The new draft A-level chemistry specifications have recently been published and there have been substantial changes to the contribution and assessment of practical work.
 
In the case of AQA, a separate endorsement of practical work will be awarded to candidates and written papers will assess the knowledge, understanding and skills exemplified by 12 key practical areas.
(See http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/specifications/AQA-7405-SP-2015.PDF)
 
The OCR specification contains a defined practical skills module which learners are supposed to complete over the duration of the course. OCR has identified Practical Activity Groups (PAGs) that can contribute to the separate practical endorsement.  
(See http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-chemistry-a-h032-h432-from-2015/)
 
We have mapped these against the resources available on Learn Chemistry so that you can quickly identify suitable practical activities for your needs.

AQA	OCR	Learn Chemistry resource
Make up a volumetric solution and carry out a simple acid–base titration	Acid base titration	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000536/a-microscale-acid-base-neutralisation   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000432/titration-of-sodium-hydroxide-with-hydrochloric-acid   Note: look out for the RSC titration interactive screen experiment in 2015
Measurement of an enthalpy change	Enthalpy determination	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000740/exothermic-or-endothermic   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000126/afl-how-can-enthalpy-changes-be-measured   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000437/heating-copper-ii-sulfate
Investigation of how the rate of a reaction changes with Temperature		http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000448/the-effect-of-temperature-on-reaction-rate
Carry out simple test-tube reactions to identify cations and anions in aqueous solution	Qualitative analysis of ions	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000464/testing-salts-for-anions-and-cations
Distillation of a product from a reaction		http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000754/the-fractional-distillation-of-crude-oil   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000692/extracting-limonene-from-oranges
Tests for alcohol, aldehyde, alkene and carboxylic acid	Qualitative analysis of organic functional groups	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000549/the-formation-of-solid-derivatives-of-aldehydes-and-ketones-using-24-dinitrophenylhydrazine-bradys-test   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000553/the-oxidation-of-alcohols
Measuring the rate of reaction: • by an initial rate method • by a continuous monitoring method	Rates of reaction – continuous monitoring and initial rates methods	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000449/the-effect-of-concentration-on-reaction-rate   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000744/iodine-clock-reaction
Measuring the EMF of an electrochemical cell	Electrochemical cells	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000391/accumulator   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00001158/kitchen-potential   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00001290/make-a-gratzel-cell
Investigate how pH changes when a weak acid reacts with a strong base and when a strong acid reacts with a weak base		http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00001457/acid-base-solutions   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000703/indicators-and-dry-ice-demonstration   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000422/making-a-ph-indicator   Note: look out for the RSC titration interactive screen experiment in 2015
Preparation of: • a pure organic solid and test of its purity • a pure organic liquid	Synthesis of an organic solid and liquid	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000543/observing-the-lowering-of-a-melting-point   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000287/aspirin http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000056/aspirin   Note: look out for the RSC aspirin interactive screen experiment to be launched for the new 2014/15 academic year
Carry out simple test-tube reactions to identify transition metal ions in aqueous solution		http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000472/properties-of-the-transition-metals-and-their-compounds   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000757/reactions-of-positive-ions-with-sodium-hydroxide-microscale-version
Separation of species by thin-layer chromatography		http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000455/smarties-chromatography   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00001301/chromatography   http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000291/chemistry-masterclass
	Moles determination	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000452/the-volume-of-1-mole-of-hydrogen-gas
	pH measurement	http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000405/testing-the-ph-of-oxides

 
To help improve student practical skills and understanding, we have been busy designing an Aspirin synthesis Interactive Screen Experiment (planned release  for the new 2014/15 academic year).  This exciting new resource will enable students to carry out an aspirin synthesis experiment, to purify and analyse their product, and investigate the effect of changing reaction conditions. The students will also get a unique online notebook to save and record their results.

 

By:
Simon Rees, chemistry teaching fellow at Durham University.
Lee Page, Royal Society of Chemistry education executive.