Chemistry

Taught by Miss Chani Gotlieb

Chemistry is everywhere around us: it’s the air we breathe, the food we cook and eat, the clothes we wear, and the gadgets we use. All physical reality consists of matter, and almost all the objects in our personal surroundings have been made or modified through the use of chemical technology. The chemistry course at Bnos Yaakov not only gives basic knowledge of chemistry principles, but also highlights an understanding of the practical applications of chemistry to everyday life. It aims to explain the natural world, prepare students for career opportunities and produce informed citizens.

Objectives

  1. To develop critical thinking skills.
  2. To engage students in the scientific inquiry by developing explanations to natural phenomena in a continuing creative process.
  3. To elaborate on basic scientific and personal explanations of natural phenomena, and develop extended visual models and mathematical formulations to represent thinking.
  4. To apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science and technology to address real life problems and make informed decisions.

Course Overview

In our chemistry course students explore chemistry concepts through an inquiry based approach. Each unit begins with an intriguing “Discovery Learning” activity that stimulates thought. The use of animations and video clips helps chemistry concepts come to life on the computer screen. Engaging relevant labs serve to support active learning through interaction with content. The inquiry activities provide visual and tactile cues, offer opportunities for peer communication and encourage skills that are necessary for critical thinking.  The course strives to make chemistry more enticing and more accessible by linking the subject matter to ordinary life and emphasizing its relevance.  It shows how chemistry touches our lives almost everywhere and everyday.

Areas of Study:

  • Matter and Change
  • Scientific Measurement
  • Atomic Structure
  • The Periodic Table
  • Ionic, Covalent, and Metallic Bonding
  • Chemical names and Formulas
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Stoichiometry
  • States of Matter
  • Thermochemistry
  • Reaction Rates and Equilibrium
  • Acids, Bases, and Salts
  • Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
  • Organic Compounds
  • Nuclear Chemistry