A major feature of every science course is progression. This allows students to build up their scientific literacy to use throughout their lives and, in lower secondary school, to prepare a foundation for success in future science examinations.
Chemistry
With school terms underway worldwide, let’s look at how the books build up knowledge of chemistry at each stage as the course begins. There are many different topics to explore here:
Stage 7 (Stage 6 in Pakistan)
Primary science lays the foundations for studying chemistry in this course by looking at materials and their properties, discovering there are three states of matter and the difference between reversible and irreversible changes. Some children may also have had chemistry sets, and all will be familiar with wizards and their kind of magic.
In the introduction to Stage 7, I build on this background by featuring laboratory apparatus, using the Bunsen and spirit burners before setting out the rules for safety in the laboratory.
The chemistry section of the book begins with a revision of the states of matter, then moving into particle theory to explain them.
Next, the students get down to an experiment involving the handling and manipulation of a number of pieces of apparatus as they perform tests for common gases.
A chapter on Atoms and Elements dives deeper into the particle theory with a practical on flame tests. Chemical symbols are introduced by way of the symbols used by alchemists (and wizards) before the first twenty elements of the periodic table are set out together with the symbols we use today.
Elements, compounds and mixtures further builds on particle theory, where atoms are used to describe the structure of compounds and mixtures such as alloys and solutions.
In a chapter on the physical properties of matter, a distinction is made between metals and non-metals with the help of the periodic table. Then the students perform fifteen experiments and observations to build up property profiles of a range of materials.
The next chapter focuses on chemical reactions, with a brief look at how atoms of different elements join together, what happens when a candle burns, how a precipitate forms and the signs of a chemical reaction.
The final chapter is Acids and alkalis, covering their indicators, neutralisation and its applications, which gives you an opportunity to revise chemical knowledge built up in this section of the book.
Stage 8 (Stage 7 in Pakistan)
The Structure of Atoms begins with the modelling work of Democritus before moving through the work of Dalton, Thomson and Rutherford and the revelation that atoms are made from protons, neutrons and electrons.
Mixtures and impurities builds on the work in Stage 7 to distinguish between pure and impure substances, calculating purity, examining dissolving and concentration, understanding solubility and exploring how chromatography works and its applications.
Reactivity of metals builds on the work on metals, acids and the signs of a chemical reaction in Stage 7. This leads to the construction of a reactivity series.
In Exothermic and endothermic reactions, the students get an opportunity to work with spirit burners, consider fuel efficiency, detect changes in an endothermic reaction and devise an ice pack for sports injuries.
Stage 9 (Stage 8 in Pakistan)
The periodic table traces the work of Dalton to Mendeleev, ending with the whole table and a closer look at Group 1.
Bonds and structures begins with a more detailed look at atomic structure before examining covalent bonding and the use of molecular models in chemical research. After considering ions and ionic bonding, the chapter ends by looking at giant covalent and ionic structures.
Density begins by describing what it is before moving on to comparison and measurements of density in the three states of matter.
Displacement reactions gives the students an opportunity to extend their knowledge of word and symbol equations, reactants and products, and the reactivity series whilst finding out about the wide use of displacement reactions.
Preparing common salts brings together knowledge of acids, word equations, purification methods and taking part in a salt preparation project.
Rates of reaction looks at how mass and energy are conserved in chemical reactions, how rates can be measured and the factors that affect rates of reaction.
