Chemistry resources for home learning
Whether you're a parent, carer or home school educator, explore a variety of activities and challenges that can be used to support children’s chemistry education from home.
More resources coming soon.
Resources for 11-14 year-olds
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PURE WATER
How do hot countries or areas cope with the demand for water? This video helps explain more.
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DESIGNING AND TESTING A BRIDGE
How do structural engineers design and test bridges? Find out with the video and then have a go at the activities that help you understand the science behind it!
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plastics challenge
After a number of mini activities such as sorting plastics, a degradable timeline and making bioplastics, the main challenge is to produce a new product by reusing or recycling plastics.
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ditch the dirt
Find out why access to clean water isn't something everyone in the world can take for granted, then design and make a water filter.
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beat the flood
After testing different materials for absorbency and strength, design and build a model of a flood-proof house suitable for families in Bangladesh.
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Milking it
Many of the products we buy today are made from or contain plastic. This activity explores how to make plastic using just milk and vinegar with different ideas for applications.
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pop rockets
This pop rocket challenge will show how a chemical reaction occurs when you mix things together to make cool things happen.
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chemical eruption
Complete this challenge to recreate the reaction of a volcano using baking soda and vinegar.
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Make your own indicator
You can use these instructions to make your own indicator and test substances you have at home. What is the pH of shampoo vs conditioner?
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The secrets of spider silk
This film looks at the properties of spider silk, helping students learn about how we use natural materials as inspiration for research. Perhaps make a note of new words used to look up later?
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My favourite element
Watch these videos where celebrities say what their favourite element is and then make a poster, video or find more about one of the elements.
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Garbage Guru
Activities to help young people understand the role of micro-organisms in recycling.
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Oxford Sparks for KS3
This is a complete series of plans and activities for key stage 3 chemistry.
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Interactive periodic table
Explore trends in the properties and behaviour of different elements, and develop your understanding of the patterns of the Periodic Table.
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What happens to your drinks can?
This paper-based activity lets you have a look at data around recycling. What do the numbers say? How do we go about recycling metals or plastics, perhaps find out after this!
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The chemistry of cosmetics
A great website that could be used for project work, can you find out about the chemicals you have in everyday products?
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Reactants products and leftovers
Work out what is going on in chemical equations using this animation and why the mass stays the same in a reaction.
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Molecules of Life
A collection of games that looks at the molecules needed for life to exist. Perhaps you can play these in your family and learn something together?
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Balancing chemical equations
Explore the conservation of mass and balance chemical equations.
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Futurecade games
Can we actually combat climate change? Use this game to explore this idea and find out more. Find ‘Cloud control’ under the Futurecade games sections and then look at the science behind it in ‘Geoengineering’.
Resources for 14-16 year-olds
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Climate change
This video gives you an introduction to the science behind climate change. What are the main issues, why is it so controversial? Perhaps start researching some of the ideas that are brought up here.
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compound chemistry infographics
Some fabulous infographics that give facts and figures behind loads of topics! Find out more about the newest periodic table elements, nuclear power use or even how hand sanitiser works.
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plastics challenge
After a number of mini activities such as sorting plastics, a degradable timeline and making bioplastics, the main challenge is to produce a new product by reusing or recycling plastics.
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beat the flood
After testing different materials for absorbency and strength, design and build a model of a flood-proof house suitable for families in Bangladesh.
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Ionic bonding: check your understanding
This activity consists of a series of questions which you can ask students to check their understanding of common problems with ionic bonding. Don't worry, the answers are in there too!
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The secrets of spider silk
This film looks at the properties of spider silk, helping students learn about how we use natural materials as inspiration for research. Perhaps make a note of new words used to look up later?
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Balancing chemical equations
Use this interactive simulation to practice the skill of balancing chemical equations. With a variety of games and skill levels, there is something for everyone.
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Interactive build an atom simulation
Explore the structure of an atom, the element symbols from the periodic table and play a game to cement the learning.
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Gridlocks
A set of puzzles about the ionic formulae and atomic structure.
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Atom detectives
The different models of atom through history, with answer sheets.
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Mathematical skills in triple science
This set of activities allows you to work through at your own pace to develop your maths skills.
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Acid rain
This activity lets you have a look in more depth about acid rain in Europe. If you would like a challenge, compare the English one to a language you are studying in school!
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Organic reaction maps
Asks students to put together information on organic reactions (with answer slides).
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Evidence for particles
What happens in dissolving and diffusion? This resource takes you through this crucial underpinning concept with animations and examples.
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Reactants products and leftovers
Work out what is going on in chemical equations using this animation and why the mass stays the same in a reaction.
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Molecules of Life
A collection of games that looks at the molecules needed for life to exist. Perhaps you can play these in your family and learn something together?
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SSERC chemistry experiments
Missing doing practical work? These videos are of some common school chemistry experiments you can use to make sense of your home learning.
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Periodic videos
A great collection of videos based on periodic table elements. Some experiments, history and uses of elements and the chemistry behind them is explained.
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Balancing chemical equations
Explore the conservation of mass and balance chemical equations.
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Process Chemistry
How do chemists usually work on developing new drugs? This article explains with links to find out more about the careers you could follow.
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Futurecade games
Can we actually combat climate change? Use this game to explore this idea and find out more. Find ‘Cloud control’ under the Futurecade games sections and then look at the science behind it in ‘Geoengineering’.
Resources for 16-19 year-olds
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Starters for ten
Printable questions on a range of topics.
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Independent learning projects
Independent learning for post-16 chemistry.
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compound chemistry infographics
Some fabulous infographics that give facts and figures behind loads of topics! Find out more about the newest periodic table elements, nuclear power use or even how hand sanitiser works.
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reaction mechanisms
Order these reaction mechanism steps and then check off your answers.
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Organic pathways
Apply your knowledge of organic synthesis to the manufacture of an unfamiliar molecule.
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Ionisation energy
A set of questions and answers to look at misconceptions regarding ionisation energy.
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The essential chemical industry
An excellent online book that can be used to look at how the Chemistry at A level is used in real life.
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Chemistry captured videos
A collection of 43 video clips on chemical reactions.
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SSERC chemistry experiments
Missing doing practical work? These videos are of some common school chemistry experiments you can use to make sense of your home learning.
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Periodic videos
A great collection of videos based on periodic table elements. Some experiments, history and uses of elements and the chemistry behind them is explained.
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Thermodynamics questions
A set of questions and their answers to practise calorimetry, Hess’s law and using bond enthalpies.
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Combinatorial Chemistry
Find out how new drugs are developed in the context of polypeptides. There is background information, questions and the answers to help.
Page last updated: 13 August 2020