Secondary Subject Resources Science Module 2 Chemistry

At the end of teaching a topic, teachers usually set a test or exam to find out what the students have learned. They are often dismayed to discover that it is not as much as they expected but by this time it is too late to help students. A good teacher will find out what students understand as they go along, and what the students are finding difficult and help them to make progress. This unit has three short activities that will fit into your normal teaching about elements, mixtures and compounds and will show you how to find out what your students understand. Being able to recite definitions of key words like ‘element’, and ‘compound’ does not necessarily mean that your students understand what they mean. Don’t worry – the activities won’t prevent you from finishing the syllabus; they are fairly short and will help your students to learn. Once you have tried these activities, you will be able to adapt to them when you teach other topics.