Early X-rays
I’ve come across three completely separate references to the early days of X-rays recently that have intrigued me. X-rays are now on the HL 2014 syllabus (for first exams in May 2016) under both topic...
Diamond chemotherapy
One of the things I enjoy doing is making links between the different topics in Chemistry and treating Chemistry holistically rather than taking a modular approach. A nice example which encompasses nanotechnology,...
Perfect cup of coffee
If you are like me, you can’t teach until you’ve had that first cup of coffee in the morning. I was lucky where I worked as Val, my technician, used to bring me a freshly brewed cup just as my first class...
Cannabis & mental illness
Should the use of cannabis be legalised? Assessment statement D.10.3 in the Medicines and Drugs option asks students to discuss the arguments for and against the legalisation of cannabis. The teacher’s...
Electronic marking
The days of physically sending scripts etc. half way (or indeed all the way) around the world are numbered. In May this year the IB is introducing e-marking for the first time in Chemistry. Scripts will...
A mole of information
How big is a mole? A group from the University of California has for the first time estimated the total amount of information stored digitally in the world. In a recent article published in Science Magazine...
Thinking critically
How can we get our students to think critically? Often there seems to be so little time just to cover what is on the IB Chemistry syllabus let alone get them to think and criticise what they read or are...
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Curriculum review
The IB Chemistry programme (along with the other Group 4 subjects) is due to be revised to start teaching in September 2014 with the first examinations in 2016. In October last year 24 participants (including...
A-Levels 'not fit for purpose'
In a damming report published today the Royal Society has condemned British A-Levels as not being fit for purpose. Specifically in its State of the Nation report it bemoans the fact that many students...
The spice of life?
Curcumin is one of the compounds covered in Option F: Food chemistry. It is found in turmeric – the yellow spice used in Indian curries. It is included in the IB Chemistry programme as it is an effective...