First and Second Year Chemistry
S1
Topics Taught
The S1 Course covers a wide variety of content and skills and provides an enjoyable experience for all pupils whilst providing a strong foundation for future courses in Chemistry. The units covered are: 1) An Introduction to Chemistry, 2) Solids, Liquids and Gases, 3) Gases in the Air and 4) Water.
Methodology:
Throughout the course pupils have the opportunity to take part in a lot of practical work both individually and in a variety of group sizes. All pupils are encouraged to expand their knowledge and understanding and develop their problem-solving investigative skills.
Homework
Homework is set regularly and is used to complement, further and reinforce the pupils’ experience of the unit work.
Assessments
Pupils sit end of Unit tests and a May exam to assess their progress.
S2
Topics Taught
In S2, Topics 1, 2, 4 and part of 3 of Standard Grade Chemistry are covered. The topics cover the following content -chemical reactions and their speed, formula writing and atomic structure and the periodic table.
Skills:
1) Knowledge and understanding. Pupils should demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of some chemical facts, ideas and techniques and some applications of chemistry in society. 2) Problem solving. Pupils should demonstrate their abilities in five aspects of problem solving: Selecting information, presenting information, selecting procedures, concluding and explaining, and predicting and generalising. 3) Practical abilities; Within Standard Grade Chemistry there are two categories of practical abilities, techniques and investigations, both of which will be assessed internally. The techniques involved are Basic Skills - Observation recording, measuring, manipulating apparatus, following instructions and procedural skills. Process Skills - Inference and selecting procedures. Pupils will also have to attempt a minimum of two investigations which will develop and assess the following; Generative skills, experimentation skills, evaluation skills, recording and reporting skills. Marks are allocated to each technique and investigation according to achievement of the criteria and then grades are awarded.
Methodology:
The classes will be mixed ability and pupils will have an opportunity of working on their own and in groups. A range of teaching approaches ensures that pupils achieve to the best of their ability and enjoy the subject. In addition to prepared notes and text references, molecular models, videos, slides, audio tapes and a number of computer packages will be used to enhance this course.
Pupil Notes:
In some areas pupils make their own notes from the topic notes provided, the course textbook and other resource references while others are more teacher-directed. Guidance will be given at the beginning of the course on the methods of note-making. Notes will be checked regularly by the class teacher and brief topic summaries and learning outcomes are issued to guide and encourage revision
Homework
Homework will consist of completing notes begun in class, answering questions on the current topic and for revision, writing summaries and revising for topic tests/ examinations. Homework will be issued by the teacher as appropriate to the pupils’ position in the topic.
Assessments (Internal and External)
Assessment in Standard Grade Chemistry Topic tests will be given either at the end of every topic or second topic (covering both topics), with at least one week’s notice. There will also be class examinations and a prelim examination. All tests/examinations will assess achievement of knowledge and understanding and problem solving skills and the results will be used in pupil reports. Since awards to pupils in Standard Grades are based on both internal and external assessments these tests and examinations are very important. Grades attainable in Standard Grade Chemistry - Grade 1, 2: Credit award, Grade 3, 4: General award, Grade 7: Course completed.