Upper School Curriculum

Grades: 10
Full-Year

Chemistry is a course designed to introduce students to fundamental ideas about matter and energy that make up our world, and to explore different techniques scientists use in their investigations. Students work cooperatively to design and implement experiments, analyze results, and communicate findings visually, verbally, and in writing, with a focus on developing scientific argumentation skills using the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) framework. Throughout the course, students use a series of particle models of increasing complexity to answer questions about and describe how we view matter, how it behaves and how energy is involved in the changes matter undergoes. The first semester focuses on the particle nature of matter, kinetic theory, and phases of matter. In the second semester, students learn about organization of the periodic table, chemical reactions, atomic structure, chemical bonding, and applications of stoichiometry. Lab work and problem-solving are integral components of the course. Recognizing that science is a human endeavor that requires collaboration and problem solving, students collaboratively analyze data gathered in the lab and consider the application of their knowledge and skills in the real world. Students deepen their understanding of scientific processes, emphasizing human contributions to science by identifying diverse scientists and the challenges they have faced.