Course Information

HSC Chemistry. The smart way to prepare for your HSC.

This course provides consolidation of the key content and skills from Module 7: Organic Chemistry. There is a focus on those cognitive skills needed to access and apply chemical knowledge in an HSC assessment context. The workshops are activity based whereby students explore and apply chemical knowledge and skills using a combination of lectures, tutorials and problem-solving sessions with immediate feedback from teachers. In short, this course is designed to review key concepts and skills with a view to maximising results in a variety of chemistry assessment tasks.

This course is part of a four-part series covering key areas from within this subject’s syllabus. Other courses include HSC Chemistry Preparation (Part 1), HSC Chemistry Preparation (Part 2) and HSC Chemistry Preparation (Part 4). Students do not need to attend all four parts in order to benefit. The series is supplemented by the HSC Chemistry Exam Preparation Course to prepare for end of year exams.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• answer a range of questions covering the content, concepts and skills in the module
• critically evaluate your own and others’ answers to improve the quality of responses to assessment tasks
• identify the relationships between key concepts in the module
• apply strategies for problem solving to improve the quality and accuracy of responses to assessment tasks
• analyse experimental methods and comment meaningfully on validity, reliability and accuracy
• analyse, process and apply quantitative chemical data to solve problems.

Content

All six subtopics within Module 7: Organic Chemistry will be covered:

• Nomenclature
• Hydrocarbons
• Products of Reactions Involving Hydrocarbons
• Alcohols
• Reactions of Organic Acids and Bases
• Polymers

Relevant Skills will also be covered.

Intended audience

Suitable for Year 12 students wishing to undertake additional study for Module 7 of the new HSC Chemistry Syllabus (2017), and accelerated Year 11 students who have already completed Modules 1-4.

Delivery style

Delivered as a two-day activity-based workshop where you will explore and apply chemistry knowledge and skills in a combination of lectures, tutorials and problem-solving sessions while receiving immediate feedback.

Materials

You will receive electronic copies using Dropbox of the following:

• course notes including theory and worked examples from the relevant topics
• solutions to all questions in the course notes
• relevant HSC questions from recent years with sample answers provided.

Bring your own device

You are required to bring your own device. Please ensure it is fully charged as access to power is limited. Please note that the University does not carry any responsibility for your lost, stolen, or damaged devices whilst on the University premises.

Getting Through Your HSC: A Practical Guide

While you progress through this journey and also the conclusion of your schooling life, we know you’ll have a lot on your mind – exams, future study, careers – but remember, while keeping focused on these bigger goals and aspirations, it’s also important not to forget your own health and well-being.

For tips on staying motivated and keeping focused, dealing with anxiety, keeping healthy, relaxation, pre-study exercise and more, read our article Getting Through Your HSC: A Practical Guide.