What do students learn?

At Palmer, students from grade 8-12 focus on these topics, description of matter, classification of matter, periodic table, atomic theory, naming compounds, mole concept, stoichiometry, aqueous ionic reactions, and organic chemistry. Some of these topics will only be learned in grade 11 or higher. 

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​In grade 8, students focus on Matter & Materials:

• States of Matter: Solid, liquid, gas, and the kinetic molecular theory. 

• Types of Matter: Elements, compounds, mixtures.

• Periodic Table Basics: Understanding elements and their basic properties.

• Physical & Chemical Changes: Identifying changes that alter substances main characteristics.

• Investigations: Observing reactions, understanding properties, and using technology for measurement. 

In grade 9, students will be building on grade 8 Chemistry:

• Atomic Structure: Deeper dive into protons, neutrons, electrons, and using models like the Bohr model.

• Periodic Table: Organization, trends (metals, non-metals, metalloids).

• Chemical Bonding: Understanding how atoms join (ionic, covalent).

• Chemical Reactions: Introduction to naming.

• Electromagnetic Spectrum: Relating energy, light, and radiation to chemistry. 

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In grade 11-12, students work on description of matter, classification of matter, periodic table, atomic theory, naming compounds, mole concept, stoichiometry, aqueous ionic reactions, and organic chemistry. Here are some broken down definitions to all these topics: 

• Description of Matter: Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass. It exists in various states, commonly solid, liquid, and gas, and is made up of the basic building blocks of life called atoms.

• Classification of Matter: This includes categorizing matter based on its form. Pure substances are either elements (one type of atom) or compounds (two or more types of bonded atoms), while mixtures (heterogeneous or homogeneous) contain two or more substances that are not chemically bonded.

• Periodic Table: A chart that organizes all known elements into rows (periods) and columns (groups) based on their atomic number, electrons/protons, and atomic mass.

• Atomic Theory: The scientific theory that all matter is made of small, almost indivisible particles called atoms, which are the smallest units of an element that can combine with other elements.

• Naming Compounds: A naming method, following some rules, for assigning names to chemical compounds based on their composition and structure.

• Mole Concept: A unit of measurement used in chemistry to express the amount of a substance. One mole of any substance contains the same number of constituent particles (atoms, molecules, or ions)

• Stoichiometry: The calculation of relative quantities of reactants and products in a chemical reaction, based on the principle of conservation of mass and the relationships derived from balanced chemical equations. It is used to predict the amount of substance produced or consumed during a reaction.

• Aqueous Ionic Reactions: Chemical reactions that occur in water (an aqueous solution) and involve ions. Common types include precipitation reactions, acid-base reactions, and oxidation-reduction  reactions.

• Organic Chemistry: The branch of chemistry focused on the study of carbon-containing compounds, their structure, properties, and reactions. The ability of carbon atoms to form stable, diverse chains and rings makes this an interesting job.