Introduction

This section takes all the topics one by one, breaks them down into sub-topics and gives advice and examples for teaching each sub-topic. Remember it is not a teaching programme as you are free to teach the topics (or indeed the sub-topics) in which ever order you think best. However for ease of access I have followed the way in which they are set out in the guide. I have gone through the core sub-topics first then added the AHL sub-topics under the same main topic, e.g. atomic structure first has the sub-topics under Topic 2 followed by the sub-topics under Topic 12.
 

 

 

Key points

This site is essentially for teachers, not students, so I have not given all the detailed subject content as this is all available in the IB specific Chemistry books and indeed in many other books and websites. What I have done though, for those that feel they need it, is to refer you to the pages where the detailed teaching material for each sub-topic is covered in both my Study Guide and in my Chemistry Course Companion. These books also contain some questions and examples. However teachers are always asking for more example questions that can be used either for homework or for tests. For this reason I have made up completely new questions (unavailable anywhere else!) for each sub-topic and these are attached as a separate page with both the questions and answers downloadable as pdf files. I have not just given the answers but also the complete working so that students can work through them on their own if necessary and see exactly where they went wrong if they do not get the correct answer. In a separate section there are also brand new multiple choice tests for each topic. I suggest that when you have completed a whole topic you ask students to work through the questions at the end of each chapter in the Study Guide on their own first then use these new questions either as further revision/review or as a test.

For ease of use each sub-topic is covered using a similar layout. I have given some background material followed by the assessment statements and teacher’s notes. Then some tips and advice about how to teach the topic together with key vocabulary, detailed suggestions for practical work and other resources such as PowerPoints, videos or simulations which you might find useful. As you teach each topic, refer to the separate section on how you can relate it to all the other topics.  I have also referred you to the relevant sections on how to incorporate TOK, ‘Aim 8’ and the International Dimension into your teaching of each topic.