In S3 Chemistry pupils will follow a curriculum that covers level 3 and 4 Experiences and Outcomes. They will also begin to cover content from National Qualifications to help them prepare for senior phase Chemistry courses. The course will be taught over 5 topics and features many experiments and practicals.

Topics:

• Rates of Reaction (measuring how temperature, concentration, particle size and catalyst affect the speed of a chemical reaction). 

• Atomic Structure & Bonding (the atom, periodic table, covalent bonding, and ionic bonding).

• Calculations (formulae, equations, and calculating mass).

• Acids and Bases (pH, household substances, acid rain, acids and metals, and neutralisation).

• Fuels (fuels, fire triangle, combustion, and hydrocarbons).

In the course you will carry out practical experiments, complete investigations, and develop good team working skills, excellent scientific literacy skills, and become more confident in the knowledge and skills required for N3/4/5. 

Materials taught in class will be uploaded to google classroom, listed alongside all home learning and assessments. 

National 3 Chemistry is made up of 3 units. The course has no external exam however does feature 3 Unit tests which pupils must pass. The units are:

Unit 1: Chemical Changes and Structure

In this unit pupils will get the opportunity to enhance their understanding of the diverse array of chemicals present in our environment. Pupils will delve into the world of atoms and learn about their properties and how they react depending on where they appear in the periodic table. Pupils will also gain a practical understanding of the everyday applications and reactions of acids and bases and how these chemical interactions can influence he world around us. 

Unit 2: Natures Chemistry

In this unit pupils will learn about the Earth's abundant natural resources that play an important role in our everyday lives. They will learn about the formation of fossil fuels and the need to move to more sustainable energy sources. Pupils will explore the significance of plants and their role as being exceptional sources of oil, carbohydrates and essential nutrients. They will also gain an insight as to how plants can be synthesised into useful products such as medicines, clothing, raw materials and more. 

Unit 3: 

In this unit pupils will engage in a series of activities aimed at enhancing their understanding of materials and their properties, paying particular focus on environmental implications. Pupils will investigate materials such as metals, plastics and emerging materials. Additionally, students will explore the use of chemicals in various industries and how to correctly and safely handle and dispose of them. 

Skills: In N3 Chemistry you will improve upon your scientific inquiry, investigation and problem solving skills as well as developing an understanding of the application of chemistry on our everyday lives and the implications on the environment/ society.

National 4 Chemistry is made up of 3 units. The course has no external exam however does feature 3 Unit tests which pupils must pass. The units are:

Unit 1: Chemical Changes and Structure

In this unit pupils will get the opportunity to enhance their understanding of atoms and how they form bonds with one another to become compounds. Pupils will study atomic structure and be able to identify protons, neutrons and electrons. Pupils will monitor reaction rates, investigate what factors speed up chemical reactions and produce a report (Learning Outcome 1) on their findings. Pupils will also gain a practical understanding of acids and bases and how these chemical interactions can influence he world around us. 

Unit 2: Natures Chemistry

In this unit pupils will learn about carbon chemistry and how we can manipulate crude oil into more useful substances, while also learning about the contribution these substances have on global warming. Pupils will learn how to draw skeletal formula and identify functional groups for alkene molecules. They will also cover plants as a source of carbohydrates and how we can use these as alternatives to fuel or utilise the glucose present in fermentation processes. We also look at how we turn plants into useful products such as medicine, clothing and raw materials. 

Unit 3: 

In this unit pupils will learn about the reactivity of metals, alloying two or more metals together and how to prevent corrosion. Pupils will take part in experiments to extract metals from their natural ores and create a reactivity series for these metals. They will investigate electrochemical cells and complete an inquiry on which pair of metals will produce the highest voltage. This will be written up as a report and contribute to the Added Value Unit of the N4 course. Pupils will enhance their understanding of chemical procedures used to make plastics and fertilisers and comment on the impact these process have on our climate. Finally pupils will touch on nuclear chemistry and identify 3 types of radiations and how to prevent these from being absorbed. 

Skills: In N4 Chemistry you will improve upon your scientific inquiry, investigation and problem solving skills as well as developing an understanding of the application of chemistry on our everyday lives and the implications on the environment/ society.

In N5 Chemistry, pupils study 3 units;

• Chemical Changes and Structure (rates of reaction, atoms, bonding, acids and bases, formulae, equations, and chemical calculations)

• Natures Chemistry (fuels, hydrocarbons, chemical energy, alcohols, and carboxylic acids)

• Chemistry in Society (metals, plastics, fertilisers, nuclear chemistry, and chemical analysis).

• A practical assignment is completed and a report written which is marked externally by SQA and is worth 20% of the overall course award.

In the course, pupils will carry out experiments, demonstrate knowledge through class assessments and open ended questions, interpret and analyse data, process information in tables and calculations, and develop a sound understanding of the chemistry concepts required for progression to Higher.

Materials taught in class will be uploaded to google classroom, listed alongside all home learning and assessments. Support material will also be available on Achieve (https://achieve.hashtag-learning.co.uk/user-start/?next=/)

In Higher Chemistry, pupils study 3 units;

• Chemical Changes and Structure (periodicity, structure and bonding and oxidising and reducing agents).

• Natures Chemistry (systematic carbon chemistry, alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, fats and oils, soaps, detergents and emulsifiers, proteins, oxidation of food, fragrance and skin care).

• Chemistry in Society (getting the most from reactants, controlling the rate, chemical energy, equilibria, chemical analysis).

• A practical assignment is completed and a report written which is marked externally by SQA and is worth 20% of the overall course award.

In the course, pupils will carry out experiments, demonstrate knowledge through class assessments and open ended questions, interpret and analyse data, process information in tables and calculations, and develop a sound understanding of the chemistry concepts required for progression to Higher.

Materials taught in class will be uploaded to google classroom, listed alongside all home learning and assessments. Support material will also be available on Achieve (https://achieve.hashtag-learning.co.uk/user-start/?next=/)

In Advanced Higher Chemistry, pupils study 3 units;

• Inorganic and Physical Chemistry (electromagnetic spectrum, transition metals, acids and bases, buffers, equilibrium, kinetics, atoms and electrons, and reaction feasibility).

• Organic Chemistry & Instrumental Analysis (molecular orbitals, chemical synthesis of new products, isomers, pharmaceutical chemistry, and instrumental techniques).

• Researching Chemistry (practical skills and techniques, chemical calculations, using equations, common apparatus, and chemical analysis).

• A practical project is completed and a report written which is marked externally by SQA and is worth 25% of the overall course award.

In the course, pupils will plan and carry out practical experiments, develop scientific literacy skills and written communication skills, interpret and analyse information, use equations to complete calculations, and become competent in using apparatus.

Materials taught in class will be uploaded to google classroom, listed alongside all home learning and assessments. Support material will also be available on Scholar (https://scholar.hw.ac.uk/) and Achieve (https://achieve.hashtag-learning.co.uk/user-start/?next=/)