1 of 4
The National Strategies  Secondary
Secondary Framework in Science, 3.2 Chemical reactions
3.2 Chemical reactions
Year
Yearly learning objectives
Amplification – pupils could learn to
Strategies for progression
Rich questions
7
sort some reactions into
reversible and irreversible
explain the difference between reversible
and irreversible changes
What is a chemical
reaction?
recognise that new materials are
made during chemical reactions
use experimental evidence to explain that
a chemical reaction has taken place
Provide pupils with the
opportunity to evaluate the
criteria used to decide if
changes are chemical or
physical, and reversible or
irreversible.
describe the ways in which materials can
vary in their appearance and state using
a range of features
Model for pupils how to identify
and record the range of
evidence that a chemical
reaction has taken place.
Create opportunities for pupils to
discuss how well their simple
particle model can be used to
explain chemical reactions and
whether it needs to be
developed.
Is the iron in a car
the same as the
iron in blood?
Is carbon good
news for iron?
Are elements
always simple?
Can a compound
be pure?
Is a compound a
mixture with glue?
Explore with pupils some of the
common misconceptions about
elements, compounds and
mixtures, and why people might
have these.
Provide pupils with the
opportunity to investigate and
classify different types of
reactions.
8
recognise that materials can be
made up of one or more kinds of
particles
describe the type and
arrangement of atoms in
elements, compounds and
mixtures
describe and develop a particle
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describe how elements combine to form
the building blocks of all substances
describe elements as consisting of only
one type of atom
use a simple model or analogy to show
similarities and differences between
elements, compounds and mixtures
Create opportunities for pupils to
experience and reflect on the
search for patterns that
underpinned the development of
the periodic table.
Provide pupils with opportunities
to evaluate different models
used in published materials to
Is burning always
destructive?
What makes a
chemical reactive?
Is the periodic
table complete?
Why is the periodic
© Crown copyright 2009
2 of 4
Year
The National Strategies  Secondary
Secondary Framework in Science, 3.2 Chemical reactions
Yearly learning objectives
Amplification – pupils could learn to
model to explain the differences
between the terms atoms,
elements, compounds and
mixtures
Strategies for progression
Rich questions
explain atoms, elements,
compounds and mixtures.
table such an odd
shape?
Explore with pupils the value of
representing chemical reactions
using the model of symbols and
numbers.
Are all recipes
based on chemical
reactions?
Provide opportunities for pupils
to investigate and classify a
wider range of reactions and
identify common features linked
to their formula, name or
behaviour.
Provide opportunities for pupils
to explore how the model of an
atom has developed over time.
9
use a particle model to construct
predictions for simple chemical
reactions and to produce word
equations
use a simple modelling kit to interpret the
rearrangement of atoms during a
chemical reaction
describe some simple generalisations
about the characteristics of groups of
elements based on their position in the
periodic table
distinguish between metals and other
materials using their properties
Create opportunities for pupils to
manipulate the models of
chemical reactions and energy
transfer to explain how reactions
are initiated.
Provide opportunities for pupils
to use a range of evidence to
investigate bonding patterns in
relation to the periodic table.
Create opportunities for pupils to
investigate the conservation of
matter practically and explore its
implications.
Challenge pupils to explain how
the conservation of matter is
represented in symbol
equations.
Provide pupils with the
opportunity to explore reasons
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Could the Fire
Brigade be
renamed the
Oxygenation
Brigade?
Where do
elements come
from?
Is purity
overrated?
Are endothermic
reactions energy
thieves?
Can we design
new atoms?
Can we classify
every reaction?
Could you have an
atom with a
thousand protons?
Is a chemical
reaction like
shuffling a deck of
cards?
Is a chemical
reaction substance
abuse?
© Crown copyright 2009
3 of 4
Year
The National Strategies  Secondary
Secondary Framework in Science, 3.2 Chemical reactions
Yearly learning objectives
Amplification – pupils could learn to
Strategies for progression
Rich questions
for developments in the model
of the atom.
Encourage pupils to discuss and
develop ideas about how the
properties of subatomic particles
might explain different chemical
reactions.
10
use a particle model to construct
predictions for chemical
reactions and to produce symbol
equations
explain the evidence that a
chemical reaction has taken
place in terms of energy transfer
and rearrangements of bonds
between atoms
explain chemical reactions in terms of
new products being made and energy
changes taking place
represent simple reactions by word
equations and use these to predict the
products of chemical reactions
use a formula to explain why a substance
is a compound or an element
Create opportunities for pupils to
evaluate the efficiency of a
chemical process by calculating
yields from evidence gathered.
Create opportunities for pupils to
evaluate the range of models
used to represent different types
of chemical bonds and possible
misconceptions they could
cause.
Structure opportunities for pupils
to apply their understanding of
chemical bonds to explain
chemical reactions and to
predict the behaviour of
materials.
Why are insulators
possessive about
their electrons?
Is a semiconductor
half as good as a
conductor?
Are alloys designer
metals?
Are solutions of
ionic compounds
shocking?
Provide pupils with the
opportunity to explore the
limitations of models of
materials and reactions and how
these can be developed.
Challenge pupils to use a range
of evidence to explain how
formulae and other models are
used to make sense of chemical
reactions.
00215-2009PDF-EN-01
© Crown copyright 2009
4 of 4
The National Strategies  Secondary
Secondary Framework in Science, 3.2 Chemical reactions
Year
Yearly learning objectives
Amplification – pupils could learn to
Strategies for progression
Rich questions
11
use a particle model to predict
the outcome of chemical
reactions and to produce
balanced symbol equations
use a modelling kit to interpret the
rearrangement of atoms during chemical
reactions to develop an appreciation of
size and shape of molecules, and use
this to illustrate bonding to explain
changes in the characteristics of products
and reactants as a result of chemical
reactions
Create opportunities for pupils to
integrate the energy-transfer
and bonding models to explain
the concept of bond energy and
how this explains the behaviour
of materials and reactions.
Can chemical
bonds set your
hair?
explain the evidence that a
chemical reaction has taken
place in terms of rearrangements
of bonds between atoms, using
the model of the differences of
electron structure between
elements
explain chemical reactions as the
rearrangement of atoms, link this to
conservation of mass and use it to predict
the amount of product obtained from a
reaction based on conservation of mass
use a subatomic particle model to explain
how atoms join together to form different
substances
Challenge pupils to explore how
intermolecular interactions can
be used to explain the
properties and applications of
materials.
Explore with pupils how they
can devise and evaluate
analogies to explain the concept
and application of chemical
equilibrium.
What can you
learn about
intermolecular
forces from an
iceberg?
Are polymers the
spaghetti of the
chemistry lab?
Why do some
atoms go around
in pairs?
Provide opportunities for pupils
to investigate electrolysis and
explain the process by using
qualitative and quantitative
models.
Extension
use a particle model to predict
the outcome of complex
chemical reactions and to
produce balanced symbol
equations and ionic half
equations when appropriate
explain the evidence that a
chemical reaction has taken
place (in a system at equilibrium)
in terms of energy transfer and
rearrangements of bonds
between atoms
00215-2009PDF-EN-01
explain the link between electron
arrangement, bonding and chemical
reactions
explain how different atomic structures
affect the properties of a range of
substances, e.g. crystals, polymers,
water
use the concept of bond energy to
explain exothermic and endothermic
reactions, including catalysis, and
evaluate the efficiency of experimental
procedures by comparing the predicted
and actual amounts of products obtained
© Crown copyright 2009