Chemistry for science teachers

Boost your confidence in delivering practical work, and develop the skills you need to teach key chemistry topics

This course is designed for teachers looking to build their knowledge and confidence in chemistry. The course is comprised of three optional modules, covering teaching strategies for different topic areas.

Compare modules

At a glance

  • Upcoming dates:
    Various, Sept – Dec 2024, 3.45 – 5.30pm
  • Cost: Free for Teach Chemistry members
  • Session frequency: Weekly or monthly

Choose a module to get started

Top of test tubes containing liquid with pipette releasing a drop of liquid into one

Module 1

Upcoming dates

Not currently available – get notified when new dates are added

Topics covered

  • Supporting good practical chemistry
  • Reactivity of metals
  • Electrolysis
  • Quantitative chemistry

Find out more

Close up look at test tubes containing a variety of colourful liquids in a beaker and on a busy lab bench

Module 2

Upcoming dates

Wednesdays, Sept – Dec 2024
3.45 – 5.30pm

Topics covered

  • Identifying unknowns
  • Equilibrium
  • Energy changes
  • Rates of reaction

Find out more

Pipette and test tubes

Module 3

Upcoming dates

Thursdays, Sept – Dec 2024
3.45 – 5.30pm

Topics covered

  • Structure and bonding
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Acids and bases
  • Further quantitative chemistry

Find out more

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Module 1

Module 1 covers the following topics:

  • Supporting good practical chemistry
  • Reactivity of metals
  • Electrolysis
  • Quantitative chemistry

You’ll build your subject knowledge across these topics, explore common misconceptions and develop ideas for practical activities.

Upcoming dates and registration

Module 1 is not due to run in the autumn term

However, you can still:

Module 1 – summer term

Tuesdays, May – June 2024, 3.30 – 5.15pm, online

This course is now fully booked.

Session 1: Tuesday 14 May 3.30 – 5.15pm

Supporting good practical chemistry

  • Particle theory of matter
  • Ideas for practical work
  • The meaning of hazard, harm and risk
  • Process and recording of risk assessments

Session 2: Tuesday 21 May 3.30 – 5.15pm

Reactivity of metals

  • Reactivity series of metals
  • Ideas for practical activities
  • Student misconceptions

Session 3: Tuesday 4 June 3.30 – 5.15pm

Electrolysis

  • Electrolysis
  • Student misconceptions
  • Ideas for practical work
  • RSC resources, including practical videos

Session 4: Tuesday 11 June 3.30 – 5.15pm

Quantitative chemistry

  • Quantitative chemistry and the mole
  • Chemistry calculations
  • Linking practical work to calculations
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Module 2

Module 2 covers the following topics:

  • Identifying unknowns
  • Equilibrium
  • Energy changes
  • Rates of reaction

You’ll build your subject knowledge across these topics, explore common misconceptions and develop ideas for practical activities.

Upcoming dates and registration

Module 2 – autumn term

Wednesdays, September – December 2024, 3.45 – 5.30pm, online

You’ll need to be a member of Teach Chemistry to register for this course. Sign in now or register for an account today to get started.

Register for my account

Session 1: Wednesday 11 September 3.45 – 5.30pm

Identifying unknowns

  • Chromatography
  • Using chemical tests to identify ions
  • RSC resources including gridlocks
  • Student misconceptions
  • Ideas for practical work
  • Solubility and precipitation

Session 2: Wednesday 9 October 3.45 – 5.30pm

Rates of reaction

  • Rates of reactions
  • Data handling and interpretation
  • Misconceptions
  • RSC resources

Session 3: Wednesday 13 November 3.45 – 5.30pm

Equilibrium

  • How to teach equilibrium
  • Student misconceptions
  • Ideas for practical work
  • RSC resources

Session 4: Wednesday 11 December 3.45 – 5.30pm

Demonstrations and energy change

  • Creating exciting demonstrations
  • Energy changes
  • RSC resources

Module 2 – summer term

Wednesdays, May – June 2024, 3.30 – 5.15pm, online

This course is now fully booked.

Session 1: Wednesday 15 May 3.30 – 5.15pm

Identifying unknowns

  • Chromatography
  • Using chemical tests to identify ions
  • RSC resources including gridlocks
  • Student misconceptions
  • Ideas for practical work
  • Solubility and precipitation

Session 2: Wednesday 22 May 3.30 – 5.15pm

Rates of reaction

  • Rates of reactions
  • Data handling and interpretation
  • Misconceptions
  • RSC resources

Session 3: Wednesday 5 June 3.30 – 5.15pm

Equilibrium

  • How to teach equilibrium
  • Student misconceptions
  • Ideas for practical work
  • RSC resources

Session 4: Wednesday 12 June 3.30 – 5.15pm

Demonstrations and energy change

  • Creating exciting demonstrations
  • Energy changes
  • RSC resources
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Module 3

Module 3 covers the following topics:

  • Structure and bonding
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Acids and bases
  • Further quantitative chemistry

You’ll build your subject knowledge across these topics, explore common misconceptions and develop ideas for practical activities.

Upcoming dates and registration

Module 3 – autumn term

Thursdays, September – December 2024, 3.45 – 5.30pm, online

You’ll need to be a member of Teach Chemistry  to register for this course. Sign in now or register for an account today to get started.

REGISTER FOR MY ACCOUNT

Session 1: Thursday 12 September 3.45 – 5.30pm

Structure and bonding

  • A range of different types of bonding and structures
  • Strategies and teaching models including electrostatics and the ‘octet rule’
  • Common misconceptions and challenges
  • Practical activities to develop understanding

Session 2: Thursday 10 October 3.45 – 5.30pm

Hydrocarbons

  • Properties, processes and reactions related to hydrocarbons
  • Resources to help provide global perspectives in the curriculum
  • Everyday contexts for teaching hydrocarbons
  • Practical activities to develop understanding

Session 3: Thursday 14 November 3.45 – 5.30pm

Acids and bases

  • The spiral curriculum and different teaching models
  • Global perspectives in the curriculum
  • Common misconceptions and challenges
  • Visually stimulating experiments and demonstrations

Session 4: Thursday 12 December 3.45 – 5.30pm

Further quantitative chemistry

  • Pedagogical approaches to multi-step mole calculations
  • Practical approaches to teaching and understanding titrations
  • Common misconceptions and challenges

Module 3 – summer term

Thursdays, May – June 2024, 3.30 – 5.15pm, online

This course is now fully booked.

Session 1: Thursday 16 May 3.30 – 5.15pm

Structure and bonding

  • A range of different types of bonding and structures
  • Strategies and teaching models including electrostatics and the ‘octet rule’
  • Common misconceptions and challenges
  • Practical activities to develop understanding

Session 2: Thursday 23 May 3.30 – 5.15pm

Hydrocarbons

  • Properties, processes and reactions related to hydrocarbons
  • Resources to help provide global perspectives in the curriculum
  • Everyday contexts for teaching hydrocarbons
  • Practical activities to develop understanding

Session 3: Thursday 6 June 3.30 – 5.15pm

Acids and bases

  • The spiral curriculum and different teaching models
  • Global perspectives in the curriculum
  • Common misconceptions and challenges
  • Visually stimulating experiments and demonstrations

Session 4: Thursday 13 June 3.30 – 5.15pm

Further quantiative chemistry

  • Pedagogical approaches to multi-step mole calculations
  • Practical approaches to teaching and understanding titrations
  • Common misconceptions and challenges

Additional information

This course is most suited to teachers who may be:

  • relatively new in post
  • teaching chemistry outside their own subject specialism
  • keen to increase their own understanding and confidence to teach chemistry within a 11–16 secondary science programme

Each module comprises a series of four sessions, held weekly or monthly, depending on the term. By completing all four, you will qualify for a certificate of attendance to add to your professional development portfolio/record.

In advance of the module, we will give you information on 1–2 practicals, which we will ask you to carry out prior to the relevant session, ready to discuss with your facilitator and fellow participants.

Support from your subject or school leadership team is a critical factor in successful professional development. When you sign up for a module, we’ll ask you to provide details of a senior member of staff who is responsible for your professional development provisions, eg head of chemistry/department, assistant headteacher, headteacher etc.

Teacher demonstrating a practical to a group of students wearing safety goggles

Source: © Shutterstock

FAQs

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for teachers in all career stages. The course expects a basic level of subject knowledge and are ideally suited if you are new to teaching chemistry; you have recently focused on another subject and would like to boost your knowledge; or you are returning from a teaching break.

The course is not suitable for trainee/student teachers in the first two terms of their training year.

Do I have to complete all modules?

You do not have to complete one module to attend another. Each module covers teaching strategies for different topic areas. Please choose the module that includes the topics most relevant for you.

How much does the course cost?

Nothing at all! The course is free to join, although places are limited.

Is this course recognised? Will I receive a certificate?

Absolutely. The course is recognised CPD, so you will receive a certificate of attendance for your professional development portfolio/record once you have completed all of your chosen course’s sessions.

To qualify for the certificate of attendance, you must attend all sessions and complete all required tasks.

Do you record the sessions?

No, course modules are not recorded. If you are not available for the course dates currently advertised, watch this space – most courses are run regularly.