL because the correct shape is generated by matching up the 12 correct answers. This can be a main activity or a fun 10 minute plenary. The topic is hydrocarbons and was used to teach the OCR Gateway C1 syllabus to year 10 GCSE students. Please leave feedback and rate this resource if you find it useful.
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.
Crude oil GCSE - lesson 1 of organic chemistry - includes data skills, plus and minus of crude oil
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Crude oil GCSE - lesson 1 of organic chemistry - includes data skills, plus and minus of crude oil

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This GCSE chemistry lesson forms the first lesson in 4.7 organic chemistry in the updated 2016 specification for the exam board AQA. It can also be used with other GCSE exam boards. The lesson starts with students considering whether they agree or disagree with 3 statements about the future use of petrol. The students are then introduced to how crude oil is made and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using crude oil. The students could cut the statements out and sort them or colour code them. The final task is where students calculate the temperature increase of water when it is heated by different fuels using data that is provided. More able students are given a formula that is used to calculate the energy increase in Joules then divide by the number of grams of fuel used to calculate the energy increase in Joules per gram. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Separating mixtures GCSE - includes paper chromatography
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Separating mixtures GCSE - includes paper chromatography

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This lesson is the third in the atomic structure scheme of work for the 2016 AQA specification. The two previous lessons are on elements, compounds and mixtures and balancing equations. The theme of the lesson is separating cannabis chemicals in order to extract TetraHydroCannabinol (THC). This is part of a group of chemicals called 'cannabinoids' and is used as an oral spray called Sativex that treats multiple sclerosis. The lesson starts with students listing 3 reasons for and 3 reasons against legalising cannabis. There is a YouTube video showing a 3 minute BBC News report that is embedded. The link is included in the PowerPoint. Students then use the separating mixtures trump cards to state what method they would use for each stage of extracting THC. They carry out a RSC practical to extract 'THC' (it is in fact a combination of chemicals) using a pestle and mortar and the solvent propanone. Though not included in the RSC practical they could filter the solvent to remove any solids. They then use paper chromatography to see whether their sample has a pure chemical. If the chemical is pure there will be a single spot visible on the chromatogram. Students could then dry their chromatograms and calculate the Rf value of their spot. Finally a higher level question is included at the end where students consider the effect of using different solvents. Please rate these resources and leave feedback.
Acids and alkalis Middle School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision
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Acids and alkalis Middle School Chemistry tarsia - use as lesson starter, plenary or revision

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This is a fun Middle School Chemistry tarsia for revision of acids and alkalis. 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: indicator, pH meter, pH of different substances, formula of HCl and water. The software is free to download but there is not currently a version for Mac computers.
Fuel cells - A level chemistry - includes combining fuel cell half equations
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Fuel cells - A level chemistry - includes combining fuel cell half equations

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This is a lesson for A level chemistry on fuel cells. It begins with getting students to consider whether hydrogen would be a good source of energy to power cars for the future. Required learning from previous lessons is electrode potentials and half cells. The hydrogen balloon demo could be shown at the start to get students to appreciate that a lot of energy is released in a short amount of time from a small amount of fuel. Hydrogen produces the most amount of energy per gram for any chemical fuel. Students then draw a diagram to show how the standard electrode potential of an oxygen half cell could be determined - i.e. use a H+ reference electrode in one beaker and connect using a salt bridge to another beaker with O2- ions and O2 gas being bubbled through and using platinum as the electrode. Students then learn that O2 gas is reduced in the presence of H2O (i.e. bubbled through water) to OH- ions not O2- ions. This forms the basis of the hydrogen fuel cell where oxygen is bubbled in to one beaker with a platinum (or carbon) electrode, hydrogen is bubbled into another beaker with a platinum (or carbon) electrode and a salt bridge is attached between the beakers. Students could carry out this practical in pairs by using balloons filled with hydrogen and oxygen and allowing the gases to escape under water in the 250ml beakers. Filter paper soaked in sodium hydroxide could act as the salt bridge. Students then compare different types of fuel cell and write overall equations. There is a 5 mark exam question that can be used as an end of lesson plenary or homework. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Reliability and repeats lesson
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Reliability and repeats lesson

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A PowerPoint for a lesson on reliability and repeats. Includes engaging demo that uses 8 students. Plenary can use the Dragons Den theme tune. More able will present a good pitch.
Atom economy and percentage yield worksheet higher
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Atom economy and percentage yield worksheet higher

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This is a worksheet on atom economy and percentage yield for GCSE chemistry (grade B+) that is printed as A4 handouts on atom economy and percentage yield. There are three reactions that all make Magnesium sulphate (Epsom salt) as the useful product and so atom economy can be compared along with issues such as toxicity of waste products or reactants. The YouTube video shows how Epsom salts are used in the garden. The formula for atom economy is included. The answers are not yet included and will be uploaded shortly. Please leave feedback if this is useful or if it can be improved.
Sodium chloride electrolysis OCR C2 higher set
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Sodium chloride electrolysis OCR C2 higher set

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This is a lesson on sodium chloride electrolysis designed for a triple set (top set) GCSE science group following the OCR Gateway science specification (C2H). The electrolysis is shown as a demo with students having previously carried out their own copper sulphate electrolysis practical. The lesson is designed to be fast paced with plenty of stretch and challenge as befits this set with students aiming for A* grades. Slides 5 (labelling) and 18 (extension activity) can be printed 6 slides per A4. Feedback to my TES inbox please.
Atomic theory GCSE - outstanding lesson
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Atomic theory GCSE - outstanding lesson

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This is a comprehensive lesson on atomic theory designed for the AQA GCSE specification. The starter is a recap crossword on atomic structure (assumed knowledge). The lesson then takes a chronological journey from the ancient Greeks to alchemy to the Enlightenment and then the 1800s/ early 1900s where Rutherford et al developed the modern model of the atom. The theory activity works really well with all ability and shows that there is little or no evidence to support the early cubic model but there lots of evidence to support the GCSE Bohr model. The lesson finishes with a 6 mark question that is peer marked using a marking grid. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Polar covalent bonding lesson - A level chemistry - covers polarity, covalent vs ionic bonding
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Polar covalent bonding lesson - A level chemistry - covers polarity, covalent vs ionic bonding

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This is a comprehensive set of differentiated lesson resources that cover polar covalent bonding. Within the lesson are Pauling electronegativity values that can be used to determine the extent of covalent bonding between two atoms. The lesson begins with a recap of ionic and covalent bonding definitions from GCSE. There is then a discussion on electronegativity differences between atoms. Students then carry out the kinesthetic task where put different comments about bonding on a scale from pure covalent to pure ionic. This scale can be printed on A3 paper. The comments can be printed on A4 paper. There is then a peer editing question task and plenary exam questions with markschemes. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Fermentation GCSE chemistry - covers symbol equations and the two methods of making ethanol
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Fermentation GCSE 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. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.
Metals alloys lesson GCSE - independent learning through role play, creative task and using data
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Metals alloys lesson GCSE - independent learning through role play, creative task and using data

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This is an independent learning lesson on alloys for GCSE 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.
Evolution of the atmosphere GCSE - AQA 2016 specification - Outstanding lesson
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Evolution of the atmosphere GCSE - AQA 2016 specification - Outstanding lesson

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This is a thorough set of lesson resources designed to promote engagement, pace and sustained student progress through a 60 minute GCSE lesson on the evolution of the atmosphere. The lesson has been designed for the updated 2016 specification for exam board AQA and topic 4.9 Chemistry of the atmosphere. This is the first of a series of lessons on the atmosphere. Please read the lesson plan and lesson PowerPoint. The hook is students considering what pieces of information are needed to work out if life exists on other planets. Students may then consider the Drake equation (in the PPT) and the key question "what is the link between the evolution of the atmosphere and the evolution of life?". There is an Ammonium Dichromate volcano demo (see RSC link in lesson plan). The main activity is where students create a storyboard using detailed lamented sheets and then peer assess using a marking grid that suits higher and lower ability groups. Please rate this resource and leave feedback.