Approaches to the teaching of chemistry

Planning your course

The syllabus as provided in the subject guide is not intended to be a teaching order. Instead it provides
detail of what must be covered by the end of the course. A school should develop a scheme of work that best
works for its students. For example, the scheme of work could be developed to match available resources,
to take into account student prior learning and experience, or in conjunction with other local requirements.

HL teachers may choose to teach the core and AHL topics at the same time or teach them in a spiral fashion,
by teaching the core topics in year one of the course and revisiting the core topics through the delivery of
the AHL topics in year two of the course. The option topic could be taught as a stand-alone topic or could be
integrated into the teaching of the core and/or AHL topics.

However the course is planned, adequate time must be provided for examination revision. Time must also
be given for students to reflect on their learning experience and their growth as learners.

The IB learner profile

The chemistry course contributes to the development of attributes of the IB learner profile. By following
the course, students will have engaged with the attributes of the IB learner profile. For example, the
requirements of the internal assessment provide opportunities for students to develop every aspect of the
profile. For each attribute of the learner profile, a number of references from the Group 4 courses are given
below.

Learner profile
Biology, chemistry and physics
attribute

Inquirers Aims 2 and 6

Practical work and internal assessment

Knowledgeable Aims 1 and 10, international-mindedness links

Practical work and internal assessment

Thinkers Aims 3 and 4, Theory of knowledge links

Practical work and internal assessment

Communicators Aims 5 and 7, external assessment

Practical work and internal assessment

Principled Aims 8 and 9

Practical work and internal assessment. Ethical behaviour/practice (Ethical practice
poster, IB animal experimentation policy), academic honesty

Open-minded Aims 8 and 9, International-mindedness links

Practical work and internal assessment, the group 4 project

Caring Aims 8 and 9

Practical work and internal assessment, the group 4 project, ethical behaviour/
practice (Ethical practice poster, IB animal experimentation policy)

Chemistry guide 25
Approaches to the teaching of chemistry

Learner profile
Biology, chemistry and physics
attribute

Risk-takers Aims 1 and 6

Practical work and internal assessment, the group 4 project

Balanced Aims 8 and 10

Practical work and internal assessment, the group 4 project and fieldwork

Reflective Aims 5 and 9

Practical work and internal assessment, the group 4 project

26 Chemistry guide