Chemistry overview for years 3 to 5
The subject-group overviews show the units taught in each year in each discipline. They include the unit title, key and related concepts, global contexts, statements of inquiry,
objectives, ATL skills and the content (if any).
For years 1 and 2, please see the “Modular sciences overview”.
Year 3
Unit title and
teaching hours
Atomic structure
Key concept
Systems
15 hours
Related
concept(s)
Models
Evidence
Global context
Personal and cultural
expression: the ways in
which we discover and
express ideas
Statement of
inquiry
Models are
created and
modified over
time to express
new ideas formed
by experimental
evidence.
Objectives
A
ATL skills
Thinking: critical
thinking
Thinking: transfer
Communication:
communication
Research:
information literacy
Research: media
literacy
Energy and chemical
change
15 hours
Change
Interaction
Consequences
Scientific and technical
innovation: the impact
of scientific and
technological advances
on communities and
environments
A change in
matter is a
consequence of
energy
differences
between
substances.
Scientists and
technicians make
use of this to
create a range of
innovative
products.
B
D
Thinking: critical
thinking
Self-management:
reflection
Thinking: creative
thinking
Content
Atomic models: Thomson, Rutherford and Bohr
Subatomic particles: the electron, proton and neutron
and their characteristics
Introduction to bonding ionic, covalent,
and
metallic bonds. How electrons are used differently in
each type of bond. Simple models to demonstrate
each type
Electronic configurations of atoms
The law of conservation of mass
Physical change, chemical change, reactant,
product, combustion
Definition of the terms “catalyst” and “precipitate”
Writing word and symbol equations
Communication:
communication
Importance of the subscripts (and coefficients) in
equations
Self-management:
organization
Changes in matter in terms of physical changes and
chemical changes and the types of evidence that
identify a chemical change from a physical change
and how this is related to energy change
Research:
information literacy
Research: media
literacy
Types of chemical reaction: single-/doubledisplacement reaction, decomposition, neutralization,
synthesis, combustion reaction, endothermic and
Unit title and
teaching hours
Key concept
Related
concept(s)
Global context
Statement of
inquiry
Objectives
ATL skills
Content
exothermic reactions
Identify the names and formulas for common
laboratory acids and alkalis.
Balancing chemical equations (Limited to simple
compounds and elements or counting
atoms/particles in a diagrammatic problem)
Concept that chemical potential energy is stored
within compounds and that it can be released in a
controlled manner to do work or produce heat
Solutions
15 hours
Relationships
Evidence
Form
Globalization and
sustainability: the
relationship between
local and global
processes
The formation of
a
solution
provides
evidence of a
relationship
between
the
natures
of
substances.
B
C
Thinking:
thinking
critical
Social:
collaboration
Communication:
communication
Self-management:
organization
Self-management:
affective
Research:
information literacy
The attraction between molecules at the surface of a
liquid is called surface tension.
Solutions are homogeneous mixtures that can be
solid, liquid or gas. Metal alloys are solid solutions.
Air is a gaseous solution. Aqueous solutions are
solutions that have water as the solvent.
The substance being dissolved is called the solute;
the substance doing the dissolving is called the
solvent.
The amount of a substance that can dissolve in a
liquid (at a particular temperature) is called the
solubility of the substance.
Each substance has a different solubility, which
depends on its interaction with water.
Solutions are said to be saturated when no more
solute can be dissolved.
The concentration of a solution tells us how much
solute has been dissolved in the solvent. The units
of concentration are grammes of solute per millilitre
of solvent. A concentrated solution contains more
solute than a dilute solution.
Electrolytes are solutions that can conduct electricity.
They are created by dissolving a salt, acid or base in
water.
A suspension is a mixture of two substances, one of
which is finely divided and is dispersed in the other.
A colloid is a type of mixture intermediate between a
homogeneous mixture (also called a solution) and
a heterogeneous mixture and also has properties
that are intermediate between the two.
An emulsion is a suspension of two liquids that do
not usually mix together.
Unit title and
teaching hours
Acids and bases
Key concept
Relationships
Related
concept(s)
Function
20 hours
Global context
Fairness and
development: rights
and responsibilities
Statement of
inquiry
The strength of
acids and bases
is related to the
function of the
degree of
dissociation and
determines how
they should be
used and
disposed of.
Objectives
A
B
C
ATL skills
Thinking: critical
thinking
Thinking: creative
thinking
Content
pH scale
Indicators (litmus, universal, phenolphthalein)
Conductivity
Research: media
literacy
Concentrated, diluted, strong and weak acids and
bases
Research:
information literacy
Household detergents
Self-management:
organization
Self-management:
affective
Communication:
communication
Social:
collaboration
Environmental
cycles
15 hours
Relationships
Balance
Transformation
Scientific and technical
innovation: the impact
of scientific and
technological advances
on communities and
environments
Scientific
and
technological
advances
are
impacting upon
the
naturally
balanced
relationships
provided by the
effective
transformations
in environmental
cycles.
D
Thinking:
thinking
critical
Self-management:
reflection
Communication:
communication
Social:
collaboration
Self-management:
organization
Research:
information literacy
Research: media
literacy
Importance of carbon, nitrogen and water
Water cycle
Treatment and recycling of water
Carbon cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Year 4
Unit title and
teaching hours
Key concept
Related
concept(s)
Periodic trends
Relationships
Change
15 hours
Form
Function
Global context
Orientation in space
and time: discoveries
Statement
inquiry
of
The form of the
periodic table is
evolving due to
knowledgechallenging
discoveries, thus
enhancing
its
function
of
showing trends in
the physical and
chemical
properties of the
elements.
Objectives
ATL skills
A
Thinking:
thinking
Content
critical
Thinking: transfer
Thinking:
thinking
creative
Communication:
communication
Self-management:
organization
The periodic table shows the positions of metals,
non-metals and metalloids.
Metals tend to lose electrons and so they form
cations. Non-metals tend to gain electrons so they
form anions.
Elements in a group have the same oxidation state
and therefore similar chemical properties.
Shielding is the decrease in attraction between an
electron and the nucleus in any atom with more
than one electron shell.
•
As the number of electron shells
increases, shielding increases.
•
No change occurs as you move across a
period.
Vertical and horizontal trends in the periodic table
exist for atomic radius, ionization energy and
electronegativity.
Atomic radius is the distance between the nuclei of
two atoms of the same element, or the size of an
atom. The atomic radius:
•
increases as you move down a group
because more electron shells are being
added that are further away from the
nucleus
•
decreases as you move across a period.
Ionization energy is the amount of energy it takes
to remove the most loosely held electron from an
atom. The ionization energy:
•
decreases as you move down a group
because of shielding
•
increases as you move across a period
because the electrons are more tightly
held to the nucleus due to the effective
nuclear charge.
Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom in a
bond to pull electrons towards itself. The
electronegativity:
Unit title and
teaching hours
Stoichiometry
Key concept
Systems
20 hours
Related
concept(s)
Balance
Conservation
Global context
Scientific and technical
innovation: how
humans use their
understanding of
scientific principles
Statement
inquiry
of
The scientifically
constructed
systems
for
balancing
chemical
equations require
the numbers and
types of atoms to
be conserved.
Objectives
B
C
ATL skills
Content
Thinking:
thinking
critical
Thinking:
thinking
creative
•
decreases as you move down a group
because the atom has a weaker ability to
accept electrons
•
increases as you move across a period
because the charge on the nucleus
becomes stronger and so the atom can
attract more electrons.
Concept of the mole
Avogadro’s number
Relative molecular mass and relative atomic mass
Social: collaboration
Empirical and molecular formula
Communication:
communication
Percentage composition
Communication:
collaboration
Solutions and problems involving concentrations
Stoichiometric calculations
Self-management:
organization
Research:
information literacy
Communication:
media literacy
Gas laws
Relationships
10 hours
Redox reactions
20 hours
Movement
Conditions
Systems
Transfer
Balance
Scientific and technical
innovation: how
humans use their
understanding of
scientific principles
Scientific and technical
innovation: how
humans use their
understanding of
scientific principles
Humans can
manipulate the
conditions
impacting upon
gas particles,
thereby
determining their
movement.
C
Designers use
the balanced
systems
maintained by the
transfer of
electrons in redox
reactions to
develop a range
of products.
B
Thinking: critical
thinking
Thinking: reflection
Research:
information literacy
Kinetic molecular theory
Conversions for temperature and pressure
Graphing and calculations
Social: collaboration
C
D
Thinking:
thinking
critical
Thinking: creative
thinking
Self-management:
reflection
Definition of oxidation and reduction (electron
transfer)
Rules for assigning oxidation numbers
Definition of oxidising agent and reducing agent
Half reactions
Social: collaboration
Reactivity series
Communication:
communication
Self-management:
Factors (for example, concentration, types of
electrode) that effect cell voltage
Electrolysis reactions
Unit title and
teaching hours
Food chemistry
15 hours
Key concept
Change
Related
concept(s)
Culture
Influences
Balance
Conditions
Global context
Identities
and
relationships: personal
health
Statement
inquiry
of
A person’s health
is influenced by
cultural and
conditional
changes to his or
her diet.
Objectives
A
D
ATL skills
Content
organization
Research:
information literacy
Research:
media
literacy
Electrolytic cells and factors (for example,
concentration of solutions, temperature, types of
solutions) that effect electrolysis reactions
Thinking:
thinking
critical
Thinking:
thinking
creative
Applications of redox reactions (for example,
batteries, purification of metals, galvanizing)
Determining caloric values of food
Macromolecules and enzymes
Colour and flavour
Self-management:
reflection
Shelf life
Thinking: transfer
Food technology
Communication:
communication
Research:
information literacy
Research:
literacy
media
Additives
Year 5
Unit title and
teaching hours
Chemical
nomenclature
Key concept
Systems
Related
concept(s)
Patterns
Development
15 hours
Models
Global context
Globalization and
sustainability: the
interconnectedness of
human-made systems
and communities
Statement of
inquiry
Systems for
explaining the
world are
constructed by
observing
patterns.
Objectives
A
ATL skills
Content
Thinking: critical
thinking
Chemical formula review
Thinking: transfer
Naming of ionic compounds
Communication:
communication
Naming of positive ions
Self-management:
organization
Naming of simple compounds
Naming of negative ions
Naming of polyatomic ions
Naming of acids: organic and inorganic
Naming of organic compounds (alkanes,
alkenes)
Bonding
15 hours
Relationships
Interactions
Nature
Models
Globalization
and
sustainability:
the
interconnectedness of
human-made systems
and communities
Scientists
use
bonding models
to explain the
nature
of
interactions
between different
types of particles.
A
D
Thinking:
thinking
critical
Self-management:
reflection
Social: collaboration
Self-management:
organization
Communication:
communication
Research:
information literacy
Research: media
literacy
Self-management:
affective
Bonds are formed to achieve stability.
Positive ions (cations) form by metals losing
valence electrons.
Negative ions (anions) form by non-metals gaining
electrons.
The number of electrons lost or gained is
determined by the electron configuration of the
atom.
The ionic bond is due to electrostatic attraction
between oppositely charged ions.
A covalent bond is the electrostatic attraction
between a shared pair of electrons and the
positively charged nuclei.
Single, double and triple covalent bonds involve
one, two and three shared pairs of electrons,
respectively.
Lewis (electron dot) structures show all the
valence electrons in a covalently bonded species.
The ‘octet rule’ refers to the tendency of atoms to
gain a valence shell with a total of eight electrons.
Carbon and silicon form giant covalent/network
covalent/macromolecular structures.
A metallic bond is the electrostatic attraction
between a lattice of positive ions and delocalized
electrons
Unit title and
teaching hours
Key concept
Related
concept(s)
Global context
Statement of
inquiry
Objectives
ATL skills
Content
Alloys usually contain more than one metal and
have enhanced properties.
Thermochemistry
Change
20 hours
Energy
Process
Scientific and technical
innovation: how
humans use their
understanding of
scientific principles
Physical and
chemical
processes
involve energy
changes that can
be used to create
a range of
products and
solutions that
impact on
humankind and
the environment.
B
C
D
Thinking: critical
thinking
Self-management:
reflection
Thinking: transfer
Social: collaboration
Communication:
communication
Self-management:
organization
Research:
information literacy
Energy changes (transformation)
Temperature and heat
Describing the difference between physical and
chemical changes in terms of energy
Qualitative and quantitative measurements.
Units of energy
Exothermic and endothermic processes
Combustion as an exothermic reaction
Difference between complete and incomplete
combustion
The role of fossil fuels in our modern society
Bond breaking as an endothermic and bond
making as an exothermic process
Heat capacity and specific heat capacity
Using calorimetry to measure changes in heat
(enthalpy) and determine the enthalpy change for
a chemical process
Concept of equipment accuracy
Kinetics and
equilibrium
20 hours
Relationships
Balance
Reaction
Scientific and technical
innovation: the natural
world and its laws
Equilibrium is the
state of balance
attained when
opposing reaction
rates become
equal.
A
B
C
Thinking:
thinking
critical
Thinking:
thinking
creative
Reaction rate and collision theory
Factors affecting the rate of reaction: nature of
reactants, concentration, surface area, catalyst,
temperature
Thinking: transfer
Equilibrium
Communication:
communication
•
•
•
Self-management:
organization
Self-management:
affective
Research:
information literacy
Physical
Chemical
Le Chatelier’s principle: concentration,
temperature and pressure changes,
effect of a catalyst
Unit title and
teaching hours
Organic chemistry
10 hours
Key concept
Change
Related
concept(s)
Form (Structure)
Energy
Global context
Orientation in space
and time: turning points
in humankind
Statement of
inquiry
In order for
structure and
energy to
continue driving
change, finite
fossil fuels will
need to be
replaced by
renewable raw
materials.
Objectives
B
ATL skills
Content
Thinking: critical
thinking
Identification of the following: alkane, alkene,
alcohol, carboxylic acid
Thinking: creative
thinking
Nomenclature for straight-chain organic molecules
Self-management:
affective
Social: collaboration
Self-management:
reflection
Combustion reactions
Fossil fuels