Scope & Sequence

This honors-level high school chemistry course provides an in-depth exploration of fundamental chemical principles and their applications. Through a structured series of lessons, students will engage in hands-on activities, laboratory experiments, and problem-solving activities to develop a robust understanding of matter, measurements, atomic structure, the periodic table, chemical bonding, reactions, stoichiometry, gases, and thermodynamics. This curriculum prepares students for continued study in chemistry and related fields at the college level.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Chemistry

• What is Chemistry?

• The Five Branches of Chemistry

• The Scientific Method

Lesson 2: Matter, Measurements, and Unit Conversions

• Matter and mass

• SI Unit System: base units and prefixes

• Unit Conversions between metric units using the factor label method

• Units of temperature and conversion

Lesson 3: Accurate and Precise Measurements in Science

• Accuracy and precision

• Understanding and using significant digits

• Scientific Notation

• Density Problems

Lesson 4: The Atom

• Scientific models

• The history of atomic models and influential scientists

• Physical and chemical properties

• Physical and chemical changes

Lesson 5: Energy!

• Energy and chemistry

• Exothermic and endothermic reactions

• States of matter and molecular energy

• Compare and contrast pure substances and mixtures

• Pure substances: elements and compounds

• Mixtures: homogeneous and heterogeneous

• Suspensions and colloidal dispersions

Lesson 6: Introduction to the Periodic Table

• History of the Periodic Table

• Mendeleev

• Elements and their symbols

• How we use the periodic table: chemical symbols, mass numbers, atomic numbers, and element name

• Atomic Mass Units

• Defining Periods and Groups

• Valence electrons

• Finding the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons for elements

• Isotopes

Lesson 7: Periodic Chemical Properties

• Identifying periods, families, and series on the Periodic Table

• In-depth Look at the Periodic Table

• Unique Family Trends on the Periodic Table

• Unique Period Trends on the Periodic Table

• How periodic trends help predict reactivity

Lesson 8: Electrons (Part 1)

• Relating electrons to sublevels and energy levels

• Electron orbital notation and configurations

• Valence Electrons and why they are important

• Writing Electron Dot Structures

Lesson 9: Electrons (Part 2)

• Valence Electrons and why they are important

• Writing Electron Dot Structures

• The Octet Rule

• The 3 Types of Chemical Bonds: Ionic, Covalent, and Metallic

• Electronegativity and Bonding

• Polarity

Lesson 10: Introduction to Chemical Formulas

• Molecular chemical formulas

• Subscripts and coefficients in formulas

• Counting atoms

• Hydrogen: a unique element

• Water and its unique properties

Lesson 11: Exam 1

Lesson 12:

• Defining oxidation numbers

• Assigning oxidation numbers using the 6 Rules

• Polyatomic Ions

• Multiple oxidation numbers

• Comparing structural, molecular, and empirical formulas

Lesson 13:

• Naming compounds from their formulas

• Writing formulas of compounds from their names

• Using Greek prefixes in chemical names

• Multiple oxidation states when naming

• Identifying and naming acids

Lesson 14: Balancing Chemical Equations

• Examining chemical equations

• What is a balanced equation?

• How to balance chemical equations

Lesson 15: Chemical Reactions

• Identifying reactions: combination, decomposition, single replacement, and double replacement

• Combustion reactions

• Acid-base neutralization reactions

• Oxidation-reduction reactions

Lesson 16:

• Moles in chemistry

• Avogadro’s number

• Converting units with moles and stoichiometry

Lesson 17:

• Empirical formulas

• Percent composition

• Gram atomic mass and gram molecular mass

Lesson 18:

• More stoichiometry: finding more values with the mole

• Convert from moles of one substance to moles of another

• Convert mass to moles for given substances

• Convert from mass of one substance to mass of another substance

• Limiting reactant

• Theoretical and percent yield

Lesson 19: Exam #2

Lesson 20: Kinetic-Molecular Theory

• Kinetic-molecular theory and properties of gases

• Physical properties of gases

• How temperature and pressure affect the volume of a gas

• Standard temperature and pressure

Lesson 21: States of Matter

• Characteristics of solids at the atomic level

• Characteristics of liquids at the atomic level

• Characteristics of gases at the atomic level

• Plasma

• Phase changes and reading phase change diagrams

Lesson 22: Gas Laws (Part 1)

• Boyle’s Law to find pressure or volume of a gas

• Charles’ Law to find volume or temperature

• Avogadro’s Law and kinetic-molecular theory

Lesson 23: Gas Laws (Part 2)

• Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressure and related equations

• Molar volume relationships and gas volume at STP

• Finding the gram-molecular mass of gas using density

• Ideal gas law to find pressure, volume, moles, and temperature

Lesson 24: Phase Transitions

• Factors affecting the rate of evaporation

• Diffusion

• Vapor pressure

• Plasmas

• Using a phase diagram to make predictions about the states of matter

• Concepts of heat capacity, Heat of Fusion, and Heat of Vaporization

Lesson 25:

• Dipole-dipole forces, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion forces

• Predicting types of forces between molecules

• Differences in physical properties in types of bonding and forces present

• Using kinetic theory to explain properties of solids

• Crystalline and amorphous solids

• Kinetic Theory and state changes: melting, freezing, boiling, evaporation, sublimation, condensation

Lesson 26: Exam #3

Lesson 27:

• Kinetic theory and properties of liquids

• Solutes and solvents

• Surface tension, viscosity, capillary action, diffusibility, and permeability

• Process of dissolving

• Why certain solutes do not dissolve in certain solvents

• Electrolytes

• How pressure affects boiling

Lesson 28:

• Identifying types of solutions by their descriptions

• Techniques that increase solubility

• Defining concentration

• Concentration calculations

Lesson 29:

• Explain how solutes affect the colligative properties of a solution

• Concentration increases and vapor pressure, freezing point, and boiling point of a solution

• Calculating boiling point elevation and freezing point depression problems

Lesson 30:

• Process of osmosis

• Colloids

• Differences between suspensions, solutions, and colloids

• The Tyndall effect

Lesson 31:

• How thermodynamics impacts chemistry

• Understanding calorimeters

• Distinguishing between temperature and heat

• How states of matter relate to sensible heat and latent heat

• Exothermic and endothermic reactions

• Defining specific heat

• Enthalpy and Entropy

Lesson 32:

• Using energy diagrams

• Understanding the kinetics of reactions

• How activation energy affects reactions

• Applying the collision theory to reaction rates

• Different factors that influence reaction rates

• How enzymes work

Lesson 33: Acids & Bases

• Classifying acids and bases using Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry, or Lewis definitions

• Properties of acids, bases, and salts

• Classifying solutions as acidic, basic, or neutral

• Convert between pH, pOH, (H₃O⁺), and (OH⁻)

• Acid-base indicators

Lesson 34:

• Equations for neutralization reactions between acids and bases

• Completing equations for neutralization reactions between acids and bases

• Performing titrations and the information they provide

• Calculating concentration of a solution from given titration data

• Buffer systems

Lesson 35: Exam #4

Full-year course: $279

• Pay in full or in 3 monthly installments
• Generous multi-student discounts available for families with Level B & C students taking the same course in the same year
• Educational Savings Accounts (ESA) available in many states

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My son had the choice of taking a co-op class or another JHA class to finish out his senior year, and he said hands down, Experience Chemistry was his first choice!

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I love that I don’t have to remember anything from my high school chemistry class 30 years ago! My daughters are learning far more than I could have ever taught them if I’d tried to teach it on my own. I was fine for teaching my daughters elementary and middle school science, but I can’t even imagine trying to teach Chemistry on this level.

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After completing Experience Biology, I was afraid that Experience Chemistry would be boring and the concepts difficult to understand. But Experience Chemistry had all the tools I needed to be successful. It has videos that helped me feel connected to the teacher, reading that reinforced what I was learning, and homework questions that challenge me to apply what I’d learned. I also loved how the lessons applied science to real world examples!

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I see so many people put their kids back in school when they get to high school, because they lack the confidence to teach courses like chemistry. Thanks to you guys, that is no longer an excuse. The videos in this course are top notch and I like the layout of the workbook with the opportunity it provides to learn notetaking skills. This is a challenging course, designed well, and taught from a biblical worldview. Thank you for working so hard to put these amazing courses together!

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