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Browse by Grade: 6th Year

Ireland · NCCA Curriculum Specifications

6th Year Advanced Chemical Principles and Molecular Dynamics

A comprehensive exploration of the microscopic world designed for Year 6 students preparing for higher level chemistry. This course bridges the gap between conceptual understanding and mathematical application across atomic theory, thermodynamics, and reaction kinetics.

3 units·40 topics·Ages 17-18

01Atomic Architecture and the Periodic Table

13 topics·Autumn Term

Investigating the evolution of atomic models and the quantum mechanical basis for the arrangement of elements.

What is Matter? Solids, Liquids, and Gases

Students will explore the concept of matter and its three common states: solids, liquids, and gases, identifying their observable properties.

Exploring Materials: Properties and Uses

Students will investigate different materials, describe their properties (e.g., hard, soft, flexible, waterproof), and discuss how these properties make them suitable for various uses.

Mixing and Separating Materials

Students will experiment with mixing different materials and explore simple methods to separate them, such as sieving, filtering, and evaporation.

Changes in Materials: Heating and Cooling

Students will observe and describe how heating and cooling can change materials, focusing on reversible changes like melting and freezing.

Irreversible Changes: Burning and Rusting

Students will learn about irreversible changes in materials, such as burning wood or rusting metal, understanding that new materials are formed.

Magnets and Magnetic Materials

Students will explore the properties of magnets, identify magnetic and non-magnetic materials, and investigate how magnets interact.

Electricity: Circuits and Conductors

Students will build simple electrical circuits, identify components, and distinguish between materials that conduct electricity and those that insulate.

Light and Shadows

Students will investigate how light travels, how shadows are formed, and explore different light sources.

Sound: Vibrations and Hearing

Students will explore how sound is produced by vibrations, how it travels, and how we hear different sounds.

Metals, Non-metals, and Metalloids

Students will classify elements based on their properties and location on the periodic table, understanding their uses.

Gallery WalkTrading Cards
Water Cycle: Evaporation and Condensation

Students will learn about the water cycle, focusing on the processes of evaporation and condensation and their role in weather.

Air: What is it Made Of?

Students will investigate that air is a mixture of gases, explore some of its properties, and understand its importance for life.

Pollution: Protecting Our Environment

Students will learn about different types of pollution (air, water, land) and discuss simple ways they can help protect the environment.

02Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

13 topics·Spring Term

Examining the forces that hold matter together and how three dimensional shapes dictate biological and chemical function.

Everyday Materials: Where Do They Come From?

Students will explore the origins of common materials (e.g., wood from trees, plastic from oil, glass from sand) and discuss natural vs. man-made materials.

Recycling: Giving Materials a Second Life

Students will learn about the importance of recycling, identify recyclable materials, and understand the process of turning old materials into new ones.

Composting: Nature's Recycling

Students will investigate composting as a natural way to recycle organic waste, understanding how it helps plants grow and reduces landfill waste.

Reducing Waste: The 3 Rs

Students will learn about the 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' principle and brainstorm ways to reduce waste in their daily lives.

Water: An Essential Resource

Students will understand the importance of water for all living things and discuss ways to conserve water at home and school.

Soil: The Foundation of Life

Students will explore the composition of soil, its importance for plants and animals, and different types of soil.

Plants: What Do They Need to Grow?

Students will investigate the basic needs of plants (light, water, air, nutrients) and conduct simple experiments to observe plant growth.

Animals: Habitats and Needs

Students will explore different animal habitats and understand the basic needs of animals (food, water, shelter) for survival.

Food Chains: Who Eats Whom?

Students will learn about simple food chains, identifying producers, consumers, and decomposers, and understanding the flow of energy.

States of Matter: Solids, Liquids, Gases

Students will compare the properties of solids, liquids, and gases at the molecular level, linking them to intermolecular forces.

Gallery WalkSimulation Game
Our Bodies: Bones and Muscles

Students will explore the basic structure and function of the human skeletal and muscular systems, understanding how they help us move.

Our Bodies: Digestion and Food

Students will learn about the process of digestion, understanding how our bodies break down food to get energy and nutrients.

Our Bodies: The Five Senses

Students will explore the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) and understand how they help us learn about the world around us.

03Stoichiometry and the Mole Concept

14 topics·Summer Term

Quantifying chemical change through the application of the mole concept and balanced equations.

Measuring Length: Centimetres and Metres

Students will practice measuring length using standard units like centimetres and metres, choosing appropriate tools for different objects.

Measuring Mass: Grams and Kilograms

Students will learn to measure the mass of objects using grams and kilograms, understanding the difference between mass and weight.

Measuring Volume: Litres and Millilitres

Students will measure the volume of liquids using litres and millilitres, and understand how to read measuring jugs accurately.

Measuring Temperature: Hot and Cold

Students will use thermometers to measure temperature in degrees Celsius, understanding the concepts of hot, warm, and cold.

Observing Chemical Changes: Bubbles and Colour

Students will observe simple chemical reactions, identifying signs like bubbles, colour changes, or new smells, and understand that new substances are formed.

Acids and Bases in the Kitchen

Students will explore common acidic and basic substances found in the kitchen (e.g., lemon juice, baking soda) and use simple indicators to test them.

Safety in Science: Rules and Tools

Students will learn about important safety rules for conducting experiments and identify common safety equipment in a science classroom.

Role Play
Making Predictions and Observing Results

Students will practice making predictions before experiments and carefully observing and recording their results, understanding the scientific process.

Drawing Conclusions from Experiments

Students will learn to interpret their observations and data to draw simple conclusions about what they have learned from an experiment.

Dissolving and Solutions: Sugar in Water

Students will explore the concept of dissolving by mixing solids with liquids, observing how some substances disappear to form solutions.

Floating and Sinking: Density Fun

Students will investigate why some objects float and others sink, exploring the concept of density through hands-on experiments.

Forces: Pushes and Pulls

Students will explore different types of forces (e.g., gravity, friction) through simple activities, understanding that forces cause movement or changes in motion.

Energy: Light, Heat, and Sound

Students will identify different forms of energy (light, heat, sound) and understand that energy can be transferred and changed from one form to another.

Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy

Students will learn about different sources of energy, distinguishing between renewable (e.g., solar, wind) and non-renewable (e.g., fossil fuels) sources.