Difficult topics in LC Chemistry

joe40

Hi folks this question is for teachers or students of Leaving cert Chemistry. I live in Donegal but have been teaching A-Level Chemistry for several years. I have been asked to provide a few grinds for some Leaving cert students (Higher level) and I was wondering what are the topics pupils tend to struggle with in terms of understanding. I have read through spec and past papers and it is a demanding course but I want pupils to get value for money so where do you think I should concentrate on. Obviously this will depend on feedback from students what are the main areas of difficulty.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Caveat_Emptor

Bohr theory, long experiments (organic ones off the top of my head), anion tests, and figuring out which figures to use where for the titration maths questions. These are the questions that I don't like doing, maybe others don't find them difficult

rainbowtrout

Ask the students what topics they want to do and take it from there. No point preparing topics thinking they are the hard ones and find the students have no problem with them and want to do something else.

Whenever I did grinds in the past, I always asked students what topic they wanted to start on, and then on a week to week basis I'd ask them what was the next topic they wanted to tackle. If they didn't come up with something specific, I'd make a few suggestions and see what they'd say.

hasdanta

As a 6th year chemistry student I find certain stoichiometry questions difficult to do. I also don't like the aspect of the course that deals with the atom in detail.