TEACHING SENIOR CHEMISTRY

MAJOR ASSIGNMENT: Programming a Stage 6 Chemistry Module

Each member of the class is to work as a member of a team which will be assigned one of the following Chemistry-based topics areas related to modules from either the Stage 6 Chemistry syllabus .

Seminar Topics

• HSC Chemistry Core Module 9.4: Chemical monitoring and management
• HSC Chemistry Option Module 9.5: Industrial chemistry
• HSC Chemistry Option Module 9.6: Shipwrecks, corrosion and conservation
• HSC Chemistry Option Module 9.7: The biochemistry of movement
• HSC Chemistry Option Module 9.8: The chemistry of art
• HSC Chemistry Option Module 9.9: Forensic science

Task

The aim is for this group is to research and consider the content coverage, teaching sequence and approaches to the the teaching of the module in order to prepare a teaching and learning program. Each individual team member will then be responsible writing the program for a given section of the module including a sequence of lesson overviews as part of the unit plan/program (but note the caveat below) for their section. You will be expected to use the model of programming developed during the workshops.

1. One of the most important aspects of this assignment is the programming approach you use to derive the teaching/learning sequence for the module and hence the lesson sequence.  The lecturer will be looking for evidence of the following:
   • mapping column 2 on to column 3
   • driving the programming from the column 3 activities (or other activities you have devised if there is not a column 3 activity for any column 2 dot point)
   • unpacking the chemistry ideas/concepts in the dot points to help you sequence the teaching/learning activities which includes identifying the ‘big ideas and concepts’ which the module seeks to develop
   • using teaching strategies which make the students do the thinking work and ‘come up with the chemistry’ as far as possible
2. You will need to identify the skills and choose and sequence the ‘sub-skills’ bearing in mind the overall Year 12 outcome for each skill.  Remember your activities must show how you will explicitly incorporate the learning or practicing of this skill
3. Formal lesson plans are not required.  What is important is that you indicate:
   • the purpose(s) of each lesson (which may not simply be syllabus dot points – although they will ultimately lead to the coverage of dot points)
   • the learning outcomes you expect the students to achieve
   • the activities you will carry out to help achieve these outcomes and how you will carry them out
   • how you will check student if students have achieved these outcomes

Assessment Criteria

The Module Plan will be assessed on the basis of:

1. the coverage of set tasks
2. the relevance and usefulness of the program in covering the syllabus module
3. the effectiveness of your teaching/learning sequence and activities in helping students to develop a deep understanding of the chemistry
4. innovation and interest (in particular more student-centred activities)
5. technical merit (format, appearance, design, organization, grammar, spelling), including application of the Faculty Style Guide for Education.

Written work

The written work is to be done within the following guidelines:

• all members of the group should settle on a consistent format and style for the written work (font, pagination, margins & spacing, software package etc)
• the individual contributions are to be identified by author 's name as a footer on each page
• however the sections are allocated, the final program is to be paginated as one document
• a single coversheet and contents pages should be used (including authors and page numbers)
• both hardcopy and electronic versions of the written work are to be submitted

The electronic version should be submitted on a disc either in "interchange" or rich text format (RTF), or as an html file suitable for inclusion on the Science website. As any text file needs to be converted to an html file, ensure that the text is not overly complex in its formatting.

References

Arthur, D. (1999). A model for programming the new stage 4-5 sciences syllabus draft. Sydney: Curriculum Support Directorate, NSW Dept of Education and Training

Croll, L. (1999). "A great barrier reef supermarket", Science Education News, 48 (3): 118 - 121.

Hafner, R., and Arthur, D. (eds.) (1999). Chemistry HSC Module 9.2: Identification and Production of materials - Teaching Program. Rozelle, NSW: Science Teachers Association of NSW. Available at STANSW website: http: //www.stansw.asn.au.

Matthews, P. (1999). "Let's go shopping". Science Education News, 48 (4): 158 - 160.

School of Chemistry UNSW (2000). Lecture notes for Workshops for teachers. (see website Webpages for High School Teachers at http://www.chem.unsw.edu.au/highschool/teachers.html).

Learning and Teaching: Chemistry (NSW DET).

NSW HSC On-line: Chemistry

Chemistry Support Page (NSW DET Curriculum Support)

Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus (Uniserve Science)

Chem Course outline Top