Exam FormatN Level Science (Chemistry) - Sec 4 N(A)Total duration: 1 h 15 min (One paper Only)
The remaining 50% of the Science grade comes from either Physics or Biology component. Students only need to sit for 2 papers for Science (Chemistry + Physics or Biology). O Level Science (Chemistry) - Sec 5 N(A) or Sec 4 O Level TrackTotal duration for MCQ paper: 1 h
Total duration for Structured paper: 1 h 15 min
Practical Assessment - For O Level Science (Chemistry) onlyTotal duration: 1 h 30 min 30 marks - 15% of Science grade Format: 1 or 2 Questions on Chemistry (15 marks) + 1 or 2 Questions on Physics/Biology (15 marks) Implications?
Addition of New Topics1. Energy Changes 2. Speed of Reaction 3. Redox 4. Alcohols 5. Carboxylic Acids 6. Qualitative Analysis Extension of Old TopicsExperimental Design - Know how to design experiment to measure rate of reaction Identification of Ions and Gases - Describe tests for ammonia, chlorine and sulfur dioxide Mole Calculations - Formulas - Concept of limiting and excess reagent Alkenes - Addition polymerisation - Pollution problems caused by plastics These topics are exactly the same as those studied by Sec 4 O Level students. However, the questions set for these questions are no longer as simple as those seen in Sec 4 N(A) papers. Students are expected to answer questions which require them to "explain", "describe", "elaborate" or "suggest". Difficulties faced by Sec 5 students
Student ProfileName: J Level: Sec 4 School: Chung Cheng High Main Grades: E8-F9 Marks for Prelims: MCQ 29/40, P2 - 37/80 (Failed), Practical 21/40(Just pass) Date of first session: 27/9/19 Total number of lessons: 8 (27/9, 4/10, 6/10, 9/10, 13/10, 16/10, 18/10 and 26/10) Total number of hours: 16 Date of O level Exam: 30/10/19 Strategy
1st Feedback to Parent on 28/9/19Hi Mdm W, just a quick feedback regarding my observation so far: 1. J is weak in understanding of concepts. She may be able to give the answers to certain questions, but when asked further, she doesn’t know how she formed her answer. Most likely, she uses a lot of memory work when studying, instead of understanding the concepts. 2. She lacks skills when forming equations, taking up a lot of time even when it’s a 1 mark type of question. I have given her tips on how to form equations faster and more accurately. Also taught her how to check the equations formed. 3. She is not very sure of the keywords to use for answering questions. In chemistry, there are certain sentence structure template that we use to answer questions. And most likely she lost marks when she did not answer using important keywords (which she didn’t know that they are keywords). 4. I went through the basics to make sure that she doesn’t make the same type of mistakes again and again as these basics are repeated throughout all topics. 5. We started with the most challenging chapter which is electrolysis. She couldn’t answer well even for the most basic type of questions. Have already gone through her mistakes and given her some homework. 6. I stressed to her the importance of understanding of concepts. Knowing how to explain how she came out with the answers is crucial as the exam questions set in recent years require students to answer questions base on new context. Remembering answers from familiar context will give her a disadvantage. I gave her some reference materials, notes and worksheets. Hopefully she will find them useful. Will be preparing according to her request for the next session. 2nd Feedback on 5/10/19Hi Mdm W, just a quick update: We finished the chapter on electrolysis yesterday. It’s the hardest topic of the whole syllabus. She didn’t understand how to derive certain answers at first and by now, she should be able to as I have shared with her a method to figure out which thinking process to use. Have also given her some practice questions to do. We also covered a component of practical skill - planning. She has problem writing in a scientific way. Have gone through the requirements with her so that she knows what to write. We will move on to her next weakest topic and I will also give her more examples for practical planning question. 3rd Feedback on 10/10/19Hi Mdm W, just a quick update: I gave J a few more planning questions as example so that she has more exposure to questions. Also gave her practical exam notes and went through with her the common mistakes that students make during practical. I also tested her on the way she writes her exam answer for practical. For the theory paper, we are currently doing organic chemistry which is a large topic comprising of 6 smaller topics. I gave her homework on this topic and she’s learning from mistakes made in the homework. I also reteach a few concepts like isomers and esterification as these are her weaknesses. Yesterday was the 4th session. (27/9, 4/10, 6/10, 9/10). 4th Feedback on 15/10/19Hi Mdm W, just a quick update: 1) I gave her 2 model answers for planning exercise and both types came out for the practical exam - thermal decomposition and thermometric titration. 2) Currently we are doing the more challenging concepts for organic chemistry. Have also gone through and given her extra notes on concepts that are taken out of the syllabus but frequently tested (moe wants students to be able to analyse and do without being taught). J has come across such questions in her tests and exams before but couldn’t understand at first. Now she can do questions given without referring to notes. 3) Will be moving on to other frequently tested topics and concepts. Also gave her tips on how to study for Chemistry and what to take note of. Last Feedback on 26/10/19Hi Mdm W, just a quick feedback, we managed to go through most of the popular topics for o level. Have taught her answering techniques and answers templates for the relevant chapters. For every new technique, I have given her questions to test her. So far, she could replicate what was taught. Today marks the last session. She feels that she can handle the mcq paper on her own. The 4 sessions are 13/10, 16/10, 18/10 and 26/10. Thanks! Hope she will do well for her paper this wed. O Level Results - A Jump from E8/F9 to A2 in Just 1 MonthThe study of chemistry requires students to apply a vast amount of content knowledge to higher order thinking questions using a set of answering techniques. How can we score in Chemistry then? 1. Know the Essential Facts:To win a war, we must first know our enemy well. Duration of Paper 1 MCQ: 1 h Duration of Paper 2: 1 h 45 min MCQ: 40 marks (30% of overall grade) Section A + B: 50 + 30 marks (50% of overall grade) A copy of the Periodic Table of Elements will be provided. What can I expect? MCQ consists of 40 questions from all topics. (Tip: Do the Mole Calculation questions LAST!) Section A consists of 7-9 compulsory structured questions, each with several parts. Section B consists of 3 questions. -The first is a compulsory data-based question and the second is a long compulsory questions. -The data-based question requires students to interpret, evaluate or solve problems using a set of given data. -The third has an either/or option. 2. Know the connection between the topicsMore challenging questions will require students to apply content knowledge from more than 1 topic. Examples: -Elements, Compounds and Mixtures + Separation Techniques -Atomic Structure + Chemical Bonding -Periodic Table + Chemical Bonding -Acids, Bases and Salts + Qualitative Analysis -Salts + Ammonia -Metals + Redox -Redox + Electrolysis -Chemical calculations + almost any topic 3. Have a copy of personalised Periodic TableBe familiar with the Periodic Table and save time by knowing where the common elements are.
Create your own personalised Periodic Table. Jot down essential notes and refer to it for all assignments. (All my students will have a copy each from the first session.) Know exactly what information can be found on the Periodic Table: -proton/atomic number -mass/nucleon number -electronic configuration -charge of an ion -relative atomic mass -group and period number -number of electron shells and valence electrons Many parents in Singapore have invested time and money into finding suitable Chemistry tuition classes for their children. However, despite painstakingly sourcing for the tutors for their children, parents often face disappointment as the results fall short. Why is this so? Here are 3 reasons why typical Chemistry tuition centres wouldn’t work for students. 1. The ‘One Size Fits All’ approachMost students in tuition centres are taught with a One-Size-Fits-All approach which is similar to the type of learning students experience in schools. This makes it difficult to identify and address weaknesses students might have which then hinders any possible improvement they could make as there is an assumption that all students face similar difficulties and challenges. 2. No customisationSince most centres adopt classroom teaching, there is no creation of customised materials for individual students. Instead, most centres use standardised materials or generic worksheets. The learning experience exists purely based on what the tutor decides to provide for the student in terms of learning content. 3. Most tutors are part-timersAt many tuition centres, tutors are often part-timers who are transitioning between jobs or working for extra income. Although many claim to have experience and flexible schedules, their availability could be inconsistent in the long run as many are working under a short-term contract. As the part-timers usually use materials provided by the tuition centres, lessons tend to have a lack of engagement due to the routine teaching. Why is Mrs Lim different?Mrs Lim is a dedicated, full-time tutor who is driven by passion. Each of her students has a customized learning programme, achieved through specialised and tailored approaches which caters directly to the needs of every individual. Every student’s portfolio is handled by Mrs Lim in a personalised manner. From the first session, Mrs Lim profiles her students to identify their strengths and areas of weakness. Based on the students’ needs, she will address gaps in the students’ conceptual knowledge while reinforcing their strengths.
Aside from educating students by teaching them relevant content, Mrs Lim also focuses on cultivating the right mindset towards learning that goes beyond spoon-feeding and rote learning. Instead of drilling exercises, she utilises elements of problem-based learning and highlight the relevance of concepts to real-world situations, challenging them to think critically beyond the mere regurgitation of facts. This cultivates in students the ability to evaluate and analyse problems across any given discipline. The friendly disposition of Mrs Lim allows students to feel comfortable and open with her. She goes beyond simply being a teacher and often takes on the additional role of being a mentor to her students. Through maintaining good rapport with her students, she inspires them to take responsibility and establish purpose in their learning, guiding them step-by-step towards achieving both their academic and life goals. Mrs Lim also believes in establishing a unique tripartite relationship between herself, parents and students. Through the informal discussions after lessons, she keeps parents in the loop of their child’s progress regularly so that they can work together to provide help the student. This statement made by a handyman (in an interview by CNA) inspired me to write this post. “I’d say you’re paying me for my experience, not my labour.” It's quite similar in the tuition industry. What type of tutor you get depends on the "luck" factor sometimes. You can get a cheap tutor, but your child shows no improvement in his understanding. Or you can pay a higher rate for an experience tutor and see progress in just a few sessions. For the past 2 weeks, I have been 'interviewing' my students to find out more about their experiences with tutors. Note that these are just opinions formed by my students from their personal experiences. Type 1: Undergraduates Characteristics:
Type 2: Part-time graduates Characteristics:
Type 3: Full-time graduates Characteristics:
Type 4: Current MOE Teachers Characteristics:
Type 5: Ex-MOE Teachers (Full-time tutor) --> ME! Characteristics: 100% commitment
Experienced and up-to-date with the Syllabus
Lesson preparation is done for every lesson.
Ask your child, "How's your tutor like during lessons?"
You will be surprised by their response. School holiday is here. It means that the chance of doing a proper revision has finally arrived! So, how should your child start revising for Chemistry? Step 1: "Curate" a strong set of notes I read an article on the latest trend about #studygram and was amazed. Is this the trendy way to study nowadays? Article link -> www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/welcome-to-my-studygram In my opinion, writing and decorating such beautiful notes as a study method is not sustainable at all. The focus is just so wrong. So much effort is used to decorate the notes and not "curating" the information that makes a difference to your results. For my students, I always encourage them to use notes provided by their schools (if they pass my Quality Check) so that they will use the exact keywords expected from their teachers. You'll be surprised that different school teachers have different sets of keywords. For some schools, the teachers provide notes which are either too brief or too elaborated. In worst cases, the teacher just asked the students to refer to their textbooks! (Yes, and that teacher is currently still a HOD of Science in the East.) My job is to help my students "curate" a strong set of notes. I will provide my notes which will complement the notes provided by the school. All my notes are customised for my students depending on their needs. Together, we will analyse notes provided by the school and add in information (from my notes, ten-year series, exam questions, school worksheets) which are crucial for getting distinction. At the same time, I will also highlight the parts which are not important at all to minimise effort for studying. Why do you need a good set of notes? Strong notes are the core of a good study regime. A good set of notes does not mean just a set of stapled notes per topic. It includes notes written on A4 exercise books too. All these should be "curated" from the start of the year, starting from the first topic. What type of materials does your child use for revision? Start "curating" now before it's too late! Step 2: Do practice questions frequently (Make it a routine) I'm a firm believer of the Spaced Review Concept. It's impossible to retain information if we do not review them. Many students may not believe this at first, thinking that it's just common sense. This is actually proven scientifically. From the Forgetting Curve Theory, forgetting happens most rapidly right after learning occurs and slows as time passes. The more we review it, the longer we can remember it. Where can I find practice questions for Chemistry revision?
Please, please, please DO NOT trust the answers from Ten-Year Series Publishers. There are lots and lots of mistakes especially for the structured questions. Not minor ones, but those that will cause misconceptions. The way the answers are structured is very different from what we expect in school. There's no way a student can learn how to answer properly by looking at the answers provided. Many students and parents think that the answers provided are from the examination board. NO! That's not true. The examination board only provides the questions and NOT the answers. I discourage students from wasting their money buying assessment books. Many assessment books are published by random authors who are not NIE-trained. The questions are very different from what teachers set during exams. Do not study using notes from assessment books. You will never be sure where the source is from. For my students, my first priority is for them to do my worksheets and test papers, followed by the ten-year series. I will mark the ten-year series using the guidelines from the marker's report and provide immediate feedback for your child. The more feedback you get the more you’ll improve! Is your child's ten-year series still in pristine condition? If your child dedicates at least 2 hours a week to do the above 2 steps during my lesson, he will retain much more due to constant exposure to my quality notes, practice questions and answers. Contact me if you're looking for extra help with your child's revision. General Tips
Common Mistakes for MCQ
Hope you find these useful! Will share more tips for structured questions in the future. Recently, I got a call from a desperate mother who found my number through this website. Her daughter has not been doing well for Pure Chemistry and the school has advised her to drop to combined Science (chemistry/biology). "What should I advise my child?" she asked me. In order to give a good advice, there are multiple factors to consider. 1. How different are the syllabuses? The syllabus content of combined Chemistry is approximately 75% of the whole Pure Chemistry syllabus. Obviously, your child will need to study less content. What exactly is the difference? The whole topic on the most hated ELECTROLYSIS will be removed! Yay! Other significant portions removed are:
2. How different are the exam requirements? Differences based on the scheme of assessment:
Scheme of Assessment taken from SEAB Website 3. Will dropping to combine science affect entry to JC/Poly? Yes, it will. By dropping to combine Science, the subject combination for JC entry will be more limited. (Do check the entry and subject combination requirements from the respective official school websites.) However, some students are very sure of the path that they are going to take once they complete their secondary school education. Thus, they may choose to pursue their interest in theater studies, humanities etc. So, it's important to discuss your child’s strengths as a family and decide base on your child's ambitions and interests and not choose base on what others will do! 4. My thoughts? Combined Science is so much easier to score. It's quite common for students who dropped to combine Science to score better as these students have more in depth knowledge compared to their peers who have only studied the combine Chemistry syllabus before. Many tutors may think that by dropping from two subjects to one subject, your child will be taking a huge risk as there's only one science subject for the L1R5 calculation. But in my opinion, it's much easier to score an A1 or A2 for combine Chemistry compared to scoring an A1 or A2 or even B3 for pure Chemistry. I'm confident to say that as all my combine Chemistry students score 100% distinctions despite coming from different backgrounds. Some met me after dropping from Pure Chemistry and others have taken combine Chemistry from the start. 5. When should I DISCOURAGE my child to drop to combine Science? There are some students who are doing poorly for both Sciences. In this case, it is wisest to drop to combine Science for sure. However, if your child is doing very well and scoring distinctions for one of the Pure Sciences, I will suggest not to waste that effort already put in and continue to take up 2 Pure Sciences. Encourage your child to put in more time and effort for the weaker Science using whatever that worked for the stronger Science. It is essential to find a good tutor in order for your child to clarify doubts once and for all. If your child can be good at one Science, he will most likely have the skills and aptitude to score well in the other. Sometimes, it also depends on the difficulty of the papers set. In certain schools, the papers are set to 'kill' while in others, the papers are so much easier compared to the O level standard. In this case, you will need an experience tutor to analyse the paper to know the 'actual' standard of your child. Do not base just on the percentage written on the paper itself. It may or may not be an accurate representation. 6. What did you advise that particular student? During my first session with the student, I looked through her Secondary 3 to 4 tests and exam papers. I also analysed her Secondary 4 Pure Chemistry mid-year papers which she just received back. I advised her to drop to combine Science. Why?
She is currently having intensive lessons with me and we are making fast progress. Our aim? A1 for combine Science. Nothing less than that. I hope I have given you a balanced viewpoint based on my own experiences and opinions. In short, there's no right or wrong way to decide whether to drop to combine Science. It all depends...
Contact me if your child needs someone for advice. What does Assessment of Planning mean in Practical Exam? The practical assessment incorporates assessment of Planning which has a weighting of 15% out of the entire paper. One, or more, of the questions may be set and require students to apply and integrate knowledge and understanding from different sections of the syllabus. Many students find it IMPOSSIBLE to do well in this section. And this is not true. What are the requirements for Assessment of Planning? Students are expected to be able to: • identify key variables for a given question/problem • outline an experimental procedure to investigate the question/problem • describe how the data should be used in order to reach a conclusion • identify the risks of the experiment and state precautions that should be taken to keep risks to a minimum Any example? It's quite confusing.. A typical question could be: "Plan and produce a procedure to investigate the percentage yield of copper(II) oxide using appropriate reagents and chemicals in the laboratory. You are given a sample of copper(II) carbonate, P." Wow! How do we go about doing the question? It is important to plan BEFORE writing your answers down. Just like planning for a composition. A systematic thinking process would be:
Step 1: Ask yourself this question -> What is the objective of the experiment? - To investigate the percentage yield of copper(II) oxide Step 2: THINK of the general approach that you would want to use for your experiment by applying scientific concepts that you have learnt.
Step 3: Identify variable(s) and conditions that will affect the experiment.
Step 4: Write your suggested procedure as a series of step-by-step instructions.
In my next post, I will be sharing more on HOW the procedure should be written. How do the precipitates look like? A picture tells a thousand words. Tip: My students will save these 2 tables in their phones for reference. What should we record for cation test observations?
How do we memorise everything? Although a simplified QA table is given during practical exam, I will always make my students understand this table thoroughly before sitting for the practical exam. If a student requires the QA table during the exam, it only means that he is not ready or confident enough. Many students memorise the table above but do not understand the concept behind. Have you ever wondered why does Ca2+ ions form a precipitate with aqueous sodium hydroxide but not with aqueous ammonia? Calcium hydroxide is slightly soluble in water and would require a high concentration of hydroxide ions to react with it to form a precipitate. Hence, since sodium hydroxide is a strong alkali, the calcium ions react with the high concentration of hydroxide ions to form a precipitate. Aqueous ammonia being a weak alkali do not have sufficient hydroxide ions and thus, no precipitate is seen. Why does the white precipitate dissolve in excess aqueous sodium hydroxide to form a colourless solution for zinc ion, aluminium ion and lead(II) ion then? The white precipitate is the hydroxide of zinc, aluminium and lead(II) which can react with aqueous sodium hydroxide to form soluble complex ions as they are amphoteric hydroxides. Do put in extra effort for Qualitative Analysis. There is a chance that it may appear both in theory and practical exam!
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Mrs Lim
A Chem-Addict passionate about teaching and learning Chemistry. Archives
February 2023
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