Foundation Topics Physical & Inorganic Chemistry

Subject: Chemistry
Level: Secondary
Age Group: 14 - 16
Order Number: 15078

Foundation Topics in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry is an active learning resource aimed at post-16 students and based upon research carried out by the author which has been published in the UK and internationally. It gives the opportunity for students to engage in creative scientific thought and independent learning whilst challenging their misconceptions, thus helping them to restructure their understanding and reflect upon their learning by using higher order thinking.

The resource meets all of the requirements of the OCR, and most of those for AQA and EDEXCEL specifications for AS level in the UK, although it could be used in post-16 chemistry courses in other countries as well. The author is an experienced head of chemistry, praised by both OFSTED and by the now Chief Inspector of Schools in the UK for the quality of his teaching. He was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry's Education Award in 2004 for his expertise and application of a thinking skills approach to the teaching of chemistry.

All of the resources have been trialled with year 12 students. Students are immediately on task at the beginning of a topic, developing hypotheses based upon scientific evidence in pre-lesson activities. This is followed in lessons by scaffolded question notes which challenge their thinking and help them reconstruct meaning, at the end of which require higher order thinking skills such as evaluation and analysis as well as creative, divergent thought.