Chemistry - Parents Page
Why include Chemistry in Home Schooling
Chemistry is the study chemicals and how they behave and are used used. Studying a little about chemistry helps you understand the world around you.
As homeschoolers we study chemistry many in Design and Technology as we cook with a lot of chemicals known as ingredients and how they react when we mix them and heat them.
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When Chemistry is included into the home school education it helps develops your maths and supports transferable skills, including:
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problem-solving skills
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time management
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organisation skills
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team work
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The use of equipment with technology embedded and understanding how to use these tools.
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You can go on to take GCSE Chemistry with us if you so wish.
Recording the Learning
For our learners on the Autistic Spectrum, this is very much a topic that grabs the attention, on occasions some of my learners have moved out of my level of knowledge, when this happens - we find a chemistry teacher.
For our dyslexic learners, writing reams of information - is not helpful. Record your responses and thoughts in an audio/visual method, like using your phone, is sufficient evidence.
Mind mapping is a great way to record information. Here are the basics:
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Start in the centre with an image of the topic, using at least 3 colours.
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Use images, symbols, codes, and dimensions throughout your mind map.
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Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters.
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Each word/image is best alone and sitting on its own line.
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The lines should be connected, starting from the central image. The lines become thinner as they radiate out from the centre.
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Make the lines the same length as the word/image they support.
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Use multiple colours throughout the mind map, for visual stimulation and also for encoding or grouping.
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Develop your own personal style of mind mapping.
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Use colour to emphasis and show associations in your mind map.
Following A Set Programme of Learning
There are some lovely TV programmes on the BBC that will help.
The topics to be covered are the particulate nature of matter, atoms, elements and compounds, pure and impure substances, chemical reactions, energetics, the Periodic Table, Materials, Earth and its atmosphere.
Why not join us on our trips in to London to the Royal Institution for their science lectures.
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Including Chemistry In The Learning Routine
Here, at Orchard Training we try to embed chemistry into our projects, where it sits naturally and can be enjoyed. For example, in our project on Cakes we look at what makes cakes rise and how.
You don’t need any fancy, expensive equipment to teach chemistry. Each project will list the resources you will need and suggestions of where to visit. They are written with the home-schooler’s budget in mind.
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The biggest expense will be visiting places of interest.
Whilst some don’t charge - others do. The main cost is the travel and ticket price: plan ahead, combine the visit with other activities, take a packed lunch – just like a real educational trip!