[Catalist] NSW: NESA Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus

[Michael McGarry]

Greetings Science Colleagues,


May I respectfully recommend to colleagues, especially Year 11/12 Chemistry teachers that they read and study the selected sections of new NESA Chemistry S6?


NESA Chem. URL 1: http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/chemistry-stage6/ <http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/chemistry-stage6/>
The new NESA Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus will be implemented in 2018.


NESA Chem. URL 2: http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/chemistry-stage6/content/ <http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/chemistry-stage6/content/>
NESA S6 Chemistry Module 5: “Equilibrium and Acid Reactions”


Chem. URL 3: http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/chemistry-stage6/content/2267/ <http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/chemistry-stage6/content/2267/>
Inquiry question 5.1: “What happens when chemical reactions do not go through to completion?”


Inquiry question 5.2: “What factors affect equilibrium and how?”


Inquiry question 5.3: “How can the position of equilibrium be described and what does the equilibrium constant represent?”


Inquiry question 5.4: “How does solubility relate to chemical equilibrium?”


NESA S6 Chemistry Module 6: “Acid/Base Reactions”


Chem. URL 4: http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/chemistry-stage6/content/2270/ <http://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/chemistry-stage6/content/2270/>
Inquiry question 6.1: “What is an acid and what is a base?”


Inquiry question 6.2: “What is the role of water in solutions of acids and bases?”


Inquiry question 6.3: “How are solutions of acids and bases analysed?”


Students: [Last two dot-points.]


“Conduct a practical investigation to prepare a buffer and demonstrate its properties.”

“Students describe the importance of buffers in natural systems.”

Related Resource for the last dot-point: UNE “Chemistry Teacher Notes”


URL 5: https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/121728/chemistry-teacher-notes-answers.pdf <https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/121728/chemistry-teacher-notes-answers.pdf>
Concluding Comment:


I am not suggesting any change to the SCSA WACE ATAR Chemistry 12 Syllabus.


From our past experience too frequent and ill-planned curriculum change brings an enormous increase in teacher occupational workloads, and occupation stress, which can erode a teacher’s health and wellbeing and family life.   


What I am suggesting is that WA Year 11 and 12 Chemistry teachers may like to use relevant curriculum resources as these resources are developed for the new NESA Chemistry Stage 6 syllabus.


I found the NESA Chemistry Stage 6 syllabus statements to be written in sufficient detail to allow teachers to efficiently plan, program, teach and assess identified working scientifically skills and targeted key chemistry concepts.    


Answers to my two BIG Questions:


Question 1: Would a significant proportion of Australian Year 12 secondary chemistry students have the mathematical skills to be able to satisfactory explain quantitatively buffering capacity? [NSW NESA would probably answer YES.]

Question 2: Do the commercially available Year 12 Chemistry textbooks written for the SCSA WACE ATAR Year 12 Chemistry syllabus include a text section that explains quantitatively buffering capacity? [Well-written science textbooks should include “extension and challenge” text-boxes that allow teachers to extend the Zone of Proximal Development of their students.]


Zone of proximal development was defined by Lev Vygotsky as “The distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.”

Best Wishes,

Michael John McGarry
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