Tony Tooth looks at some websites that may be of interest to chemistry teachers.
IB chemistry web
This is the website of the International Baccalaureate chemistry course and is still under construction. The syllabus is intended for senior school students and can be taken at two levels - standard and higher. Summarised course notes are available at both levels. There are also many animations, models and movies, for which you might need plug-in software to view properly but the downloads are available from the site.
Notes for the experiments that form part of the course are provided, though some still await notes. The site has several fun features such as a chemistry quiz, a chemistry crossword and a jigsaw. There is also a discussion forum and an e-zine.
Jim Hebden's chemistry resources
Jim Hebden is a chemistry teacher from British Columbia who has made available this wealth of chemistry teaching materials and advice. All the resources are available as Adobe Acrobat pdf files.
Here you will find the details of hundreds of demonstrations, some of them new to me, for different stages of school chemistry. Those I looked at had full notes on method, quantities and theory. Many of you will find the detailed instructions for presenting a chemistry magic show sufficient incentive to visit this site.
There is also a section on doing chemistry with elementary (primary) teachers, a forensic study, a coin analysis project, and much more. The coin analysis is for Canadian coins but if you go to the Royal Mint website you can find the specifications for UK coins currently in circulation. This site is a treasure trove.
Environmental chemistry course
This is the homepage for an online course, Chemistry and issues in the environment, run by Dr Charles E. Ophardt at the department of chemistry, Elmhurst College, US.
The site includes links to general information, the course schedule, examination papers, main topic outlines and issues for online discussion, and home laboratory information. Topics covered include: environmental issues, introductory chemistry, industrial chemical synthesis, minerals, fossil fuels, alternative energy resources, the atmosphere and air pollution, water pollution, and waste disposal.
Many websites on environmental chemistry focus on one or two particular aspects of the subject and can be too complex for school use so this site, which gives an introductory overview, is welcomed. Although the material is referenced to a US context, the topics apply equally well to other countries. More detailed information on each topic can be obtained by following the hyperlinks provided.
The information is presented in a concise, lively, discursive style. Chemistry lessons which touch on environmental issues could be livened up by using this site selectively.
Related Links
International Baccalaureate chemistry - Website still under construction - the syllabus is intended for senior school students
Jim Hebden - A chemistry teacher who has made available a wealth of chemistry teaching materials and advice
Environmental chemistry course - Homepage for an online course, Chemistry and issues in the environment
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