Year 7 Chemistry Curriculum Plan
Overview
During Year 7, students follow the EXPLORING SCIENCE SCHEME (Topics 7E to 7H inclusive). This delivers all the requirements of the Year 7 National Curriculum for Science (Chemistry):
• 7E Acids in Action
• 7F Bubbles, bangs and burning
• 7G What a waste
• 7H Materials from Earth
The Curriculum Plan is linked to the 'Exploring Science 1' textbook - this is provided for all students. Here are details of the contents of the Exploring Science scheme.
Unit 7E Acids in Action
This unit consolidates some of the key ideas met at KS2. It develops ideas on mixing and solubility and introduces acids, alkalis and indicators. Students are introduced to a range of chemical concepts through an extensive programme of practical work. They are expected to question the safety of certain groups of chemicals and the potential damage of these chemicals to health and to the environment.
Acids in action
Key objectives:
• Realise that acids can be hazardous
• Work safely with dilute acids
• Be able to deal with acids and alkalis if they are splashed on the skin
• Describe hazard warnings used on laboratory chemicals and road tankers
Students will re-visit and develop the ideas of solubility.
Practical work: Diamonds are for Safety and Spot the Hazard
Tangy tastes
Key objectives:
• State that acids have a sour or sharp taste
• State that vinegar and citrus fruits are acidic
• Identify some everyday uses of acids, for example in preserving foods
• Describe how some acids used in home are less hazardous than those used in laboratories
• Carry out detailed research into the positive and negative effects of acids in the home and in the environment.
Practical work: Tangy Tastes - taste tests and acid corrosion experiment
In the Red
Key objectives:
• Describe the colour change of litmus indicator with different substances
• Explain that alkalis have the opposite effect on indicators from acids
• Describe substances which are neither acidic nor alkaline as neutral
• Develop skills in the use of a pestle and mortar and filtration techniques.
• Correctly use the words acid, alkali, indicator, litmus,neutral.
• State that most indicators are derived from plant colours
• Critically evaluate the results of experiments with indicators
• Explain that the neutral (purple) form of litmus is a mixture of the red and blue forms
• State that alkalis are at least as corrosive as acids.
• Explain the role of Arabic scientists in developing the concept of an alkali.
Practical work: Water into Wine demo, Making red cabbage indicator. Litmus test and Rainbow fizz
What is an acid?
Key objectives:
• Use universal indicator to test solutions for acidity and alkalinity and to measure pH
• Give examples of everyday substances that are acids and alkalis.
• Correctly use the term pH.
• Explain that, in the past, there were a number of competing theories to explain acidity
• Describe the main features of the pH scale and classify solutions as strong or weak acids or alkalis
• Identify the pH of a solution using universal indicator.
• Correctly use the words strong, weak (as applied to acids and alkalis), universal indicator.
• Explain that all acids contain hydrogen
• Use ideas about colour mixing to explain how universal indicators are made, and how they work
• Describe some alternative theories to explain acidity and explain some evidence for the currently accepted theory.
Practical: Testing pH with universal indicator and Indigestion. How does Shebert work?
Finding the balance
Key objectives:
• Explain that a neutral solution can be obtained by adding an acid to an alkali
• Recognise that the building of a chemical factory may cause controversy.
• Describe pH changes on neutralisation or dilution of an acid or an alkali
• Link the strength of acids and alkalis to the potential hazards
• Describe some applications of neutralisation reactions
• Be able to state some arguments for and against the building of chemical factories.
• Correctly use the word neutralisation.
• Give a balanced evaluation of the arguments for and against the construction of new chemical facilities.
Practical: Testing pH with universal indicator and Indigestion. How does Sherbert work?
Revision for end of topic test
Revision will be through:
• Further practical work.
• 'Key words' and card matching exercise.
• Revision homework sheets.
• Exploring Science textbook 'You should know ...' boxes pages 56 to 67 inclusive.
End of topic assessment consists of:
• Section A: 20 multiple choice questions.
• Section B: Longer answers - questions.
The work is organised in topics. The time allocation for each topic is approximately seven weeks. Students are assessed through a formal test at the end of each topic.
Unit 7F Bubbles and bangs
The main theme is fairgrounds and fireworks including
associated issues of fire safety, pyrotechnics and explosions. There is development of some of the ideas on safety introduced in Unit 7E. The unit introduces the idea of chemical changes and includes work on key criteria for deciding whether a change has taken place. There is also an introduction to the reactions of acids with metals and limestone, and the tests for common gases.
Getting a reaction
Key objectives:
• Work safely with chemicals and follow instructions for practical work
• Observe and record chemical and physical changes
• Use the criteria of colour changes, evolution of gases and heat changes to decide whether a chemical reaction has occurred.
• Correctly use the words chemical reaction, physical change.
• Observe and record results in a suitable table that they have designed themselves
• Explain that chemical reactions result in the formation of new substances
• Classify changes as irreversible and reversible with some guidance
• Communicate why some chemical reactions are either useful or harmful
• State some examples of chemical reactions, including those in which heat or electricity is used to bring about decomposition.
• Correctly use the words decomposition, irreversible, permanent, reversible.
• Evaluate the results of their experiments to decide whether a chemical reaction has taken place
• Classify a range of different reactions as useful or harmful.
Practical: Is there a reaction and Hoffmann demonstration. Demo precipitation reactions
Fizzy Pop
Key objectives:
• Carry out gas tests and make observations to identify hydrogen and carbon dioxide
• Work safely with acids that can be corrosive
• Describe how acids react with some metals and limestone.
• Correctly use the words carbon dioxide, corrode,hydrogen, limewater, rust.
• Explain the difference between reactants and products
• Identify hydrogen as the gas formed when acids react with metals
• Identify carbon dioxide as the gas produced when an acid reacts with limestone.
• Correctly use the words acid rain, product, reactant.
• Interpret secondary qualitative data on reaction rates to identify metals
• Explain the formation of natural limestone features
• Describe the manufacture and some uses of hydrogen.
• Correctly use the words calcium carbonate, calcium hydrogencarbonate, word equation.
Practical: Testing for gases CO2 and H2
Kick start
Key objectives:
• Describe burning as a chemical reaction that requires oxygen
• Carry out the test for oxygen
• Give examples of energy being used to start off a burning reaction
• Carry out simple flame tests.
• Correctly use the word oxygen.
• Compare reactions which need a continuous supply of heat with those which only need an initial energy input
• Recognise combustion as a reaction of a substance with
oxygen, and describe the materials formed when metals burn as oxides
• Describe and explain the safety precautions that are needed when fireworks are used.
• Correctly use the words oxide, word equation.
• Write word equations for reactions in which metals are oxidised
• Explain the changes in mass and volume of air that take place during oxidation reactions.
Practical: Burning Magnesium and Flame tests. Demo test for oxygen
Fire safety
Key objectives:
• Describe a fuel as something that releases energy when it burns
• Name the three sides of the fire triangle.
• Correctly use the words combustion, fire triangle, fuel.
• Use evidence from experiments to explain that burning fuels like methane produces carbon dioxide and water
• Explain how the soda-acid fire extinguisher works
• Write word equations to represent burning of fuels
• Describe some safety problems that can arise when dealing with fires, and evaluate practical working methods for safety. Correctly use the word methane.
• Know that a chemical containing only carbon and hydrogen is called a hydrocarbon
• Explain how the experience of fires in the past made has planners apply scientific principles to reduce the risks in the future.
• Correctly use the word hydrocarbon.
Practical: Burning in different volumes of oxygen and a model fire extinguisher. Also burning hydrocarbons
Burning issues
Key objectives:
• Recognise that burning can cause pollution, such as smoke
• Describe what will happen to a candle after a period of time when covered with a beaker
• Record and present data on the effect of varying the size of a beaker on the burning time for a candle.
• Correctly use the words explosion, pollution, smoke.
• Explain why carbon monoxide can sometimes form when a fuel burns
• Explain the dangers and problems of incomplete combustion
• Explain why a candle goes out when covered with a beaker
• Explain how their experimental data support this explanation.
• Correctly use the words carbon monoxide, explosives.
• Explain how different theories have been communicated to explain combustion at different times
• Evaluate how well different theories can explain why a candle goes out when covered with a beaker
• Explain why some reactions are explosive and how explosives have been developed.
• Correctly use the words decomposition, phlogiston, unstable.
Practical: Burning in different volumes of oxygen and a model fire extinguisher. Also burning hydrocarbons
End of topic assessment consists of:
• Section A: 20 multiple choice questions.
• Section B: Longer answers - questions.
The work is organised in topics. The time allocation for each topic is approximately seven weeks. Students are assessed through a formal test at the end of each topic.
Unit 7G What a waste
This unit looks at how different sorts of waste are disposed of in the UK and some of the problems this causes. Within this context the different properties of solids, liquids and gases and the implications of their handling and storage re considered, together with an introduction to the particle theory of matter.
Thrown away
Key objectives:
• Classify materials as solids, liquids and gases
• Record observations and describe simple properties of the three states of matter
• State what is meant by volume
• Appreciate that the properties of waste materials determine their disposal.
• Correctly use the words cubic centimetre (cm3), gas, liquid, roperty, solid, states of matter, volume.
• Describe the properties of the three states of matter, including relative density
• Appreciate that some substances are difficult to categorise
• Make estimates
• Explain what a landfill site is and some of the problems they cause.
• Correctly use the words dense, estimate, landfill site.
• Explain why some evidence is more reliable than others
• Describe the relationship between viscosity and temperature.
• Correctly use the words reliability, viscosity.
Practical: Observation of different states of materials. Observations of properties of solids, liquids and gases. Opportunity to study change in viscosity with temperature.
In theory
Key objectives:
• Explain that scientific theories explain observations (data)
• Explain how theories are used to make predictions that can be tested.
• Correctly use the words data, evidence, observation,
prediction, theory.
• Describe some of the observations that need to be explained by any theory about the states of matter (including dilution and diffusion)
• Explain how ideas and theories change based on new evidence.
• Correctly use the word dilute.
• Appreciate that good theories need to produce predictions that give definite evidence for or against the theory.
Practical: Dilution theories
Bits and pieces
Key objectives:
• State that all materials are made from particles
• Describe how particles are arranged in solids, liquids and gases.
• Correctly use the word particle.
• Describe how particles move in solids, liquids and gases
• Use the particle theory to explain the properties of solids, liquids and gases
• Describe the relative strengths of the bonds between particles
in solids, liquids and gases.
• Correctly use the word bond.
• Use the particle model to explain observations about evaporation and expansion.
Practical: Demo of particle theory
That Stinks
Key objectives:
• Describe diffusion as the movement of one substance through another without any external mixing
• Recall some everyday examples of diffusion
• Make a prediction.
• Correctly use the words diffusion, prediction.
• Explain how diffusion occurs in terms of movement of particles
• Explain why the speed of diffusion in gases is faster than in liquids
• Recognise examples of diffusion causing problems
• Select simple apparatus for an investigation into diffusion.
• Carry out a calculation to work out the speed of diffusion
• Link the speed of diffusion in a qualitative way to the mass of molecules.
Practical: Measuring the rate of diffusion of oxo in water. Diffusion of perfume in the atmosphere. Diffusion of HCl and ammonia towards each other.
Pressure problems
Key objectives:
• Describe how moving gas particles cause pressure when they hit the walls of their container
• Recognise some effects of pressure (e.g. blowing up a balloon)
• Explain that more particles in a container will cause a greater pressure.
• Correctly use the word pressure.
• Explain the ways in which gas pressure can be increased (more particles introduced into a container, container is made smaller, gas is heated)
• Describe what a vacuum is
• Explain some of the effects of air pressure (e.g. using a straw, collapsing can).
• Describe how ideas about vacuums and air pressure developed
• Explain how a barometer works.
End of topic assessment consists of:
• Section A: 20 multiple choice questions.
• Section B: Longer answers - questions.
The work is organised in topics. The time allocation for each topic is approximately seven weeks. Students are assessed through a formal test at the end of each topic.
Unit 7H Materials from Earth
The unit briefly introduces the ways that all rock types are
formed, but concentrates mainly on the various processes involved in the formation of sedimentary rocks - weathering, erosion, transport, deposition, compaction and cementation. The context for the unit is using materials from the Earth, and the need to study rocks to locate useful materials.
Materials from Earth
Key objectives:
• Appreciate that most of the materials around us come from the Earth
• Recall that rocks are made of grains
• Describe different rocks in terms of grain size and whether the grains fit together or are rounded
• Explain why rocks with rounded grains are porous, and usually permeable
• Test rocks for permeability.
• Correctly use the words geologist, grain, minerals, m ixture, permeable, porous, property, sedimentary rock, texture.
• Recall that some rocks are made from interlocking grains
(crystals)
• Recall some examples of rocks made from rounded grains and interlocking grains
• Plan a fair test to find out if rock samples are permeable
• Relate the resistance to weathering of different rock types to features of the landscape.
• Correctly use the words crystals, igneous rock, interlocking, metamorphic rock.
• Describe sedimentary rocks in terms of grain size, sorting and grain roundness
• Test minerals for hardness.
Practical: A rock study. Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic. A study of the permeability of rocks. A study of the Mohrs scale of Hardness of rocks
Rocks under attack
Key objectives:
• Recall that chemical weathering changes minerals in rocks
• Recall that some rocks react faster than others with acidic rain
• Describe two ways in which rocks can be broken apart by physical changes
• Describe how plants can break up rocks.
• Correctly use the words biological weathering, chemical weathering, freeze-thaw action, onion-skin weathering, physical change, physical weathering.
• Recall that the acidity in rain is due to dissolved acidic gases
• Explain that igneous rocks (such as granite) weather because acidic rain reacts with some of the minerals in them
• Explain how physical weathering can break rocks apart
• Relate weather/climate to the types of weathering to be expected there.
• Correctly use the words contract, expand.
• Recall some features of limestone scenery and explain how they are formed
• Explain the mechanisms of physical weathering in more detail.
Practical: Best rock for a statue: The effect of acid on rock. The study of freeze thaw. Heating and cooling.
Moving on
Key objectives:
• Recall that rock fragments can be carried by moving water, wind and ice
• Explain how the fragments get worn down during transport (3) recall that fragments are deposited when water slows down (4) investigate a factor that affects how far grains are carried. Correctly use the words deposit, glacier, sediment, transport.
• Explain that the size of rock fragments carried by water depends on the speed of the water
• Compare the fragment sizes that can be transported by wind, water and ice
• Explain that sediments can be carried by wind, but that wind can only carry small grains
• Plan and carry out an investigation into the factors affecting how far grains are carried
• Recall some of the effects of ice on a landscape
• Describe how some ideas about the explanations for features
in the landscape have changed.
• Correctly use the words abrasion, erosion.
• Use quantitative information about the effect of speed on the size of grain that can be transported.
Practical: Demo on fragments in water (using guttering)
Settling down
Key objectives:
• Recall that sediments can be buried and turn into rocks
• Recall that limestone was formed from the shelly remains of dead organisms
• Recall that fossils are the shapes of dead organisms preserved in the rocks.
• Correctly use the words fossil, limestone.
• Explain how sedimentary rocks are formed by compaction and cementation
• Recall that limestones are mainly composed of calcium carbonate, and the different ways in which limestones can be formed
• Explain how fossils are formed
• Recall th§at calcium carbonate reacts with acid
• Recall some uses of limestone.
• Correctly use the words calcium carbonate, cementation, cemented, chalk, compaction, oolite.
• Explain how evidence from fossils can be used to date rocks.
Practical: Study of sedimentary rocks. Reactions of sedimentary rocks with acids. Higher groups can work out the percentage of calcium carbonate in Limestone.
Evidence in Rocks
Key objectives:
• Recall that sedimentary rocks often form in layers
• Recall that fossil fuels were formed from the remains of plants and animals
• Recall that quarrying can affect the environment.
• Correctly use the words coal, fossil fuels, natural gas, oil.
• Explain why layers form in rocks
• Relate the grain size and roundness of grains in sedimentary rocks to their transport history
• Relate the features of limestone to the way it was formed
• Recall some details about how the first geological maps were made
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of quarrying.
• Correctly use the word aggregate.
• Explain what cross-bedding can tell us about the formation of sedimentary rocks.
Practical: Fossil study.
End of topic assessment consists of:
• Section A: 20 multiple choice questions.
• Section B: Longer answers - questions.
The work is organised in topics. The time allocation for each topic is approximately seven weeks. Students are assessed through a formal test at the end of each topic.
