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Departmental Handbook
Written and updated by P
Brannac
Chemistry Department Handbook
Updated 19/08/14
Page 1 of 78
1 Table of Contents
2
3
Introduction to the Chemistry Department............................................................ 5
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
Staff ....................................................................................................................................... 7
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10
3.11
4
5
Ethos of Chemistry.................................................................................................................. 5
Objectives:............................................................................................................................... 5
Courses ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Division of Lessons and their Timings. ......................................................................... 7
Admission to IB Higher Chemistry courses - Years 12 and 13 ............................. 7
Staff list .................................................................................................................................... 7
Staff responsibilities ........................................................................................................... 8
Career Professional Development Policy .................................................................... 8
Sharing best practice within the department ............................................................ 8
Peer Observation Form ...................................................................................................... 9
Mini Observation Schedule ............................................................................................ 11
Internal Chemistry Department Formal Lesson Observations......................... 12
Policy timetable/teaching group allocations to staff ........................................... 13
Teacher timetables 2013 to 2014 ............................................................................... 13
Policy for covering staff .................................................................................................. 13
Protracted Absence .......................................................................................................... 13
Department ESL policy ................................................................................................ 14
4.1
4.2
4.3
Outline assessment scheme of work for teaching ................................................. 14
ESL Topic books ................................................................................................................. 15
Schemes of Work and ESL............................................................................................... 15
Chemistry Department Level Descriptors ........................................................... 15
5.1
iGCSE Grade Descriptors:................................................................................................ 15
5.2
IB Chemistry Grade Descriptors .................................................................................. 16
5.2.1 iGCSE Grade Descriptors .......................................................................................................... 19
6
7
Departmental Policies ................................................................................................. 21
6.1
Communications with parents/guardians policy .................................................. 21
6.2
Departmental Meeting Expectations .......................................................................... 21
6.3
Safety policy ........................................................................................................................ 22
6.4
Risk assessment and planning before a lesson ...................................................... 23
6.5
Organisation of routines during and between lessons. ....................................... 23
6.6
Where to find information. ............................................................................................ 24
Regular safety checks:.................................................................................................................... 24
Monitor and review. ....................................................................................................................... 25
Safety policy - use of laboratories by non - scientists ......................................................... 25
6.7
Equal opportunities policy - general .......................................................................... 26
Equal opportunities policy - gender .................................................................................................... 28
Equal opportunities policy - multicultural education .................................................................. 29
Equal opportunities policy - differentiation .................................................................................... 29
6.8
Financial procedures policy .............................................................................................. 32
Marking and Assessment ........................................................................................... 33
7.1
7.2
7.3
Assessment Scheme of Work ......................................................................................... 33
IB Internal Assessment Rubric ..................................................................................... 35
iGCSE Lab Write Up Assessment Rubric .................................................................... 37
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7.4
Presentation Rubric (Adapted from ToK) for both iGCSE and IB..................... 38
7.4.1 A Identification of knowledge issue ..................................................................................... 38
7.4.2 B Treatment of knowledge issues (ToK)............................................................................ 38
7.4.3 D Connections (ToK) .................................................................................................................. 38
7.5
IB chemistry essay (based on the IB Extended Essay Rubric)........................... 39
7.6
iGCSE Chemistry Literature Review and Essay Marking Scheme..................... 40
7.6.1 Demonstrating an Understanding of Chemistry (UC) .................................................. 40
7.6.2 Demonstrating an understanding of good Scientific Writing (SciW) .................... 41
7.6.3 Demonstrating an understanding of good English ........................................................ 41
7.7
iGCSE Personal skills end of year 11 project rubric ..................................... 42
7.8
Use of Turnitin.com .......................................................................................................... 42
7.9
Using Turnitin to prevent plagiarism ........................................................................ 42
7.10 Using the GradeMark feature of Turnitin ................................................................. 43
7.11 Formative/summative assessment of key pieces of assessed work:.............. 43
7.12 Formative/Summative marking of h/w or non assessment based mark: .... 43
7.13 Spelling, punctuation and grammar: .......................................................................... 44
7.14 Assessment trackers ........................................................................................................ 44
7.14.1
Chemistry Department Assessment Tracker.............................................................. 45
7.15 Grading .................................................................................................................................. 46
7.16 Homework Policy .............................................................................................................. 46
7.17 Appraisal and Monitoring .............................................................................................. 46
7.17.1
Work Scrutiny.......................................................................................................................... 46
7.17.2
iGCSE and IB Teaching Calendar...................................................................................... 48
8
9
Supporting Students .................................................................................................... 49
8.1
Support arrangements for students struggling with chemistry....................... 49
8.2
Revision Process for years 11 and 13 in Chemistry .............................................. 52
8.3
IB revision Timetable ...................................................................................................... 53
8.4
iGCSE Revision Timetable .............................................................................................. 54
8.5
Enrichment Policies.......................................................................................................... 55
8.6
Chemistry Department Policies on International Mindedness, ToK and IB
Learner Profile ................................................................................................................................. 55
8.7
Promoting ToK in lessons .................................................................................................. 55
8.8
Promoting the IB Learner Profile ................................................................................ 56
8.9
Medicine and Biochemistry Society............................................................................ 56
8.9.1 Molecular Biology Plan for the Medicine and Biochemistry Society ..................... 56
8.9.2 Proposal for subject-based INSET 2012-3 ........................................................................ 57
8.10 Junior School Liaison - Young Scientists ................................................................... 58
University preparation including Oxbridge and Medicine ............................ 59
9.1
Interview schedule for Term 1 ..................................................................................... 59
10 IB Chemistry ................................................................................................................... 60
10.1
10.2
Course Overview ................................................................................................................ 60
Internally Assessed Practical Component ................................................................ 60
11 Resources......................................................................................................................... 60
11.1 Electronic Resources – Google Drive and the Shared Drive ............................... 60
11.1.1
Online Resources .................................................................................................................... 61
12 Chemistry Exam (and Mock Exam) Guidance for Invigilators ...................... 62
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13 iGCSE Overiveiw of course ......................................................................................... 63
14 IB Overview ..................................................................................................................... 71
14.1
14.2
Overview of IB topics ....................................................................................................... 71
IB Chemistry Practical Scheme of Work.................................................................... 73
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2 Introduction to the Chemistry Department
2.1 Ethos of Chemistry.
A departmental policy was discussed so that everyone in the department could contribute their
ideas to the policy. The following was produced.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Foster enthusiasm and interest in scientific ideas and developments.
To give pupils the skills, knowledge, understanding to make informed choices about
the world they live in.
Equip the pupils with practical skills to investigate scientific ideas/theories and
develop safe working practices.
To enable pupils to live in a technological world.
To incorporate the use of IT where it enhances the teaching.
Develop awareness of social, moral, ethical, environmental, economic issues and enable
them to make informed choices.
2.2 Objectives:
These objectives relate directly to the six aims of the Chemistry Department and are
intended to show how the aims are actually put into practice.
1 Staff should provide a variety of experiences/activities during a course of study and
during a lesson if possible.
2.a)
i.
The National Curriculum Key Stage 3 and 4 Chemistry Orders should be used as a
basic core for the scheme of work. Staff could provide a glossary of words with each
topic in order to aid correct spelling, understanding of the meanings of and the use
of words.
ii.
Staff should encourage students to recall and apply their knowledge and skills in
familiar and unfamiliar situations. Students should be able to express information in
the form of graphs. Students should also be able to obtain information from graphs,
tables and diagrams and spot patterns/relationships in the information and draw
conclusions.
2.b) Staff should refer to work in Humanities, Maths, Music, Languages, etc. when
appropriate. Students should be able to select and use appropriate results for
calculations using standard procedures.
2.c)
i.
Safety is introduced formally as part of the 'Introduction' topic in Year 7. However,
safety is emphasised whenever appropriate. Staff must be familiar with the risks
associated with a particular piece of practical work.
ii.
Students should be able to follow both verbal and written instructions accurately.
iii.
Students should experience both prescriptive and open-ended practical
investigations. Students should not be expected to perform open-ended practical
investigations unless they have previously gained related knowledge and/or skills
from previous work. Students should be encouraged to:
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make accurate observations and measurements
record systematically
estimate when appropriate
make effective use of laboratory apparatus
understand the need for and use experimental controls
design experiments to answer questions or investigate hypotheses.
3.a)
i.
ii.
3.b)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
4.a)
4.b)
5.a)
5.b)
Lessons should be conducted in a secure, supportive and disciplined manner. The
students and the staff should interact in a manner that demonstrates mutual
respect.
Students should have regular homework that has a direct relationship with the
course work and a clear purpose.
Tests will be given for independent assessment.
Students should experience a variety of experiences/activities during a course of
study and during a lesson if possible. There should be opportunities for individual
and/or group activities.
Staff should encourage students to pursue a piece of work over a period time, e.g.
project work and practical investigations, where research is carried out - possibly
using a library.
Staff should use a reward system, e.g. record of achievement in school diary. This
should encourage students to work to their full potential and to experience a sense
of achievement.
Students are to be encouraged to share their experiences and culture with others in
order to enhance the quality of learning.
Staff should attempt not to spend inequitable amounts of time with any one student,
group of students or gender group etc. However, staff often spend considerable
amounts of their own time helping individual students.
Staff should attempt to show the benefits that Chemistry and technology have given
to us as well as the problems. This will be done by well-chosen resources and
carefully phrased comment.
The staff will allow opportunities at various times for group discussion. At these
times we can listen to each other's views and hopefully reflect upon them.
2.3 Courses
1. Key Stage 3. Adapted from the National Curriculum program of study. Also see
individual lesson plans of work for specific details in file in the shared area in the
departments section (Science).
2. iGCSE (Key Stage 4). See the published syllabus for CIE iGCSE Chemistry (0620).
3. IB. Chemistry (Key Stage 5)
Higher and Standard Levels.
Chemistry Department Handbook
See published syllabus for IBO Diploma Chemistry
Updated 19/08/14
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2.4 Division of Lessons and their Timings.
1. Summary of time per pupil in each year group.
Year
7
8
9
10
11
IB SL
IB HL
Lessons per week
5
6
2
3
3
5
7
2.5 Admission to IB Higher Chemistry courses - Years 12 and 13
Students are admitted to a course dependent on the departmental head’s perception as to
whether or not that student is capable of achieving a pass grade at IB.
Other criteria also apply:a)
the student to have achieved a grade B pass, or better, at iGSCE in the subject.
A double certificate pass in Chemistry of grade BB, or better, is sufficient to be considered
for IB, a grade C pass, or better, is required in Mathematics at iGCSE
All students must do a group 4 science, so if their progression to IB is agreed by
management any student may do Chemistry Standard Level regardless of iGCSE
qualifications.
3 Staff
3.1 Staff list
P Brannac
(Head of department)
BSc. (Honors) in Biochemistry Imperial 2001
PGCE in Secondary Science (Chemistry) Teaching, Cambridge, 2008
External professional development





IBO Chemistry Conference (Chemistry Level 3) Singapore, 2014 focusing on the new
syllabus
IBO Chemistry Conference (Chemistry Level 1) Mumbai, 2012
CIE chemistry A-level workshop Beijing, 2011
IBO Berlin conference (Chemistry level 1), 2009
OCR Chemistry A-level examinations workshop London, 2009
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


OCR Biology A-level examinations workshop, London, 2008
SCIP (Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention) for effective management of
students with severe behavioural problems
Introduction to HTML at Nottingham University 2001.
3.2 Staff responsibilities
Handbook
iGCSE Schemes of Work revision
iGCSE Revision Packs, Schedule, workshop
IB revision packs, schedule workshop
University mock interviewer
Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtime workshops for iGCSE and IB students respectively
Implementation of the assessment strategy and the
iGCSE practical rubric revision
Year 11 and 13 cause for concern leader
Year 12 Cause for concern leader
Year 10 Cause for concern leader
Year 9 Cause for concern leader
3.3 Career Professional Development Policy
In addition to the schools CPD policy there is a regular events to promote professional
development, the department has run, for instance a training session involving both the Biology
and Chemistry teaching and support staff where PB taught all involved how to perform the
Polymerase Chain Reaction using the equipment available within the school. Within the
department there are also regular meetings led by the chemistry staff. In a recent instance the
Turnitin program was explained to all in a tutorial where teachers were allowed to use the
departmental rubrics to assess pieces of work. Also TD, as a IBO Examiner for the Internal
Assessment has led a meeting detailing the thinking behind the IA and the assessment of the IA.
All staff have also had IBO training through their training events, most recently TD and JH went
to Bangkok for a level 2 chemistry event and fed back to the staff.
3.4 Sharing best practice within the department
Mini observations
All chemistry staff are encouraged to observe other staff for 15 to 20 minutes in a informal
way within the department and fill in the form “Internal Chemistry Department Lesson
Observations” located in the shared area (and in the appendix to this handbook). The aim
of these observations is to help to highlight good practice and to help the spread of
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information and successful teaching strategies within the department. The filled in forms
will be available to all teachers in the department.
Formal observations
In addition to the informal mini observations, longer, formal observations will also take
place in compliance with school procedures. These will be confidential.
In chemistry meetings
Good ideas for new teaching strategies, or recent success with established methods, will be
shared within the department during the departmental meetings. The intended practicals
for the near future will also be discussed with the aim being to coordinate the practical
timetable to best suit our limited resources.
3.5 Peer Observation Form
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3.6 Mini Observation Schedule
Peer Observation Schedule
TERM 1
Week start
date
02-Sep
09-Sep
16-Sep
23-Sep
30-Sep
07-Oct
14-Oct
21-Oct
28-Oct
04-Nov
11-Nov
18-Nov
25-Nov
02-Dec
Week
Number
1
2
Chusock
3
4
5
6
1/2 term
1/2 term
7
8
9
10
11
06-Jan
13-Jan
20-Jan
27-Jan
03-Feb
10-Feb
17-Feb
24-Feb
03-Mar
10-Mar
17-Mar
24-Mar
31-Mar
07-Apr
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
1/2 term
14-Apr
21-Apr
28-Apr
05-May
12-May
19-May
26-May
02-Jun
09-Jun
16-Jun
23-Jun
30-Jun
Easter
Easter
Revision
Revision AM:PB, JH:TD, PB:JH, TD:AM
JH:PB, AM:TD, TD:JH, PB:AM
PB:TD, TD:PB, JH:AM, AM:JH
1/2 term
Observer:Observed pairs
Observer Observed
PB
TD
PB
07-Oct
AM:PB, JH:TD, PB:JH, TD:AM TD
07-Oct
JH:PB, AM:TD, TD:JH, PB:AM JH
30-Sep 23-Sep
PB:TD, TD:PB, JH:AM, AM:JH AM
23-Sep 30-Sep
23-Sep
30-Sep
07-Oct
PB
JH
AM
TD
TD
AM
JH
PB
JH
23-Sep
30-Sep
AM
30-Sep
23-Sep
07-Oct
07-Oct
JH
TD
PB
AM
AM
PB
TD
JH
JH
20-Jan
27-Jan
AM
27-Jan
20-Jan
03-Feb
TERM 2
Mocks
Review of mocks
Observer Observed
AM:PB, JH:TD, PB:JH, TD:AM
PB
TD
JH:PB, AM:TD, TD:JH, PB:AM PB
03-Feb
PB:TD, TD:PB, JH:AM, AM:JH TD
03-Feb
JH
27-Jan 20-Jan
AM
20-Jan 27-Jan
20-Jan
27-Jan
03-Feb
PB
JH
AM
TD
TD
AM
JH
PB
03-Feb
JH
TD
PB
AM
AM
PB
TD
JH
TERM 3
MANUMISSION :O)
Chemistry Department Handbook
Observer Observed
PB
TD
PB
19-May
TD
19-May
JH
12-May 05-May
AM
05-May 12-May
05-May
12-May
19-May
PB
JH
AM
TD
Updated 19/08/14
TD
AM
JH
PB
JH
05-May
12-May
AM
12-May
05-May
19-May
19-May
JH
TD
PB
AM
AM
PB
TD
JH
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3.7 Internal Chemistry Department Formal Lesson Observations
Teacher being observed
Teacher Observing
Date, Day, Lesson number
Class, Gender and Number of Students
What was happening in the classroom? What were the students doing? What was
the teacher doing?
What did you see that was positive about the lesson?
What did you see that you could use in your teaching?
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3.8 Policy timetable/teaching group allocations to staff
As far as it is possible each member of staff will carry through groups through year 7 to
year 8 and in the upper school from year 9 to year 11, and from year 12 to 13 at IB level.
Sometimes the timetable restriction does not allow this.
3.9 Teacher timetables 2013 to 2014
(Departmental meeting is held on period 5 on Monday)
3.10 Policy for covering staff
1.
2.
3.
4.
Staff follow the code given in the teachers' handbook for notification of absence and
give details of the work set for each class. This may be prepared previously for
planned absence, with relevant resources allocated or written on the proforma. The
colleagues will record set work when the information is phoned through or emailed.
The HOD then locates the resources needed.
If possible work is set with clear instructions and considering appropriateness to
the students, the resources available and whoever is doing the cover.
The HOD oversees the management of the work set and liaises with the cover
teacher.
It is not expected that a practical activity is implemented unless it is nonhazardous, e.g. cut & stick.
5.
Laboratory rules continue to be in force since equipment may be left in the
laboratory and the availability of teaching rooms prohibits the movement of classes
from laboratories. Class control MUST ensure safety and security.
6.
Work can be sellotaped to the desk in the teacher’s classroom.
3.11 Protracted Absence
8.
a)
b)
c)
d)
During protracted absence the following occurs:
The HOD. liaises with the VP for curriculum and endeavours to arrange for a
specialist Chemistry teacher.
The supply teacher is made welcome and given every assistance by the Chemistry
staff. Monitoring is effected by the HOD/Deputy.
It is hoped that in such circumstances the extra workload imposed on the HOD is
appreciated by management when allocating internal cover.
If non-specialist staff are used consideration is given to:i.
topics of work to be taught and possible reorganisation
ii.
class rotation and sharing amongst Chemistry specialist staff. This works
well and provides all classes with essential practical experiences.
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4 Department ESL policy
4.1 Outline assessment scheme of work for teaching
Students will have a variety of opportunities to use and perfect their skills in English in
tasks such as literature reviews, symposia and in class discussions.
Each topic for both iGCSE and IB will include:
1. End of topic test
2. Formal lab report examining one or more of the topics in the iGCSE Chemistry
Practical Assessment or IB Internal Assessment objectives (initially, at the start of
year 12 this may be an informal exercise with a reduced level of stringency to help
students acclimatize to the rigors of the course)
3. Literature review
Literature review
Every topic will have one literature review and a practical write up examining one or more
of the topics in the iGCSE Chemistry Practical Assessment rubric (derived from the IB
Internal Assessment criterions). The literature review will be in the form of an essay based
in part or wholly on an article from a magazine or internet source. In addition to assessing
their chemistry, this task will also assess their level of English ability using the
standardised Literacy Checklist. Occasionally, the literature review may only require the
students to summarise the most important information, a task which will enable the
assessment of the students level of reading and comprehension.
Presentation
Each year group will have at least one symposia per year where every student is required to give a
presentation about a topic in chemistry to the whole class.
Keywords
All students for every topic will be given a topic booklet which will include a keywords list for that
topic, as well as additional information
Literacy starters
Lessons incorporate literacy starters in appropriate sections of the syllabus to help introduce
keywords to consolidate important ideas
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4.2 ESL Topic books
For students struggling with the subjects as a result of difficulties with English, special
topic books have been created which are designed specifically with the ESL learner in mind
and include exam questions from paper 2 (maximum grade is a C grade).
4.3 Schemes of Work and ESL
The schemes of work already make mention of ESL specific tasks, activities and assessment
opportunities. These will be added to and built upon to ensure ESL provision and
monitoring is a seamless aspect of the department’s everyday activities.
5 Chemistry Department Level Descriptors
5.1 iGCSE Grade Descriptors:
A level 7 student will
 Consistently demonstrate the skills and abilities described for a level 6 student
 Include understanding of awareness of the subject beyond the iGCSE syllabus and
will be able to confidently extend the task to include relevant material that is
included, for instance in the IB syllabus.
A level 6 student often:
 Displays very broad knowledge of factual information in the syllabus and a thorough
understanding of concepts and principles.
 Selects and applies relevant information, concepts and principles in most contexts.
 Analyses and evaluates quantitative and/or qualitative data with a high level of
competence. Constructs explanations of complex phenomena and makes
appropriate predictions.
 Communicates effectively using appropriate terminology and conventions.
 Shows insight or originality.
 Demonstrates personal skills, perseverance and responsibility in a wide variety of
investigative activities in a very consistent manner.
 Displays competence in a range of investigative techniques, paying due attention to
safety, and is generally capable of working well within a group.
A level 5 student will be able to often:







Relate facts to principles and theories and vice versa
State why particular techniques are preferred for a procedure or operation
Select and collate information from a number of sources and present it in a
Clear, logical form
Solve problems in situations which may involve a wide range of variables
Process data from a number of sources to identify any patterns or trends
Generate a hypothesis to explain facts, or find facts to support a hypothesis
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A level 4 student will often be able to:






Link facts to situations not specified in the syllabus
Describe the correct procedure(s) for a multi-stage operation
Select a range of information from a given source and present it in a clear, logical form
Identify patterns or trends in given information
Solve a problem involving more than one step, but with a limited range of variables
Generate a hypothesis to explain a given set of facts or data
A level 3 student will often be able to






Recall facts contained in the syllabus
Indicate the correct procedure for a single operation
Select and present a single piece of information from a given source
Solve a problem involving one step, or more than one step if structured help is given
Identify a pattern or trend where only minor manipulation of data is needed
Recognise which of two given hypotheses explains a set of facts or data
A level 2 student:
 Displays little recall of factual information in the syllabus.
 Shows weak comprehension of basic concepts and principles and little evidence of
application. Exhibits minimal ability to manipulate data and little or no ability to
solve problems. Offers responses which are often incomplete or irrelevant.
 Rarely demonstrates personal skills, perseverance or responsibility in investigative
activities.
 Works within a team occasionally but makes little or no contribution.
 Occasionally approaches investigations in an ethical manner, but shows very little
awareness of the environmental impact.
 Displays competence in a very limited range of investigative techniques, showing
little awareness of safety factors and needing continual and close supervision.
A level 1 student:
 Recalls fragments of factual information in the syllabus and shows very little
understanding of any concepts or principles.
 Rarely demonstrates personal skills, perseverance or responsibility in investigative
activities. Does not work within a team.
 Displays very little competence in investigative techniques, generally pays no
attention to safety, and requires constant supervision.
5.2 IB Chemistry Grade Descriptors
Grade 7: Excellent performance
 Displays comprehensive knowledge of factual information in the syllabus and a
thorough command of concepts and principles.
 Selects and applies relevant information, concepts and principles in a wide variety
of contexts.
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







Analyses and evaluates quantitative and/or qualitative data thoroughly.
Constructs detailed explanations of complex phenomena and makes appropriate
predictions.
Solves most quantitative and/or qualitative problems proficiently.
Communicates logically and concisely using appropriate terminology and
conventions.
Shows insight or originality.
Demonstrates personal skills, perseverance and responsibility in a wide variety of
investigative activities in a very consistent manner.
Works very well within a team and approaches investigations in an ethical manner,
paying full attention to environmental impact.
Displays competence in a wide range of investigative techniques, paying
considerable attention to safety, and is fully capable of working independently.
Grade 6: Very good performance









Displays very broad knowledge of factual information in the syllabus and a thorough
understanding of concepts and principles.
Selects and applies relevant information, concepts and principles in most contexts.
Analyses and evaluates quantitative and/or qualitative data with a high level of
competence. Constructs explanations of complex phenomena and makes
appropriate predictions.
Solves basic or familiar problems and most new or difficult quantitative and/or
qualitative problems.
Communicates effectively using appropriate terminology and conventions.
Shows occasional insight or originality.
Demonstrates personal skills, perseverance and responsibility in a wide variety of
investigative activities in a very consistent manner.
Works well within a team and approaches investigations in an ethical manner,
paying due attention to environmental impact.
Displays competence in a wide range of investigative techniques, paying due
attention to safety, and is generally capable of working independently.
\Grade 5 Good performance





Displays broad knowledge of factual information in the syllabus.
Shows sound understanding of most concepts and principles and applies them in
some contexts. Analyses and evaluates quantitative and/or qualitative data
competently. Constructs explanations of simple phenomena.
Solves most basic or familiar problems and some new or difficult quantitative
and/or qualitative problems.
Communicates clearly with little or no irrelevant material.
Demonstrates personal skills, perseverance and responsibility in a variety of
investigative activities in a fairly consistent manner.
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

Generally works well within a team and approaches investigations in an ethical
manner, paying attention to environmental impact.
Displays competence in a range of investigative techniques, paying attention to
safety, and is sometimes capable of working independently.
Grade 4 Satisfactory performance









Displays reasonable knowledge of factual information in the syllabus, though
possibly with some gaps.
Shows adequate comprehension of most basic concepts and principles but with
limited
ability to apply them.
Demonstrates some analysis or evaluation of quantitative or qualitative data.
Solves some basic or routine problems but shows limited ability to deal with new or
difficult situations.
Communicates adequately although responses may lack clarity and include some
repetitive or irrelevant material.
Demonstrates personal skills, perseverance and responsibility in a variety of
investigative activities, although displays some inconsistency.
Works within a team and generally approaches investigations in an ethical manner,
with some attention to environmental impact.
Displays competence in a range of investigative techniques, paying some attention
to safety, although requiring some close supervision.
Grade 3 Mediocre performance






Displays limited knowledge of factual information in the syllabus.
Shows a partial comprehension of basic concepts and principles and weak ability to
apply them. Shows some ability to manipulate data and solve basic or routine
problems.
Communicates with a possible lack of clarity and some repetitive or irrelevant
material.
Demonstrates personal skills, perseverance and responsibility in some investigative
activities in an inconsistent manner.
Works within a team and sometimes approaches investigations in an ethical
manner, with some attention to environmental impact.
Displays competence in some investigative techniques, occasionally paying
attention to safety, and requires close supervision.
Grade 2 Poor performance
 Displays little recall of factual information in the syllabus.
 Shows weak comprehension of basic concepts and principles and little evidence of
application. Exhibits minimal ability to manipulate data and little or no ability to
solve problems. Offers responses which are often incomplete or irrelevant.
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



Rarely demonstrates personal skills, perseverance or responsibility in investigative
activities.
Works within a team occasionally but makes little or no contribution.
Occasionally approaches investigations in an ethical manner, but shows very little
awareness of the environmental impact.
Displays competence in a very limited range of investigative techniques, showing
little awareness of safety factors and needing continual and close supervision.
Grade 1 Very poor performance
 Recalls fragments of factual information in the syllabus and shows very little
understanding of any concepts or principles.
 Rarely demonstrates personal skills, perseverance or responsibility in investigative
activities. Does not work within a team.
 Rarely approaches investigations in an ethical manner, or shows an awareness of
the environmental impact.
 Displays very little competence in investigative techniques, generally pays no
attention to safety, and requires constant supervision.
5.2.1 iGCSE Grade Descriptors
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6 Departmental Policies
6.1 Communications with parents/guardians policy
1.
2.
3.
4.
a)
b)
c)
5.
The Department readily fulfils the contacts described in the School Policy Folder, i.e.
homework, reporting, parents evening and form tutor duties.
Recommendations of "A good" Chemistry text book for them to purchase. We
regularly review new publications with respect to content, presentation and cost.
We recommend one for purchase if it is felt helpful to the student. The department
provides all required textbooks.
If after department discussion it is felt advisable for a student to change groups, the
position is discussed by the student, Chemistry teacher and HOD, Then Head of year
or section will be contacted.
The education of a child is a shared task involving parents/guardians, teachers and
students. We therefore hope that parents/guardians will provide the following
support:
ensure the student has the necessary basic equipment.
assist with the provision of "raw" materials for model work.
facilitate the use of reference material if necessary, e.g. project homework.
The department welcomes governors to visit/attend Chemistry lessons. These visits
have occurred in the past with the most recent set of inspections in 2012 and helped
developed positive relationships and informed mutual understanding.
6.2 Departmental Meeting Expectations
Meetings will occur once a week and will have three standing items on the Agenda. Each
meeting will come with an Agenda in advance and staff should email any additional points
they would like to add to the agenda. Each week will have one or two additional items that
will vary depending on the immediate needs of the department.
The agenda will have the following layout:
1. Students of concern
2. Sharing best practice
3. Feedback from HoD meetings
The agenda will be emailed the day before to all attendees.
Departmental meetings will be used for the following: weekly housekeeping, work scrutiny,
developing departmental policy, sharing good practice and focusing the department and
teaching around the school priorities.
All departmental meetings will be followed by written minutes, in the form of an appended
version of the minutes. These will be stored in both the shared drive and shared area.
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6.3 Safety policy
Each student is given a copy of the following safety code to be put into their first exercise
book when they first attend the School.
THE LABORATORY SAFETY CODE
The laboratory is a much safer place to work if you follow this code:
1.
2.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Before the lesson starts you must:
Never go into a Chemistry laboratory without permission.
Always walk into the laboratory and never run or push anyone.
During the lesson you must:
Always know exactly what you are doing. If not, ask your teacher.
Always wear safety goggles/glasses when told to do so.
Always wear an apron when told to do so.
Always tie back long hair.
Always put your bag under the table or where your teacher tells you to put it.
Always put your stool under the table if you leave your seat for any reason.
Always stand when you are doing practical work and put your stool under the table.
Always report an accident or breakage immediately. If you spill anything on
yourself, immediately wash with water and call for your teacher's help.
Never put anything in your mouth. Do not eat, drink or chew.
Never interfere with equipment.
Never make up your own experiments.
Never put glass or solids down the sink.
Never sit on the tables or benches.
At the end of the lesson:
1.
Always wipe the tables and sink areas if they are wet.
2.
Always leave the laboratory clean and tidy.
In addition to the above Safety Code students also learn the correct names and location
within the laboratory of apparatus. We insist that students use the correct names of
apparatus when talking to staff and peers.
The effective management of safety for a school Chemistry department can be seen as
having four major components:
1.
Risk assessment and planning before a lesson
2.
Organisation of routines during and between lessons to include:
i.
the use of goggles protective clothing, etc.
ii.
reporting breakages and dealing with sharp objects and broken glass
iii.
location of safety equipment
iv.
reporting accidents
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3.
4.
Control to include:
i.
Where to find safety information e.g. COSHH file, risk assessments &
CLEAPSS Hazcards etc.
ii.
Regular safety checks.
Monitor and Review - including procedures for reporting hazards/suspected
hazards and those for reviewing risk assessments and safety in general.
6.4 Risk assessment and planning before a lesson
Every activity is assessed for risk including carrying books, trays of equipment and pushing
trolleys. We attempt to balance the desire to eliminate risk with the need to reduce risk in
order to maintain practical work e.g. we may demonstrate an experiment in order to
reduce the level of risk to students - however we would normally do as much class practical
work as is possible. Before a lesson starts staff should:
1.
Have carried out a risk assessment.
2.
Have ordered any safety equipment.
3.
Know when to use a fume cupboard and have arranged a room swap beforehand if
the assessment deemed this to be necessary.
Risk assessment is a process that has several components:
1.
Identify hazards.
2.
Look at cause and effect.
3.
Examine methods of work.
4.
Investigate the safety literature for advice.
5.
Remove hazards where possible.
6.
Estimate any costs incurred in changing practice and obtain or request relevant
funding.
7.
Implement new practices.
8.
Review the changes - risk better or worse?
In case of emergency staff should already:
1.
Be familiar with evacuation procedures in case of fire or other emergency.
2.
Know the location of, and how to use, fire fighting equipment.
3.
Know the location and identity of the trained first aider.
4.
Know how to use the eye wash bottle.
6.5 Organisation of routines during and between lessons.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Students are not allowed to enter or work in a Chemistry laboratory unless actively
supervised.
Students are not to eat or drink in a Chemistry laboratory.
Glasses/goggles must be worn when using chemicals.
Aprons should be worn when students use chemicals or any other materials.
Gas must be switched off at the mains at the end of the day - the location of mains
switches/taps is clearly indicated in each laboratory.
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6.
Many chemicals commonly used in schools can usually be disposed of by washing
down the sink well diluted with large quantities of water. If in doubt consult the
Head of Department and the Technician. Metal powders necessitate special care.
7.
At the end of a lesson staff are to allow students to use the fire exits in order to leave
the laboratory. Staff should
ensure that the students leave the laboratory in an
orderly manner.(iii) Control
6.6 Where to find information.
a)
i.
b)
c)
see individual HOD and science technician
Health and Safety Policy' It contains amongst other information a list of safety
circulars.
'CLEAPSS. Laboratory Handbook (blue file). This is centrally stored in the Chemistry
office.
Hazcards - listing chemical hazards. The full set is centrally stored in the Chem.
room. There is a safety book for staff use in the Chemistry office.
Regular safety checks:
a)
b)
c)
d)
3.
4.
i.
ii.
5.
6.
Electrical equipment is regularly monitored by teaching staff and the Technician. In
addition the whole stock of electrical equipment is checked/maintained bi-annually
by an external contractor.
Chemicals kept in storage are inspected annually for signs of deterioration and
container corrosion.
Maintenance of fire fighting equipment. Annual inspections maintain our full range
of fire fighting equipment.
Provision/cleaning of Laboratory coats, visors, safety screens. These are cleaned as
necessary by the Technician or Chemistry staff.
Student teachers and new teaching staff are given advice that includes safety
procedures. All staff are trained on the use of new equipment that they are unsure
about.
Our system of storage is based around:
flammable chemicals are stored in a special storage cupboard.
our usual non-flammable chemicals are stored in a special Chemical Store primarily
in an alphabetical arrangement. We have few hazardous chemicals (e.g. oxidising)
and most are stored in relatively small quantities. The alphabetical system is
convenient and poses very little risk. Acids and alkalis are stored on the floor of the
Chemical Store.
Labelling on chemical bottles - chemical bottles are clearly labelled with the name of
the chemical and any necessary hazard symbols.
Storage and maintenance of gas cylinders. We have the following gas cylinders:
Type of Gas Cylinder
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7.
i.
8.
9.
Nitrogen
Prep Room
Provision of spillage kits. Spillage kits are kept in the Prep. room for:
Mercury spillage
Provision and replacement of eye wash bottles - each laboratory is provided with an
eye wash bottle. After use the water refill should be disposed of and a new
replacement.
The nominated first aider at the School is Matron and the school caretaker.
Monitor and review.
1.
a)
i.
ii.
Procedures for reporting safety matters. such as a suspicion/ reporting of faulty
equipment including faulty/inadequate fire fighting equipment.
Always inform the Head of Department, the Laboratory Technician, and Chemistry
colleagues. Also inform the Head teacher, Safety Representative, the Bursar and the
Caretaker as appropriate. Once the Head of Department has been informed it will be
his/her responsibility to make appropriate decisions, e.g.
Immediately taking the relevant piece of equipment out of service.
Organising a replacement item of equipment.
2.
Procedure for Circulating Safety Information.
N.B. in the following section the term 'staff' refers to both teachers and technicians.
On receipt of a safety document the contents are analysed and categorised by the
Head of department under one of three headings:
i.
Immediate action required - staff are verbally informed by the Head of
Department and are asked to read their own copy of the circular as soon as possible.
The Practical Requirement sheets and related Risk Assessments are then altered as
appropriate. N.B. if the document is vary long it may be circulated without staff
being given their own copy.
Medium/long term action required - the document is circulated to all Chemistry
staff and then filed. The Practical Requirement sheets and related Risk Assessments
are then altered as appropriate.
No action required - if the contents confirm what we already practice then the
document will still be discussed at the next department meeting. The document will
be filed.
ii.
iii.
Safety policy - use of laboratories by non - scientists
1. Students are not to enter a laboratory until a member of staff has arrived.
2. Good advice on the supervision of students in Chemistry departments states that:
“Staff should actively ensure that there will be adequate levels of supervision in such
areas at all times.”
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3.
4.
a)
b)
Therefore it is not acceptable for a member of staff to leave students in a laboratory
whilst the member of staff goes to collect resources etc. Thorough planning and
organisation is vital in order to avoid difficulties in complying with this directive.
Staff must ensure that students do not interfere with equipment/ apparatus or
chemicals of any kind.
The gas supplies to each laboratory are switched off by Chemistry staff at the end of the
day. Therefore staff using a laboratory should make themselves familiar with the
location and mode of operation of the following facilities:
the ‘Mains electricity switch’
the ‘Mains gas isolating valve’
The location of the ‘Mains electricity switch’ to each laboratory is indicated by a white
box.
The location of the ‘Mains gas isolating valve’ is indicated by a yellow handle- as shown
below:
5. No eating, drinking or chewing is to take place in a laboratory. Staff should try and
dissuade students from touching their mouths and eyes with their fingers, pens, pencils
etc.
6.7 Equal opportunities policy - general
There are three separate policy documents that fall within the auspices of the Department's
'Equal Opportunities Policy' i.e. policies on Differentiation, Gender and Multicultural
education. In addition to these three policies there are several other areas of Chemistry
education that need to be separately mentioned in a comprehensive policy on Equal
Opportunities, i.e.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Setting
Teaching styles
Entitlement of access to the whole course of study
Progression within the course of study.
1.
Setting.
Ways need to be found of catering for the needs of students of all abilities which will fully
challenge the most able students, and encourage those of average abilities and below to
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higher levels of achievement. We believe that setting is a major strategy towards achieving
this aim. However setting alone will not ensure equality of opportunity.
In Years 7, 8 & 9 students are currently taught Chemistry in their tutor groups.
In Years 10 & 11 the progress of some students is discussed by the department at the half
year stage. At this half year stage limited movement of students between sets may be
effected to reward consistent excellence or to give a student a more appropriate structure
in which to progress. The agreed procedure for reviewing the setting of students is as
follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
letter.
Staff are asked to view test % of students who are either doing very well or who's
progress is causing concern.
Staff have a brief meeting to discuss the relevant students.
The HOD then speaks individually to the students that we consider could benefit
from moving up a set.
The HOD then speaks individually to the students that we consider could benefit
from moving down a set.
Students that we consider could benefit from moving up a set tell the HOD if they
wish to do so or not.
The HOS and other staff make final decisions and then parents are informed by
2.
Teaching styles.
The following is an extract from the Department's 'Aims and objectives'.
"Students should experience a variety of experiences/activities during a course of study
and during a lesson if possible. There should be opportunities for individual and/or group
activities. Staff should encourage students to pursue a piece of work over a period time e.g.
project work and practical investigations, where research is carried out - possibly using a
library".
The department staff can at times given the opportunity exchange their experiences of the
Scheme of Work at department meetings - the successes and failures of different strategies
are a prominent part of this exchange. For further details on the variety of teaching styles
see the policies on Differentiation and the Scheme of Work.
3.
Entitlement of access to the whole course.
All students follow the same Scheme of Work in years 7 - 8.
4.
Progression within the course of study.
There is an implication in the way that the National Curriculum is set out, in the apparent
hierarchy of levels, that students learn fundamental Chemistry concepts in a linear fashion.
This is not necessarily the case and much care needs to be exercised in the construction of a
scheme of work. We accept that some students make what appears to be erratic progress
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through the levels. For this reason our Scheme of Work is a spiral/progressive system that
allows, in as much as is possible, for some scientific concepts to be revisited. The course is
modular with most topics being visited in each of the three years.
Topic tests will often include one or two questions from the previous year's work - this
allows for achievement of statements that were experienced/assessed in the previous year.
The current scheme of work appears to satisfy the needs of students of all abilities. It is also
sufficiently demanding to test the most able students to the full, and encourages those of
average abilities and below to new levels of achievement.
Equal opportunities policy - gender
1.
The Department recognises that although Chemistry is a core subject for all up to
the age of sixteen, it is still perceived by some students and their families to be a
'male' subject. We do not accept this view as is shown by the way we portray our
subject.
2.
This Department aims to provide equal opportunities for students within a broad,
balanced Chemistry education, which does not discriminate against them because of
gender. We hope our scheme of work and its implementation:reflects the interests of both boys and girls.
by celebrating the achievements and careers of famous male and female scientists.
Encourages boys and girls to view their contributions as having equal value.
values equally the experiences of both girls and boys.
is set in a familiar context to which all students can relate.
shows that the teacher can by careful use of language avoid reinforcing stereotypical
views of society.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
3.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
4.
Research has shown that girls in particular are less interested in Chemistry if they
perceive it as being about ' things' rather than about people. Therefore we must :Emphasise that Chemistry is a human activity which relates to peoples lives.
Provide opportunities to use a more personal, expressive language, in work such as
projects, reports and posters and of course classroom discussion.
Provide opportunities to discuss and explore opinions which relate to Chemistryrelated social issues.
We should demonstrate the importance of Chemistry education for everyone,
showing the importance of Chemistry in a wide range of careers and everyday life
e.g. healthy living, environment, communication/I.T. skills and wise consumer
choice.
Recent research has shown that both genders experience increased levels of
motivation and interest if Chemistry is delivered through the medium of I.T. The
increase is more marked in boys who attain lower levels of achievement, as a whole,
than do the girls.
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Equal opportunities policy - multicultural education
1.
We operate within the whole-school multicultural policy, ensuring that the
Chemistry department reflects this policy as closely as possible.
2.
We use all appropriate opportunities to challenge prejudice as it arises and a
consistent approach to dealing with racist incidents.
3.
We draw upon material from a variety of cultures and countries to illustrate our
subject, providing a world view of Chemistry. We have materials which can be used
in a practical sense from a variety of cultures. These can be used to demonstrate
scientific theory, e.g. food preservation, heat transfer and house design experiments.
The students themselves are often the most important multicultural resource within
the classroom and their experiences are valued and shared.
4.
We recognise in our teaching the contributions to the development of Chemistry
which have been made by other cultures. We adopt the view that sees cultural
diversity as a positive advantage.
5.
We ensure that our resources do not contribute to stereotypical views or carry
racist implications. Many of our text books and resources reflect our multicultural
society. The teachers can, by careful use of language, also avoid reinforcing
stereotypical views of society.
Equal opportunities policy - differentiation
Differentiation occurs when there is planned intervention by the teacher with the intention
of maximising the achievements of students based on their differing individual needs.
Differentiation can be described as having five main components i.e.
1. Resources 2. Tasks
3. Response
4. Support
5. Group Structure
Each of the five components of differentiation are explored in detail below.
1.
Resources should:
a).
have an appropriate readability level.
The topic tests are written at a reading age and the sentence length and the number of
syllables in particular words is considered. Staff aim to use familiar language and everyday
examples of Chemistry in discussions with the students.
b).
be easy to use.
Worksheets are clearly processed. Instructions are clear to understand and to carry out.
c).
be well designed.
We provide students with attractive text books. We use our own and published materials.
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d).
be in many different forms.
e.g. texts, (laboratory and library) worksheets, booklets, P.C., C.D. ROM, ACORN/Arch
microcomputers.
e).
have a scheme of work that indicates a planned use of available resources and that
shows progression and continuity within the course.
These features were central in the construction of our scheme of work - see the Scheme of
Work.
f).
be kept in well managed storage/retrieval systems.
Our resources are well managed and ordered. Our worksheets are kept in filing cabinets
clearly labelled with their contents. Videos and computer programmes are centrally stored.
g).
prepare students for the methods of study that they will be expected to use.
We inform the students at the start of Year 7 as to the methods of study they will be
expected to use. We provide the students with various 'help sheets' e.g. how students are to
write up investigations.
h).
build study skills into the Scheme of Work.
We work in the library and computer room when appropriate. Students have to revise
regularly for the topic tests - these are perceived by the students and parents as important.
We go over specific questions from the topic tests so as to clarify the finer points of
'examination technique'.
2.
Tasks should:
a).
show variety throughout a topic and within a lesson if possible.
See the scheme of work for a list of suggested activities.
b).
be suitable for the abilities of the students.
We have a variety of texts and worksheets that can be used to match resources/tasks with
the student. Setting allows us to offer the students an appropriate learning pace and
scientific content in years 10 & 11. Both written and spoken questions/vocabulary are
structured to enable students of all abilities to understand and respond.
c).
have a structure that enables the student to stay on task.
Lists of the tasks can be written on the board. We can leave demonstration apparatus set
up at the front of the laboratory for students to refer to. We can provide structured
worksheets.
d).
identify possible outcomes.
Poster and model work done by other students can be used to illustrate possible outcomes
and to inform and motivate students, e.g. making a body model, making a model Solar
system, making musical instruments and timing devices. Project work should be
accompanied by a brief to illustrate the areas that must be covered and to show the types of
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outcome that might arise, e.g. a poster. a report, a presentation, a play, a game or a
magazine.
e).
allow the teacher to build a learning route through a study topic.
The scheme of work is designed to allow for continuity and progression.
3.
The Response should:
a).
make course objectives clear to students.
Each topic has a clear contents list that is given to the students that details the topics
studied in each year.
b).
make assessment criteria clear to the students.
We wish to involve students in recording their own achievements in the National
Curriculum by a 'user friendly' Record of Achievement. (to be developed).
c).
create an atmosphere where students discuss their own and each others work.
We encourage students to comment on and discuss each others work.
d).
be given to students in small groups.
During classwork students work in small groups of two, three or four students.
e).
reflect what the student has achieved and consider the student's previous
achievements.
We endeavour to use constructive criticism and advice at all pertinent opportunities.
4.
Support can be:
a).
from other adults and students.
We have sixth formers who wish to do community work supporting staff in the Chemistry
department. We encourage students who finish a task quickly to help others.
b).
from the teacher.
This can occur during a lesson or often in staff's own time, e.g. at break times and lunch
times. Indeed staff sometimes support students after school on a mutually agreed basis.
c).
from appropriate resources.
e.g. texts, (laboratory and library) worksheets, booklets, P.C., C.D. ROM and video
recordings are all well integrated into the scheme of work.
d).
by celebrating achievement.
We celebrate achievement in many different ways - for further details see the Department’s
policy on assessment. We display student's work in the laboratories.
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5.
Group Structure can support differentiation if:
a) we examine the structure of the teaching groups.
Setting is seen as a major way in which we group students with some respect to their
potential ability to understand scientific concepts. It allows groups of students to work
together on the more challenging aspects and increase their rate of work whilst allowing
other groups to reinforce knowledge and skills, work at a slightly slower pace and/or gain
the extra support they need.
b) we teach students in small groups.
During some classwork students work in small groups of two, three or four students. This
helps to support the co-operation between the students and one hopes build up the
confidence of the less confident students. The need to express their thoughts to others
often helps students to prepare for AT1 work and the more open ended tasks.
c) we are flexible within the group when setting the task and responding to individual's
needs.
Project work can be produced by larger as long as the students know their own role in
producing the project. One collaboratively produced piece of work helps to encourage
commitment and responsibility in the students.
d) we allow individual work.
Students will be able to develop their independent working methods and increase their
progress if some aspects of the course are taught in this way. The more able will benefit
from the intensity of such work. The less able and/or less confident student will benefit
from the privacy if he/she is making errors. It is important to match the task to the
student's ability in each case if progression is to occur.
6.8 Financial procedures policy
Each year the HOD and department formulate the Development Plan. Within this plan will
be details of equipment, resources and training needs.
2.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Expenditure.
The main laboratory technician monitors our stock and liaises closely with the Head
of Department in assessing the stock purchasing requirements. Staff recommend
any suggested purchases for maintenance and development of the topics.
The technician/HOD completes order forms and liaises with the School Office.
The technician checks delivered goods and organises stock storage etc.
Staff who require reimbursement for sundry purchases will initially receive
payment from the bursar. Larger amounts will be reimbursed by the Bursar from
the Department's capitation.
The Head of Department monitors the department's budget by referring to the
account statements published by the Bursar.
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7 Marking and Assessment
The assessment within the faculty will be standardised and be used to submit marks for the
MIS grades on the basis of one/two per half term. Assessment should be in the form of the
Academic grades (levels 1 – 7) and should not include a percentage value, unless students
are sitting an exam script. Assessment rubrics should be available to all students to allow
them to comprehend how grades have been awarded. A student may gain more than one
grade for a piece of work dependant on the areas being assessed (e.g. there may be 3
separate grades for calculation, explanation and presentation)
7.1 Assessment Scheme of Work
Overview of the Year
Half-term
Year 9
3
D
(Periodicity)
DCP (Titration)
4
DCP
(Enthalpy of
fuels)
D (Electrochem
Cells)
5
CE (Enthalpy
of fuels)
6
Essay
(Periodic
table)
Presentation
Types of
bonding
Year 10
CE (Reduction of
CuO with
Carbon)
Essay (Uses of
transition
metals)
Acids and bases
Year 11
D (Reduction
of CuO with
Carbon)
DCP (Thermal
decomposition
of CaCO3)
Year 12
Year 13
D (Teacher's
choice)
DCP (Teacher's
choice)
Revision
PS: Group
Project
Exam
techniques
and revision
skills
D, DCP, CE
(Chosen by
department)
D, DCP, CE
(Chosen by
department)
CE (Teacher's
choice)
Revision
Essay
(Teacher's
choice)
Project (Chosen
by department)
Electrons
Exam
techniques and
revision skills
Each of these skills is assessed in a lab report, an essay or as a presentation to the class. At
iGCSE level they are around 300 words long and the students will have had the opportunity to
draft them so that they are allowed to respond to the feedback.
Explanation of work being assessed
IB Internal Assessments are split into 5 skills, 3 of which are assessed under the following titles:
1. Design (D)
2. Data Collection and Processing (DCP)
3. Conclusion and Evaluation (CE)
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The department’s marking rubric for IB level work is from the IBO and for iGCSE work is adapted
and simplified but still using the same skills and criterion.
Of the two other skills, Manipulation (M) is assessed summative in the IB and at iGCSE during a
suitable practical, ideally something like a titration. Personal Skills (PS) are assessed exclusively
in the Group 4 project at IB level in year 12, and during the group project at iGCSE level in year
11 after the exams.
The Presentation (P) aspect of this work is not part of the IB Diploma chemistry IA (but it is
assessed at IB level during the ToK course). The students each work individually on a
presentation and they can be done for instance, throughout the year, one each lesson. They are
each 2 minutes long and assessed at both the IB and iGCSE level using a rubric on presentations
adapted from the ToK course
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7.2 IB Internal Assessment Rubric
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7.3 iGCSE Lab Write Up Assessment Rubric
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7.4 Presentation Rubric (Adapted from ToK) for both iGCSE and IB
7.4.1 A Identification of knowledge issue
• Did the presentation identify a relevant knowledge issue involved, implicit or embedded in a real-life
situation?
Descriptor
Achievement level
• Level 1 was not achieved.
• The presentation referred to a knowledge issue but it was irrelevant to the real-life situation
under consideration.
• The presentation identified a knowledge issue that was in some ways relevant to the real-life situation
under consideration.
• The presentation identified a knowledge issue that was clearly relevant to the real-life situation
under consideration.
0
1–2
3–4
5
7.4.2 B Treatment of knowledge issues (ToK)
• Did the presentation show a good understanding of knowledge issues, in the context of the real-life
situation?
Descriptor
Achievement level
• Level 1 was not achieved.
• The presentation showed some understanding of knowledge issues.
• The presentation showed an adequate understanding of knowledge issues
• The presentation showed a good understanding of knowledge issues.
0
1–2
3–4
5
7.4.2.1 C Knower's perspective(ToK)
• Did the presentation, particularly in the use of arguments and examples, show an individual
approach and demonstrate the significance of the topic?
Descriptor
Achievement level
• Level 1 was not achieved.
• The presentation, in its use of arguments and examples or otherwise, showed limited personal
involvement and did not demonstrate the significance of the topic.
• The presentation, in its use of arguments and examples or otherwise, showed some personal
involvement and adequately demonstrated the significance of the topic.
• The presentation, in its distinctively personal use of arguments and examples or otherwise, showed
clear personal involvement and fully demonstrated the significance of the topic.
0
1–2
3–4
5
7.4.3 D Connections (ToK)
• Did the presentation give a balanced account of how the topic could be approached from different
perspectives?
• Did the presentation show how the positions taken on the knowledge issues would have implications
in related areas?
• In awarding the higher achievement levels, the emphasis should be more on the quality of the
consideration of connections than on the quantity of connections mentioned.
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Descriptor
Achievement level
• Level 1 was not achieved.
• The presentation explored at least two different perspectives to some extent.
• The presentation gave a satisfactory account of how the question could be approached from
different perspectives, and began to explore their similarities and differences.
• The presentation gave a clear account of how the question could be approached from different
perspectives and considered their implications in related areas.
0
1–2
3–4
5
7.5 IB chemistry essay (based on the IB Extended Essay Rubric)
Chose an article from a magazine like the New Scientist or the Scientific American and write a
review of the main ideas presented there. You should include a copy of the article you have
based your essay on. You should assume your audience understands chemistry to an iGCSE
level. You will be given an opportunity to improve you essay after you have handed in your first
draft. Your essay should be no more than 400 words and will be marked based on these criteria
(which are taken from the Extended Essay mark scheme):
A.
Research Question (2 marks)
1. RQ is stated clearly in the introduction; RQ is sharply focused;
2. RQ can be treated effectively in 400 words
B.
Introduction (6 marks)
1. Context of the RQ is clearly demonstrated;
Significant of topic & why it is worthy of study is clearly explained.
2. The link to Chemistry is clear
D.
K/U of the topic studied (8 marks)
1.
2.
3.
4.
E.
Underlying principles have been correctly applied
Theory behind techniques used is correctly applied
Data has been manipulated appropriately
Identified the appropriate scientific concepts in order to address the research question
Reasoned argument (6 marks)
1. There is evidence of comparison and consideration of different approaches and methods.
2. The argument develops logically
3. Supportive arguments are based on data collected and address the research question
K.
Holistic Judgment (8 marks)
1. Intellectual initiative has been demonstrated in the research question chosen and/or the
use of innovative approaches to the research question
2. There is evidence of detailed research
3. There is evidence of thorough reflection
4. There is evidence of a well-informed and reasoned argument that consistently and
effectively addresses the research question
30 marks total
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7.6 iGCSE Chemistry Literature Review and Essay Marking Scheme
There are two categories, relating to either Chemistry or to Scientific writing.
Each of these different skills can be awarded a Complete (2/2) a Partially complete (1/2) or a Not
at all (0/2). In exceptional circumstances the teacher can award a Distinction (3/2) for a particular
category, which means it is possible to get more than 100% on these essays!
Usually only one category (either 1, chemistry or 2, scientific writing) will be assessed for a
given piece of work at any one time (a merit to the first student to spot this), but your use of
English will almost always be assessed for every essay.
7.6.1 Demonstrating an Understanding of Chemistry (UC)
a) Knowledge
Describes, states or lists relevant information relating to the topic covered by the title.
b) Understanding
Relates the information they have given to a larger idea and uses their understanding of
chemistry to EXPLAIN most or all of the information they have provided.
c) Analysis/Conclusion
Uses the information that they have provided to identify or explain any trends or larger ideas that
this information supports.
d) Syllabus/subject relevance
Does not include irrelevant material and in addition, clearly demonstrates an awareness of the
topics relationship to chemistry, e.g. by including correct and relevant chemical equations or by
drawing appropriate and labeled diagrams.
e) Correct word count
Stays within 20% of the word limit, or if you go over, only includes ideas which are essential to
the argument and does not go over by too much. Most of the highest scoring essays will be
within the word limit.
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7.6.2 Demonstrating an understanding of good Scientific Writing (SciW)
a) Research
Uses three or more sources of information and provides a complete bibliography.
b) Depth
The essay is to an appropriate depth considering the word limit; it EXPLAINS one particular
idea very well, rather than listing just lots of related but different ideas.
c) Insight and originality
Choses an unusual or interesting topic to base the essay around, or uses an unusual and
interesting approach to their essay.
d) Flair
Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the subject that goes well beyond the syllabus and
whilst exploring larger ideas, is obviously aware of the syllabus.
e) Tone
Uses the correct tone for a scientific essay. Assumes the reader understands the basics of
chemistry, e.g. elements and electrons (has iGCSE knowledge), but explains any vocabulary
beyond that.
f) Correct word count
Stays within 20% of the word limit, or if you go over, only includes ideas which are essential to
the argument and does not go over by too much. Most of the highest scoring essays will be
within the word limit.
7.6.3 Demonstrating an understanding of good English
You will, in addition to either of the assessment categories above also be assessed on your
English, each of these can be either, Complete (1/1) or Not at all (0/1). A merit to the first
student to spot this.Your typical essay then can either be out of 13 marks for category 1 or 15
marks for category 2. Sometimes you will be required to write a longer essay that covers both
categories and so will be out of 28 marks.
a) Use of correct vocabulary
Vocabulary, especially keywords, are correctly used and defined where necessary
b) Use of correct grammar
Uses grammar correctly
c) Flow of ideas
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Good use of punctuation and the essay flows well, with a recognizable beginning, middle and
end. Repetition of synonyms is avoided and there is a comfortable feel to the style of language
used (i.e. magniloquence is avoided).
7.7 iGCSE Personal skills end of year 11 project rubric
Levels/marks
Aspect 1
Aspect 2
Aspect 3
Self-motivation
and perseverance
Working within a
team
Self-reflection
Complete/2
Approaches the
project with selfmotivation and
follows it through
to completion.
Collaborates and
communicates in a
group situation and
integrates the views
of others.
Partial/1
Completes the
project but
sometimes lacks
self-motivation.
Exchanges some
views but requires
guidance to
collaborate with
others.
Not at all/0
Lacks perseverance
and motivation.
Makes little or no
attempt to
collaborate in a
group situation.
Shows a thorough
awareness of their
own strengths and
weaknesses and
gives thoughtful
consideration to
their learning
experience.
Shows limited
awareness of their
own strengths and
weaknesses and
gives some
consideration to
their learning
experience.
Shows no
awareness of their
own strengths and
weaknesses and
gives no
consideration to
their learning
experience.
7.8 Use of Turnitin.com
7.9 Using Turnitin to prevent plagiarism
This is a very powerful tool in the prevention and detection of plagiarism, and it is vital that
Internal Assessments for IB are ALL first passed through Turnitin, failure to detect
plagiarism before work is submitted for external moderation can result in a failing grade
for IB chemistry, and in some circumstances, result in a fail for the whole IB diploma.
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7.10 Using the GradeMark feature of Turnitin
In addition for checking for plagiarism, Turnitin also has a marking function called
GradeMark. This allows the teacher to grade the submitted work using a combination of
individual typed comments and comments from a set rubric. The Chemistry Department is
in the process of systematically introducing this style of marking for most formally
assessed work, like the literature review and the assessed practicals. Teachers are to use
set grading rubrics for specific tasks to help improve marking by improving the quality of
the feedback and to enable better standardization across the department of grading
assessed work.
7.11 Formative/summative assessment of key pieces of assessed work:
Each piece of assessed work should have two main areas of formative/summative
assessment:
1) Assign a grade (or grades) from level 1-7 OR a percentage if relevant.
7 = exceptional work that goes beyond what would normally be expected, flair
would form a key aspect of this criteria.
6 = Excellent work that has met all the criteria and demonstrates deep
understanding and a high level of effort.
5 = Good, conscientious work that largely meets the criteria for the assignment but
contains some errors or misunderstandings.
4 = Work which contains a substantial number of errors or serious
misunderstanding. Pupils working consistently at this level are a cause for concern.
<3 = Instant referral to HOD.
2) Written comments should provide specific reference to positive work and also
indicate areas for improvement.
7.12 Formative/Summative marking of h/w or non assessment based
mark:
All work within chemistry should be marked using the following criteria:
1) Assign grades from level 1- 7.
In keeping with the School Philosophy on grades, not all pieces of work require a
summative grade. Departments/subject teachers should decide which pieces of
work are deserving/require a summative grade. It is NOT expected that every piece
of work receive a level 1-7 grade.
2) Students must be given formative assessment, this should take the form of several
key points that show where the pupil is in their learning and what they have done
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well and should include points on subject knowledge, general understanding and
flair etc.
3) Students should be given one or two points on how their work could be improved,
this should include a point on how to further develop their independent research
skills or flair etc.
7.13 Spelling, punctuation and grammar:
Teachers should correct spelling in accordance with the school marking policy, additionally
1 incorrect keyword spelling should be identified. The teacher, at the bottom of the page
should then correctly spell this word.
Within each piece of marked work at least two areas of incorrect grammar, punctuation or
sentence structure should be corrected. This should only be minimal to avoid disheartening
students and overburden teachers.
Maximum turn around time for homework should be about one week.
7.14 Assessment trackers
Students should be encouraged to develop their own learning and expand on formative
assessment provided by staff within the faculty. To aid students in identifying areas they
have been successful in and areas they need to develop, each student will use assessmenttracking forms to structure their thoughts.
The tracking form should be updated by students, with the help of the teacher after each
piece of core assessment (one or two per half-term). This form will identify several core
components:
1)
2)
3)
4)
The name/title of the assessed piece of work.
The grades from 1-7
The areas identified by the teacher where the student has done well.
Areas the student should develop, this is either filled in by using comments from the
teacher’s formative assessments or areas that the student would like to develop.
5) Finally, after each piece of assessed work the student should set himself or herself a
target. Initially, this may require a fair amount of teacher involvement to develop a
suitable target.
Student tracking forms should be stuck into their books or placed into their files. It is not
expected that IB students use these forms.
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7.14.1 Chemistry Department Assessment Tracker
Work Name
Grade
What did I do well?
What I could do better?
Target 1
Target 2
Target 3
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7.15 Grading
7.16 Homework Policy
The expectation for the amount of work set to be completed outside of the
classroom is:
Year 7 /8
30 minutes
Year 9
30 minutes
Year 10/11 40 minutes
IB SL
140 minutes
IB HL
210 minutes
7.17 Appraisal and Monitoring
7.17.1 Work Scrutiny
Once per term a departmental meeting will have forty minutes dedicated to work
scrutiny. Each meeting will look at a different year group/course and evaluate the
following:
1) Subject/material – this will periodically include students reporting on how
they are finding the subject content/material.
2) Identifying individual good practice and how this can be transferred into the
department to improve overall teaching practice.
3) Identifying areas for improvement and how will we make that improvement?
4) A final question – clearly defined areas for improvement and strategies for
marking progress in these areas.
For each session of work scrutiny a focus will be decided in advance, an appropriate
sample of work will be collected and then photocopies of the work distributed for
people to look at before the departmental meeting.
EXAMPLE SCRUTINY FOCUS:
AUTUMN – Assessment
SPRING – Differentiation with lessons and student participation.
SUMMER – Subject content.
Photocopied work used for work scrutiny should be filled in the departmental
exemplar work scrutiny file. A report should be filed on the outcome of the work
scrutiny, an exemplar has been added on the page below.
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Chemistry Department Work Scrutiny form
Year Group/Class:
Date of monitoring
Does the work match with medium term
planning (SOW)?
Does the work meet the academic rigors
expected, as set by SOW?
Is there evidence of progression?
Does the marking meet
departmental/school assessment
criteria?
Have student assessment forms been
completed and checked?
Individual good practice and how can it
be shared
Suggestions for improvement.
Final Question:
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7.17.2 iGCSE and IB Teaching Calendar
Detailed schemes of work are available on the shared area.
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8 Supporting Students
8.1 Support arrangements for students struggling with chemistry
Students who have issues or questions in chemistry are encouraged to ask questions both
inside and outside of lessons. To help with this, specific times are allocated for students of
particular year groups, with the times given on posters throughout the department. All
chemistry teachers contribute to providing these lunchtime workshops. However, these are
by no means the only times that students are able to talk to their teachers. For instance, the
iGCSE Extended Essay allowed two weeks of supervised lab time during lunchtimes.
Similarly, the IB Extended Essay is also amply provisioned with lab time and time for
discussions about the projects with the supervisors involved.
The Chemistry Cause for Concern Policy
For students with persistent problems in chemistry more directed and individualised
support is given in the form of the departments Cause for Concern policy. In very nearly all
cases, students who are struggling with the subject also have a history of repeated
problems handing in homework and are unable to provide evidence of their attempts to
learn the subject independently e.g. through completing the topic books or the past paper
questions provided alongside the topic books. The cause for concern policy has been
introduced with hopes to address this issue by monitoring each individual student’s work
outside of lessons.
Registers for attendance at the workshops is taken.
 Years 11 and 13 PB has arranged lunchtime workshops on Tuesday and Wednesday
for those struggling.
 Year 12 meets with TD weekly on Mondays
 JH and AM meet with students in years 9 and 10 respectively every week
A weekly workshop register in the form of a google doc is also taken to aid monitoring.
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8.2 Revision Process for years 11 and 13 in Chemistry
Every week Yr 11 and 13 have a portion of their homework assigned to revision questions
according to the revision schedule. They should get their homework at least one day (i.e.
Thursday) before the revision workshop. They should also get other homework. Hand in
deadline is Wednesday 9am in the yellow tray (Mr Brannac’s) outside of the chemistry
office.
Revision drop-in session on Fridays at 13:35 to 14:05 is for any questions students in years
11 and 13 may have about anything. This will be in Mr Brannac’s room, SF313. There will be
a register.
On Wednesdays at 3:30 to 4:30pm there will be a student-led revision session in SF311 for
help in Chemistry and Biology run by the Medicine and Biochemistry Society.
Mr X will be running a drop in session on Sundays at 13:30 to 14:30 in the girls lecture
theatre. There be will be a register.
Extra Help: Students in year 11 and 13 who are on the Cause for Concern process will need
continue to need to see Mr Brannac on lunchtimes at 13:35 on Tuesdays (Year 11) and
Wednesdays (Year 13).
Day
Run By
Tuesday
PB
Wednesday
Wednesday
Friday
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For
Yr 11 cause for
concern students
PB
Yr 13 cause for
concern students
Yr 13
All students all
students years
PB
All students in
Yr11 and 13
Session
Yr11 Extra Help
Time and
place
13.35 in SF 313
Yr 13 Extra Help 13.35 in SF 313
Drop in session
Drop in revision
session
15.30 to 16.30
in SF 311
13.35 in SF 313
PB
8.3 IB revision Timetable
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8.4 iGCSE Revision Timetable
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8.5 Enrichment Policies
8.6 Chemistry Department Policies on International Mindedness, ToK and IB
Learner Profile
Field Trips
To help advance international mindedness we are having a field trip with the IB students in
term 2 to a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of their Internal Assessment to collect data
on the environment.
Biochemistry and Medicine Society and Club
Both of these endeavours are geared at encouraging international mindedness and
copperation, for instance with the contribution made by members through the Somosomo
project where our students taught basic scientific
International competitions
Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
Also, students are encouraged to apply to the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge online:
http://c3l6.org/posts
This is an international competition aimed at high school students and tests their ability to
reason and apply logic to solve puzzles like this one:
Students are asked to complete several of these and there is a leader board, with the most
successful students receiving official recognition.
Bill Bryson Prize
The Bill Bryson Prize is designed to recognise and encourage excellent science
communication in schools and colleges by encouraging students to think creatively about
science. The competition is open to students aged 5-18 with entries accepted in any format as
long as they accurately communicate science.
Recent entries have included videos, podcasts, posters, even cartoons, songs and poems.
8.7
Promoting ToK in lessons
In addition to embedding ToK opportunities within the schemes of work, students are
encouraged within lessons to identify links with the work they are studying to ToK within
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lessons by being awarded merits for connections which are regarded as well thought out.
8.8 Promoting the IB Learner Profile
In addition to embedding IB Learner Profile opportunities within the schemes of work, students
are encouraged within lessons to identify links with the work they are studying to IB Learner
Profile within lessons by being awarded merits for connections which are regarded as well
thought out.
8.9 Medicine and Biochemistry Society
A new society run jointly with the Biology department has been set up and will be launched
initially for the IB students on the lunchtime of Tuesday 21st of May with an introduction to
PCR from PB. The intention of the society is to encourage interest in topics relating to
medicine and biochemistry that are not specifically covered by either syllabus and to share
the research experience within the faculty with the students. In addition, this will allow
students an opportunity to experience basic research projects like DNA extraction, PCR and
electrophoresis which they would be able to access in lab internships in university settings if
they were in a city like London or Seoul. This will allow them to be better informed about
their university choices which will be of particular value to students interested in applying
for extremely competitive courses like Medicine and also for Oxbridge and Ivy League
applicants.
8.9.1 Molecular Biology Plan for the Medicine and Biochemistry Society
PCR
1. PCR a gene fragment using DNeasy PCR beads (premade dehydrated Taq + Buffers +
dNTPs) from peanut DNA and then visualise it using agarose gel electrophoresis
2. Select a gene from an organism that has easily obtainable genomic DNA, create and
order the necessary primers. Then extract DNA and then PCR but using a PCR
reaction mix made from scratch by ourselves.
Gene cloning, cell culture and protein purification
3. Buy a transformation kit from Bio Rad (pGLO™ Bacterial Transformation Kit)
website:
http://www.bio-rad.com/en-kr/product/pglo-bacterial-transformation-kit
Transform the bacteria (which means making competant E.coli cells take up a plasmid
with a gene inserted into it for antibacterial resistance and for the green fluorescent
protein(GFP).
4. Grow up a sample of GFP expressing bacterial cells, and the competant cells, add
storage buffer (mostly glycerol) and freeze at -20 for later use.
5. Grow large amounts of transformed bacteria and try to separate the GFP using a
simplified, homemade version of flow rate chromatography.
6. Run the protein extracts through a polyacrylamide electrophoresis gel.
Restriction digests and further PCR techniques
7. Grow up the bacterial cells, purify the plasmids and then do restriction digests on
them.
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8. Perform PCR on isolated target regions of either genomic or plasmid DNA within the
Ecoli cells
Future work
9. Clone into the bacterial plasmids a protein of interest to confer upon the transformants
a specific resistance to antibody or expressed protein leading to a novel ability that
can be easily screened (e.g. UV resistance).
10. Investigate the lac operon, possibly using lac negative Ecoli strains. Possibly using the
lac operon as a starting switch, e.g. to express GFP?
8.9.2 Proposal for subject-based INSET 2012-3
Department:
Number of staff
involved in
training:
Please outline
your proposal for
Subject-based
INSET, including
how it will
benefit your
department
professionally
and the
relevance to
subject provision
in the
department .
Please outline
any proposed
costs of the
INSET, how and
when these will
need to be paid.
Please note, any
non-Korean
speakers who
are being paid a
speaker’s fee will
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Biology and
Chemistry
HoD:
P.B. and PG
6
A school based session to learn about PCR and its
application in Gene Technology. P. Brannac has
experience with this and will lead both departments in
practicing the use of it in the classroom. This could be
backed up by possibly getting someone from Jeju
University to come and give a talk on Genetic
Engineering. In order for the appropriate experimental
preparations to be made to set up the PCR practical we
need to allow the gels to set overnight, and we will need
afterwards another night to run the PCR and then the
gel, so it’s not possible to do on either a Monday or
Friday, ideally Thursday so PB in the afternoon can turn
off the thermocylcer and then load the gel.
The rationale of getting a joint INSET, is to use it as a
basis for launching a Medicinal BioChemistry Society.
We have the main pieces of equipment, but will need to
order some additional chemicals from Sigma.
We do not have any university contacts yet, so if we
were to get a speaker in this would need to be done by
someone familiar with the Korean university system
and fluent in Korean.
The lecture would hopefully be done at lunchtime so
students were able to attend.
In addition to getting up-to date information about
current research into DNA science, we also hope that
this could initiate the start of a relationship with the
PB
require an
employment
contract to be
drawn up and an
E7 short term
visa to be
obtained.
Proposed date of
the training:
speaker and the university which would hopefully be
built upon so that eventually our IB students might be
able to get work experience in the university’s labs,
which is vital for realistic Oxbridge and UK medical
school applications.
Summer Term
8.10 Junior School Liaison - Young Scientists
As part of our work with the Junior School TD and PB jointly run the Young Scientist Club on
Tuesdays where the students from the junior school have a chance to perform fun
experiments like fire writing, making blue crystals and making (fools) gold.
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9 University preparation including Oxbridge and Medicine
An interview schedule has been created and implemented to give mock interviews to IB
year 13 students. Some of the most important areas of improvement that have been
noticed is a substantial lack of reading around the subject, and reading in general. To help
deal with this there will be opportunities for some year 11 and year 12 students after the
exams to have a mock interview so that they can carry the advice with them into their
summer reading program.
9.1 Interview schedule for Term 1
Day
Monday
Tuesday
Date
Time
Student
23/11/2013
13:30
16:45
17:05
17:25
24/11/2013
13:15
Wednesday 25/11/2013
Thursday
Friday
26/11/2013
27/11/2013
Saturday
28/11/2013
Sunday
Monday
29/11/2013
30/11/2013
x14.50
17:15
15:30
16:15
17:00
17:30
13:15
16:15
16:50
x12.10
x12:45
13:00:00
Subject
Medicine
Chem Eng
Engineering
Engineering
Feedback
Human social and political
science
English
Physics
16:30
1/12/2013
Wednesday
2/12/2013
Thursday
3/12/2013
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Interview
Interview
Interview
Feedback
Reschduled for
Tuesday
Reschduled for
Tuesday
Reschduled for
Tuesday
16:15
Tuesday
Interview
Feedback
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
13:30
17:15
15:30
16:15
17:00
17:45
15:30
16:15
17:00
17:40
13:35
15:45
16:30
17:15
Event
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Theology and philosophy
PS
Interview
Interview
PB
Day
Date
Time
Student
17:50
4/12/2013
13:10
15:00
15:30
16:00
16:45
5/12/2013
12:10
6/12/2013
7/12/2013 16:15:00
17:00
17:40
8/12/2013 12:00:00
14:10:00
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Subject
PS
Physics
Thursday
Friday
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10 IB Chemistry
10.1 Course Overview
10.2 Internally Assessed Practical Component
Over the course of 2 years students are required to complete regular practical
assessments. This will be marked according to the IB scheme, but there is also a
Marking Rubric available that allows students to compare their work to the School
Academic grading system (1-7).
Once complete and marked all practical work is to be stored in the Chemistry office. The
departmental markbook will be used to record marks for each practical activity. Each
student will have 2 copies of their practical work record – one stored in the Chemistry
office, one for their personal records.
Although not every practical task needs to cover each assessment area it is expected
that students produce work that is easy to follow as a stand-alone item.
11 Resources
11.1 Electronic Resources – Google Drive and the Shared Drive
As the department develops resources they will gradually migrate to the shared drive.
Care must be taken not to just dump all of your current resources in there – anything
added to the shared drive needs to be present in a useful form and easily identified. If
personal, unsorted resources are added, please store them in a folder that identifies the
owner.
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Resources under development will be on Google Drive until such point that they are
finalized. As resources are developed there will be a greater use of the shared drive.
11.1.1 Online Resources
Current (and ordered) online resources are:
IB In-Thinking - http://www.chemistry-inthinking.co.uk
This has been ordered
Brainpop animations http://www.brainpop.com
There is now a (Chemistry department) subscription to BrainPop animations. This has
lots of short animations and activities suitable for lesson starters, discussion starters
etc..
This is a single user subscription,be wary - it may not accept multiple logins. In this case
it is usually better to download videos before watching (unsure how to do this - ask me
how).
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12 Chemistry Exam (and Mock Exam) Guidance for Invigilators
iGCSE Chemistry (CIE 0620)
In the first session (2 hours) Students should do Papers 1 and 3. Paper 1 should be collected
in after 45 minutes and paper 3 should be handed out at the same time. In the second
session they should do Paper 6 (1 hour).
iGCSE Papers all are all self-contained with the exception of Paper 1 which needs to be
answered on the answer sheet. Students may use calculators for all papers. If you could
collect in the question papers as well that’s be smashing!
In total there should be (cover sheets for iGCSE are in BLACK font):
1. iGCSE Paper 1
2. iGCSE Paper 3
3. iGCSE Paper 6
4. Answer sheet
Total iGCSE students:
IB Diploma Chemistry
In the first session students should do Paper 1, when that is collected in you can hand out
the Data Booklet for Paper 2. Timings are as follows:
Session 1
Chemistry HL P1
Chemistry HL P2
Chemistry SL P1
Chemistry SL P2
1hr
2hrs 15mins
45mins
1hr 15mins
Session 2
Chemistry HL P3
Chemistry SL P3
*
1hr 15mins
1hr
*
IB Paper 1 needs to be answered on the answer sheet. No Calculators (or Data Booklet)
allowed for this paper.
Papers 2 and 3 should be answered on the question sheet provided, students may use
calculators. Students also need the data booklet. Please tell the students not to write on
them.
In total there should be (cover sheets for IB STANDARD LEVEL are in red font, IB HIGHER
LEVEL ARE IN BLUE FONT):
1. IB STANDARD Level Paper 1
4. Answer sheet
2. IB STANDARD Level Paper 2
5. IB Data Booklet
3. IB STANDARD Level Paper 3
1. IB HIGHER Level Paper 1
3. IB HIGHER Level Paper 3
2. IB HIGHER Level Paper 2
4. Answer sheet
5. IB Data Booklet
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Total Standard Students:
Total Higher Level Students:
13 iGCSE Overiveiw of course
Atomic Structure and Bonding Summary
Topic
Learning Objectives
Structure of the atom
Describe the structure of
the atom. Include words:
proton, neutron, electron
Describe what an isotope is
Describe how the electrons
fill into shells .
Describe properties of a
metallic bond. Sea of
electrons, conduction of
electricity etc
Describe properties of an
ionic bond.
Describe properties of both
a simple covalent bond and
giant covalent bond.
Isotope
Electron shells and valency
Metallic bonding
Ionic bonding
Covalent bonding
Practical
Test different substance to see if they
conduct electricity?
Be able to draw dot and
cross diagrams of simple
covalent molecules
Giant: silicon dioxide and
diamond.
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Forming Glass – RSC 44
PB
Amount of a substance Summary
Topic
Learning Objectives
Ionic charge
Relative atomic mass and
relative molecular mass
Be able to determine the ionic charge of an ion from
looking at the periodic table
Be able to write word, symbol equations and ionic
equations
To be able to determine the Ar and Mr of
atoms/compound from using the periodic table
The Mole
Describe what a mole is, Avogadro’s number. Be
able to calculate a mole, concentration, volume
Word and symbol equations
Practical
The determination of
relative atomic mass –
RSC 17
http://www.liv.ac.uk/chemistry/links/constants.html
Molar Gas Volume
Be able to calculate molar gas volume
React Mg with dilute
H2SO4 with gas syringes to
calculate molar gas
volume – from SoW
Stoichiometric calculations
To be able to calculate mol/dm3, reacting mass,
volume
Titration – HCl and NaOH
http://science.widener.edu/svb/pset/stoichio.html with pheolphatlein?
Emperical Formula
To be able to calculate empirical formula and then
molecular formula.
% Yield and % purity
Be able to calculate both % yield and % purity.
The change in mass when
magnesium burns – RSC
67
Not sure.
% Yield – calculate from simple displacement
reactions
% purity – calculate from titration. E.g. Calculate
amount of iodine in potassium iodade
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Periodic Table 1 Summary
Topic
Learning Objectives
Practical
Exothermic and
endothermic reactions
Be able to decide what an endothermic/exothermic
reaction is. (by rise or fall in temperature)
Heats of Reaction – RSC
84
Other practicals: dissolving salts – and using data
loggers?
Thermometric Titration –
RSC 45
Exothermic or
endothermic – RSC 22
Periodic Table
Layout of the periodic table. Be able to predict
properties of elements from periodic table (ie,
metal/non metal, s/l/g)
Include metal/non metal border, valency electrons =
group number.
General properties = mp/bp, conduction of heat,
electrical conductivy, malleability, ductility.
Reactions with water, steam, dilute mineral acids
Use of alloys
Metals
Reactivity Series
Aluminium
Extraction of metals
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Group 1 – trend in reactivity, mp, density, reaction
with water etc – then predict Rb and Cs.
- videos of these are on the network
Demo – Lithium, sodium,
potassium with water
Group 2 – reactions with water, steam and HCl.
(only Ca and Mg – then with HCl also do Fe)
Describe the reactivity series when solid metal
reacts with aqueous ions.
The reactivity of group 2
metals – needs editing
Displacement reactions
between metals and their
salts – RSC 97
Reactivity of metal oxides to get metals.
(SoW says other listed metals but not sure what
they are – I thought copper from copper oxide
would be good RSC 90 or Reduction of iron oxide by
carbon RSC 35)
Unreactive oxide layer of aluminium, uses of
aluminium,
Describe the ease of getting metals from their ores
relating to the reactivity series.
Demo - thermit
PB
Topic
Learning Objectives
Practical
Need to include: economic and environmental cost,
use of fossil fuels, importance of recycling
Air and Water Summary
Topic
Learning Objectives
Purification of water
Looking at how water is purified by filtration and
chlorinaton.
Practical
Possible link to the water crisis (water aid charity).
Process of how water is cleaned in 3rd world
countries – chlorine is toxic but safe in very dilute.
Composition of the
atmosphere and noble
gases
Pollutants
Fractional Distillation of air
and uses of O2
Sow link: www.eng.rpi
To know what all the gases that make up the
atmosphere are.
Small amount atmosphere are noble gases, need to
know uses of helium and neon. They are inert and
why (full shell of valence electrons)
The source of CO, SO2, NOx, Pb compounds and how
these affect businesses and health and the
environment – (massive bit in SoW).
What the role of the catalytic converter is in
reducing pollution.
(loads of links in the SoW)
- Project – research into Beijing’s pollution problem.
What causes it, what are the effects on health and
business and what us being done to overcome the
problem
How Nitrogen and oxygen can be separated by
fractional distillation.
Explain mp/bp
ICT suite/bring
laptops/ipads
Use of oxygen in oxygen tents in hospitals
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Rusting
Reaction of iron with oxygen to form rust.
What conditions will cause rust to form quicker than
other conditions.
Methods of rust prevention; paint, galvanizing,
sacrificial protection
Formation of carbon dioxide Combustion of fossil fuels, respiration, and a
reaction between acid and a carbonate.
Possible project: role of carbon dioxide from
combustion of fuel leading to global warming.
Causes of rusting – RSC 50
(Al also has loads of stuff
on this)
Demo: Combustion RSC 16
Practical: HCl with marble
chips and bubble through
limewater
Practical: respiration –
blow through limewater
Periodic Table 2 Summary
Topic
Learning Objectives
Practical
Halogens
Describe chlorine, bromine and iodine as diatomic
molecules. Be able to draw dot and cross diagrams.
Know their colour, state and reaction with other
halide ions.
Be able to write half equations of all these reactions.
Halogen displacement
reactions – RSC 52 (newer
print out –P152) –
worksheet RSC 19
Reversible reactions
To know that reactions can be reversed by changing
the reaction conditions.
Hydration/dehydration of
copper sulfate (test for
water)
Small amount atmosphere are noble gases, need to
know uses of helium and neon. They are inert and
why (full shell of valence electrons)
What an equilibrium is. Le Chatilier’s principle, and
how changing reaction conditions can affect
equilibrium.
Equilibria
Displacement of ammonia
from its salts
Need to cover the Haber Process (making NH3) and
the Contact process (H2SO4). And economic and
environmental issues/advantages of changing the
reaction conditions – ie. Cost/energy/fossil fuel use
Experiments involving heating ammonium salts with
and without NaOH.
Objective: to illustrate how the liming of soils can
lead to ammonia loss from ammonium salts added
as fertilisers.
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Demo: sodium
chromate/dichromate
equilibrium and
iodine/iodide (don’t know
what these demos are but
are in SoW)
The experiments
mentioned – DON’T
KNOW!
PB
NO IDEA!!
See website link in SoW
Reactions of heat on
hydroxides
Describe the action of heat on the hydroxides of
calcium, copper(II), iron(II), iron(III), magnesium,
potassium, sodium and zinc.
Causes of rusting – RSC 50
(Al also has loads of stuff
on this)
To determine the trend in reactivity of Ca(OH)2,
Zn(OH)2,Fe(OH)2 from
Describe the action of heat on the nitrates of
calcium, copper(II), iron(II), iron(III), magnesium,
potassium, sodium and zinc.
Reactions of heat on
nitrates
Don’t see how any of this fits!
Fertlisers
How nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are
needed for fertilisers.
Sulfur
Make fertilizer – RSC 91?
What are the sources are. Link to allotropes but not
essential.
The use of sulfur in the production of sulfuric acid.
Sulfur dioxide is a bleach in the production of wood
pulp and making paper.
Possible do this as a research project?
Chemical Analysis Techniques Summary
Topic
Learning Objectives
Practical
Paper Chromatography
To know that this is a method of separating a
mixture of different liquids.
Smarties Chromatography
- RSC 71
Thin Layer Chromatography
Use Rf values to interpret chromatograms
Use of locating agents for colourless substances
Possibly separating a
mixture of amino acids
and simple sugars – see
SoW – need to order UV
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lamps, dark boxes, TLC
paper
Purity of substances in
every day life
Use examples of NaCl – use on the road to melt ice
but also used as food flavouring so must have
different purity. NaCl changes the mp/bp of the
water.
Titration to find the purity
of vinegar (Al has
resources for this)
Drug purity regulations – www.cgmp.com
Methods of purification
Students need to know about using a suitable
solvent, filtration, crystallation, distillation and a
fractionating column. Then they need to be able to
select a suitable purification method based on 1)
magnetic properties and 2) varying solubulities.
Haven’t got a RSC sheet
but definitely need a
practical here.
Typical solvents to use are water or ethanol.
Demonstrate separation of iodine using
cyclohexane.
(Refer to the fractional distillation of : crude oil
(syllabus section 14.2), fermented liquor (syllabus
section 14.6).
Filtration is used in one of the salt preparation
methods to remove excess solid.
Crystallisation is used in most salt preparations to
obtain the final product.Demonstrate the (partial)
separation of ethanol from water by distillation.
Demonstrate separation of ‘petroleum fractions’
from mixtures of hydrocarbons.
Chemical Test for water
Cation, anion and gas
testing
The two tests for water – cobalt chloride paper and
anhydrous copper sulfate.
A chemical Test for water
– RSC 43
Possible extension: hardness of water?
Testing water hardness –
RSC 42
Testing for salts for anions
and cations – RSC 80
Students need to know all the reactions of the
following anions, cations and gases.
aqueous cations;
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aluminium, ammonium, calcium, copper(II), iron(II),
iron(III) and zinc, (using aqueous sodium hydroxide
and aqueous ammonia as appropriate).
anions;
carbonate (by reaction with dilute acid and then
limewater), chloride (by reaction under acidic
conditions with aqueous silver nitrate), iodide (by
reaction under acidic conditions with aqueous
lead(II) nitrate), nitrate (by reduction with
aluminium), sulphate (by reaction under acidic
conditions with aqueous barium ions)
gases;
Making and Testing
ammonia
Squeeky pop test – Mg
and HCl
CO2 test – sodium
carbonate solution,
limewater and HCl
Oxygen test – H2O2 and
MnO2
Chlorine – electrolysis of
brine?
ammonia (using damp red litmus paper), carbon
dioxide (using limewater), chlorine (using damp
litmus paper), hydrogen (using lighted splint),
oxygen (using a glowing splint).
Factors affecting the rate of
reaction
Students need to know how rate of reaction can be
affected by concentration, particle size, catalysts
(and enzymes) and temperature.
Need to be able to explain this in terms of particles
and collisions.
Demo: Custard powder
explosion
Effect of concentration on
reaction rate – RSC 65
The effect of temperature
on reaction rate – RSC 64
Al also has loads of stuff
on this – we did our GCSE
coursework on this at my
previous school
Practical investigation
Students needs to come up with a method and
investigation into how to manipulate rate of a
reaction that will evolve a gas.
Use gas syringes and decomposition of H2O2.
Need to be able to interpret data/ plot data to show
volume vs time with changing conditions.
Effect of light on the speed
of reactions
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Affect of light on silver chloride/bromide
Making a photographic
print – RSC 70
PB
14 IB Overview
14.1 Overview of IB topics
Chemistry Department
IB Chemistry Examination 2014
Option A: Analytical Chemistry (15 hours) (SL:A1-A7 & HL A8-A10)
Option E: Environmental Chemistry (15 hours) (SL:E1-E8; & HL E9-E12)
Topic 11: Measurement and data processing (2 hours) is taught through the
experimental programme of study.
Term 1
Topic 2: Atomic Structure
Topic 12: Atomic Structure
Topic 4: Bonding
Topic 14: Bonding
Topic 3: Periodicity
Topic 13: Periodicity
Topic 1: Quantitative Chemistry
4 hours
3 Hours
2 weeks
12.5 hours
5 hours
3 weeks
6 hours
4 Hours
12.5 hours
2 weeks
3 weeks
Term 2
Topic 5: Energetics
Topic 15: Energetics
8 hours
8 Hours
3 weeks
Topic 6: Kinetics
Topic 16: Kinetics
Topic 7: Equilibrium
Topic 17: Equilibrium
5 hours
6 hours
3 weeks
5 hours
3 weeks
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Term 3
Topic 8: Acids & Bases
Topic 18: Acids & Bases
6 hours
10 hours
5 weeks
Term 1 Year 13
Topic 9: Oxidation Reduction
Topic 19: Oxidation Reduction
Topic 10: Organic Chemistry
Topic 20: Organic Chemistry
7 hours
5 Hours
12 hours
10 Hours
4 weeks
10 weeks
Term 2 Year 13
Optional Topic 1
(Chosen by teacher)
SL
HL
Optional Topic 2
(Chosen by teacher)
SL
HL
Page 72 of 78
15 hours
7 Hours
15 hours
7 Hours
4 weeks
4 weeks
PB
14.2 IB Chemistry Practical Scheme of Work
Topic 1: Quantitative Chemistry & Topic 11: Measurement and Data Pocessing
4 hrs HL and 4 hrs SL
1. Preparation of a standard solution (0.40 hr). SL + HL – Students prepare a suitable
standard solution (0.05 mol dm -3 sodium carbonate.) They then calculate the exact concentration
of this solution.
2. Titration of a standard solution with an acid (1 hr 10 minutes). SL + HL – Using the
prepared standard solution, students are asked to determine the concentration of a hydrochloric
acid sample by titration.
3. Water of Crystallization (1 hr 10 minutes). SL + HL – Students use heating to constant
mass to determine the value of x in the following formula CuSO4.xH2O
4. Vinegar Titration (1 hr). SL + HL – Students determine the concentration of ethanoic acid in a
commercial sample of vinegar.
Topic 2: Atomic Structure (3 hrs HL and 1 hr 20 minutes SL)
1. Flame Tests (0.40 hrs). SL + HL – Students carry out simple flame tests to show the identity
of the following metal ions: Lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, iron (II), copper (II), barium. This
is used as an introduction to the concept of line spectra. The experiment is not assessed using IB
criteria, though they are required to answer a series of questions regarding the excitation of
electrons and write equations for these.
2. Hydrogen Emission Spectrum (0.40 hr). SL + HL – Students explore interactive websites to
investigate how emission spectra are related to the energy levels of atoms, convergence etc.
Students are required to answer a series of questions relating to the emission spectrum. The
following websites are used:
http://astro.u-strasbg.fr/~koppen/discharge/
http://www.lon-capa.org/~mmp/kap29/Bohr/app.htm
http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/chemistry/essentialchemistry/flash/linesp16.swf
http://www.800mainstreet.com/spect/emission-flame-exp.html
This experiment is credited with ICT as a simulation.
3. First Ionisation Energies (1 hr). HL only – Students are given data regarding the ionisation
energies across the third chemical period. They must suitably present this data and try to explain
the trends. Students use this website as background reading for this experiment:
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/atoms/properties/moreies.html
The experiment is not assessed using IB criteria, though they are required to answer a series of
questions ionisation energies and write equations for these.
4. Successive Ionisation Energies of Magnesium (0.4 hr). HL only – Students plot the
ionisation energies and then attempt to explain them in terms of energy levels and electron
orbitals. The experiment is not assessed using IB criteria, though they are required to answer a
series of questions regarding the ionisation energies. This experiment is credited with ICT use of
a databank.
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Topic 3: Periodicity (4 hrs 20 minutes)
1. Reactions of the alkali metals with water (0.4 hr) SL + HL – Demonstration of the reactions
of sodium, lithium and potassium with water. Students make observations and complete
questions based on the observations.
2. Halogen Displacement Reactions (0.4 hr) SL + HL – The halogens chlorine, bromine and
iodine are placed in order of reactivity by observations of the colour changes involved during
reactions with halide salt solutions.
3. Chemical Tests for Ions (1 hr 50 minutes) SL + HL – Students complete tests for the
following ions: Cations: copper (II), iron (II), iron (III), magnesium, aluminium. Anions: chloride,
bromide, iodide, sulphate, carbonate, nitrate. Students are then required to identify five unknown
slat solutions based on the tests completed.
4. Transition Metal Complex ions (1 hr 10 minutes) HL only – Students complete several
reactions investigating the transition complex ions. Metals investigated include manganese,
copper, iron, cobalt and vanadium.
Topic 4: Bonding (3 hrs 50 minutes)
1. Melting Points of Period 3 Elements (0.4 hr). SL + HL – The melting points of the elements
in the third period are plotted on a graph and students complete a series of exercises explaining
the trends. The melting points are obtained from this website:
http://www.webelements.com/periodicity/melting_point/
This experiment is credited with ICT use of a databank.
2. Transition Metal Complex Ions (0.4 hr). SL + HL – Reactions (reversible and non-reversible)
reactions of the following transition metal complex ions are investigated: cobalt, copper, iron (II),
iron (III), silver(I). Students are required to write balanced equations with states and draw and
name the shape of some of the ions.
3. Shapes of Molecules and Ions (1 hr 20 minutes) SL only – Students are shown videos on
the school network and complete the questions at the internet website listed below to look at the
shapes of various 2, 3, 4 negative charge centres.
http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/vsepr/rules2.html
This experiment is credited with ICT as a simulation.
4. Shapes of Molecules and Ions (1 hr 20 minutes) HL only – Students are shown videos on
the school network and complete the questions at the internet website listed below to look at the
shapes of various 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 negative charge centres.
http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/vsepr/rules2.html
This experiment is credited with ICT as a simulation.
5. Intermolecular Forces & Viscosity (1 hr) – Students complete the reading, questions and
viscosity simulation at the following website:
http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/index_tj.asp?objID=GCH6804
Students are required to draw hydrogen bonding in water and complete the quiz located here:
http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_brown_chemistry_9/0,4647,171345-,00.html
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This experiment is credited with ICT as a simulation.
Topic 5: Energetics (5 hrs 20 min)
Teacher note: This is where students are fully assessed using all three IB criteria for the first time.
Students complete two assessments using the full IB criteria (see below).
1. Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions (1 hr 20 minutes). SL + HL – Students are shown
or carry out several reactions showing a range of exothermic and endothermic reactions.
Examples of endothermic reactions include barium nitrate and ammonium chloride solids mixed
together, dissolving ammonium chloride in water and thermal decomposition of copper carbonate.
Examples of exothermic reactions include neutralisation, displacements reactions and the
reaction of calcium and water.
2. Enthalpies of Reaction (2 hr).SL + HL – Students are given the following instructions:
“Investigate the enthalpy change for a common chemical reaction using a calorimeter”. The goal
is to determine the enthalpy change per mole of reactant. (D, DCP, CE)
This experiment is credited with ICT software for graph plotting & ICT a spreadsheet for data
processing.
3. Combustion of Alcohols Fuels (2 hrs). SL + HL – Students plan an experiment to determine
which alcohol releases the most amount of energy per mole using methanol, ethanol, propanol
and butanol. Students are issued with following instructions: “Determine which of the following
fuels is the most efficient: methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol?” The plan is that students
use these fuels in spirit burners to heat a set volume of water and determine the enthalpy change
per mole. They can then compare their results with literature values and give an evaluation of the
success of the experiment. (MS, DC, DPP, CE).
Topic 7 Kinetics (2 hrs)
1. Factors Affecting Reaction Rates (1 hr) – Students use thiosulphate and acid reactions to
measure how colour change can be used to monitor the progress of a reaction. They change the
concentration of the thiosulphate to compare the rates. Data is recorded and matched to a graph
to determine that this is a first order reaction.
2. Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide (1 hrs) – Students use manganese dioxide to
measure the rate of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The concentration of peroxide is
changed and the results are graphed.
Topic 8: Equilibria (5 hrs)
1. Introduction to equilibrium systems (1 hr) – Students complete reactions to investigate the
following equilibrium systems: precipitation of magnesium hydroxide, the tetrachlorocobalt
complex ion, the effect of pH on the colour of bromine water, the effect of pH on chromate and
dichromate. They are then required to write chemical equations and answers simple questions
regarding Le Chatlier’s Principle and how it relates to these systems.
2. Straw equilibrium (1 hr) – Students use measuring cylinders and straws to investigate the
idea of equilibrium.
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3. Equilibrium simulation (1 hr) – Students are shown videos on the network and complete the
activity on the website below:
http://www.chm.davidson.edu/ronutt/che115/EquKin/EquKin.htm
This experiment is credited with ICT as a simulation.
4. Investigating equilibrium using a pH probe (2 hrs) – Students use a Pasco pH probe to
investigate the equilibrium system ethanoic acid/ethanoate ion/hydrogen ion and the
ammonia/ammonium ion/hydroxide ion and the results when these stems are perturbed. They are
then required to answer a series of questions explaining the principles learned.
This experiment is credited with ICT use of a datalogger.
Topic 9 Acids and Bases (6 hrs)
1. Properties of acids and bases. (1 hr) – A revision of the basic properties of acids including
their reactions with metals, solid and aqueous carbonates, alkalis (including ammonia), bases
and universal indicator. pH probes are also used. Strong monoprotic and diprotic acids and a
weaker acid of the same concentration were investigated for their conductivity in a circuit
measured in amps, and their pH using a pH meter. Their action with calcium carbonate and
universal indicator was also observed. The same results were recorded for a strong alkali and
weaker alkalis such as ammonia and solutions of sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen
carbonate. This experiment is credited with ICT use of a datalogger.
2. Computer generation of titration curves (1 hr) - Students use the website listed below to
complete a simulated titration of sodium hydroxide and ethanoic acid to determine the pKa of the
acid.
http://www.wfu.edu/~ylwong/chem/titrationsimulator/index.html
http://www.chem.iastate.edu/group/Greenbowe/sections/projectfolder/flashfiles/stoichiometry/acid
_base.html
This experiment is credited with ICT use of a simulation.
3. Determining the concentration of ethanoic acid in vinegar (2 hrs) - A sample of
commercial vinegar is diluted and then titrated with a standard solution of alkali. The
concentration of ethanoic acid is then found and compared with the value stated on the bottle.
4. Investigating Buffers (1 hr) - Students use the website listed below to investigate buffers.
http://www.chem.iastate.edu/group/Greenbowe/sections/projectfolder/flashfiles/acidbasepH/ph_b
uffer.html
This experiment is credited with ICT use of a simulation.
5. Salt hydrolysis (1 hr) – Students test the pH using a pH meter of a range of salt solutions
and answer questions based on conjugate acid/base pairs.
This experiment is credited with ICT use of a datalogger.
Topic 10 Redox (8 hrs)
1. Common examples of redox reactions (1 hrs) – Students complete a series of common
redox reactions.
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2. Determination of the percentage of copper in brass (2 hrs) – Students prepare a standard
solution of thiosulfate then react a brass screw with concentrated nitric acid and then after
dilution, titrate with the standard solution.
3. Investigating aqueous electrolysis (1 hr) - A range of aqueous salt solutions can be
electrolysed. Students predict the products and compare these to their observations. They can
then give electrode equations and discuss the factors that affect the products formed. Students
also use both carbon and copper electrodes when electrolysis copper sulphate. The chlorine gas
test is demonstrated.
4. Investigating voltaic cells (2 hrs) – Students are instructed to investigate a factor which
affects a voltaic cell. The idea is that students will chose cell voltage as the dependent variable
and then chose one of the following independent variables: Size of electrodes, distance between
electrodes, nature of electrodes, nature of solution, concentration of solution, nature of ion
transfer (salt bridge), method of measurement. (D, DC, DPP).
This experiment is credited with ICT software for graph plotting & ICT a spreadsheet for data
processing.
5. Investigating electrolysis (2 hrs) - Students are instructed to investigate a factor which
affects electrolysis of a metal sulphate solution. The idea is that students will chose mass
increase of the cathode (using a copper sulphate solution) as the dependent variable. They will
then one of the following variables as the independent variable: time, temperature, concentration
of solution, identity of metal/oxidation state, size of electrode, current, voltage. (D, DC, DPP).
This experiment is credited with ICT software for graph plotting & ICT a spreadsheet for data
processing.
Topic 11 Organic (10 hrs)
1. Dehydration of cyclohexanol (2 hrs) – Cyclohexanol is heated with phosphoric acid. The
percentage of the product is calculated. The product is also tested for unsaturation using bromine
water.
2. Molecular Models (3 hrs) - Molecular models used for a number of applications throughout
this topic. Various hydrocarbons are made to help illustrate structural isomerism. Reactions of
alkenes shown. Students are able to build up different functional groups. Oxidation of alcohols
and particularly condensation polymerisation reactions. Also optical isomerism.
3. Esters (1 hr) – Several esters are formed by reacting alkanols and carboxylic acids.
4. Preparation of an aldehyde (1 hr) - A sample of ethanol is oxidised with an acidified solution
of sodium dichromate. The process is completed using a quickfit distillation kit. The aldehyde is
collected for testing. The students are asked to perform this complex practical in pairs so that
their teamwork, motivation and environmental awareness could be assessed. (Manipulative
skills).
5. Preparation of Carboxylic Acid (1 hr) - Ethanol is oxidised to ethanoic acid using acidified
sodium dichromate in a quickfit reflux apparatus.
6. Comparing the Rates of Hydrolysis of Halogenalkanes (2 hrs) - Chloro, bromo and
iodopropane are hydrolysed with sodium hydroxide in a warm water bath. The rates of the
hydrolysis reactions were monitored using silver nitrate to form a precipitate of the silver halide.
The order of formation of these is explained in terms of bond strength.
Option A: Analytical Chemistry
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1. Structure Analysis (2 hours) – Students complete several exercises using Mass
Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy and NMR to determine the structure of unknown organic
compounds.
2. Chromotography (1 hour) – Students complete chromatography of an unknown pigment and
use Rf values to determine its identity.
3. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (1 hour) - Students constructr a calicbration curve and
use this to determine the concentration of an unknown.
Option D: Medicines and Drugs (3 hours)
1. Research and Presentation (1 hr) – Students must research and prepare a poster to
present on the development and history of a medicine. This should be done using internet
research and using library resources.
2. Synthesis of salicylic acid (1 hr) – Students prepare salicylic acid.
Option E: Environmental Chemistry (5 hours)
3. Research and Presentation (3 hrs) – Students must research and prepare a poster to
present on ‘Primary Pollutants’, They must then prepare a power point presentation on ‘Ozone’
and an information leaflet on either ‘Global Warming and Acid Rain’ or ‘Water pollution and
Treatment’. This should be done using internet research and using library resources.
4. Determining the Calcium and Magnesium content in Water (2 hrs) - Students are given a
sample of water and must determine it’s calcium and magnesium ion content by titration with
EDTA. They must then compare their results with the literature value on the bottle and evaluate
their procedure.
Group 4 Project (10 hrs)
Jeju Beaches (10 hrs) - Students work in inter-discipline groups to investigate a chosen topic
encompassing the three sciences.
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