Ideas

5 ways to teach elements, compounds and mixtures at 11–14

By 2023-03-23T09:49:00

The blocks for carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from the periodic table with a 3D structure for citric acid

Source: Composite image: © Ipajoel/Shutterstock and © Steve_Mol/Shutterstock

Use these teacher-tested ideas to ensure your students don’t get mixed up about chemical substances

Knowing the difference between elements, compounds and mixtures is key to students understanding so much of our instruction in chemistry. But we sometimes forget that our own understanding has been honed through years of study and experience. Towards the end of KS4, students don’t have to specifically identify elements, compounds and mixtures, but they encounter a range of names, formulas, diagrams and models, and we assume knowledge of these different modes of communicating information. The tips in this article will help you build with strong foundations so students have a firm understanding of chemical substances and are ready for the more challenging concepts later in their learning journey.

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