Experience Chemistry® Curriculum

Experience Chemistry® is a next generation high school chemistry program for homeschool that puts the focus on the student experience. This modern program implements a learning model that organizes learning around phenomena giving students an authentic, real-world experience. Experience Chemistry® includes a variety of hands-on and digital activities designed to reach every learner. Students complete virtual labs, simulations, data analysis, claim-evidence reasoning exercises and more on their sensemaking journey. Homeschool parents and instructors have access to a robust support package with digital resources designed to streamline instruction management. 

Making sense of phenomena drives student learning throughout Experience Chemistry®. This program engages students directly in different examples of phenomena that relate to authentic real-world scenarios.

Every Storyline (the unit of instruction) begins with an Anchoring Phenomenon — a real-world science phenomenon sparks curiosity as students make observations and ask questions. The anchoring phenomenon gives students purpose as they engage in activities to make sense of this phenomenon and connect the chemistry concepts through a unique, unifying occurrence. Throughout the Storyline, students repeatedly revisit the anchoring phenomenon question and discuss the real-world impact of the problem as they propose solutions – thus building understanding over time. By the end of the storyline, students are able to explain the anchoring phenomenon. Additionally, in each Storyline there are two opportunities for students to be involved in designing solutions to problems. At the Storyline level there is a Problem-based Learning Experience that spans several Investigations. 

A real-world Investigative Phenomenon video launches every Investigation (chapter level organization). The Investigative Phenomenon opens different lines of inquiry related to the Anchoring Phenomenon. Students again ask questions, make observations, and track their developing understanding of the phenomenon in Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) or Modeling exercises. At the end of each Experience students revisit their CER worksheet in a sense-making exercise to review, revise or add to their explanation of how the phenomenon occurs – thus building understanding over time. At the end of the Investigation, students once again revisit and make sense of the phenomena by drawing connections.

The lessons, called Experiences, are where students encounter Everyday Phenomena through virtual simulations, digital interactivities, videos, animations, Engineering Design Challenges, homeschool parent or instructor demonstrations, modeling activities, performance-based assessments, data analysis activities, peer review and more. This wide variety of real-world experiences builds student understanding using DCIs, CCCs, and SEPs by interacting with phenomena over time.

The Experience Chemistry® program includes a variety of resources and instructional strategies that help teachers address the diverse student needs, skills, and interests in their classroom. There are several techniques which are found throughout the different Storylines and Investigations including:

• For students needing support (Struggling Students, Special Needs Students or Advanced Students), the Differentiated Instruction sections in the Teacher Guide includes suggestions for them.
• Remediation Suggestions can be found at the Evaluate phase of the learning model to help homeschool educators troubleshoot student weaknesses. 
• Appropriate ELD Support strategies are incorporated at point of need as margin notes in the Teacher Guide . These support strategies address the different levels of English Language Development (Emerging, Expanding, Bridging).
• Digital resources, such as animations simplify complex concepts and provide a visual model to assist in student understanding.
• Math support is provided to assist those students who struggle with the essential mathematical concepts necessary for Chemistry success and include resources like Math Nerd Videos and lab videos for hands-on inquiry support.
• Alternative ideas for the introductory phenomenon are given as Related Phenomena so that more localized examples can be used to maintain student interest.

The instructional model is based on research conducted by the Instructional Leadership for Science Practices (ILSP), a National Science Foundation project whose goal was to develop tools that support educators in the integration of the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) along with the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Per ILSP’s framework, the science and engineering practices provide a pathway for students to engage sequentially in the processes of investigation, sense-making, and critique.

This approach has been adapted by incorporating BSCS 5E Model to round out the five-stage learning progression: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. The role of phenomena has been intensified in the pedagogy in order to address the need for phenomenon-based learning opportunities as outlined in the NGSS.

Storyline 1: Atoms, Elements, and Molecules

Investigation 1: Atomic Structure

• Experience 1.1 The Particle Nature of Matter
• Experience 1.2 Modeling Atoms
• Experience 1.3 Atomic Emission Spectra and the Bohr Model
• Experience 1.4 Modern Atomic Theory
• Experience 1.5 Electrons in Atoms

Investigation 2: The Periodic Table

• Experience 2.1 The Periodic Table: An Overview
• Experience 2.2 The Periodic Table and Atomic Structure
• Experience 2.3 Periodic Trends

Investigation 3: Chemical Bonding

• Experience 3.1 Ionic Bonds
• Experience 3.2 Metallic Bonds
• Experience 3.3 Covalent Bonds
• Experience 3.4 Intermolecular Attractions
• Experience 3.5 Names and Formulas of Compounds

Storyline 2: Understanding Chemical Reactions

Investigation 4: Physical Properties of Materials

• Experience 4.1 States of Matter
• Experience 4.2 Modeling Phase Changes
• Experience 4.3 Comparing Ionic and Molecular Compounds
• Experience 4.4 Comparing Metals and Nonmetals
• Experience 4.5 Water and Aqueous Systems
• Experience 4.6 Properties of Solutions

Investigation 5: Chemical Quantities

• Experience 5.1 The Mole Concept
• Experience 5.2 Molar Relationships
• Experience 5.3 Percent Composition and Empirical Formula
• Experience 5.4 Concentrations of Solutions

Investigation 6: Chemical Reactions

• Experience 6.1 Modeling Chemical Reactions
• Experience 6.2 Predicting Outcomes of Reactions
• Experience 6.3 Reactions in Aqueous Solution

Investigation 7: Stoichiometry

• Experience 7.1 Quantifying Reactants and Products
• Experience 7.2 Chemical Calculations
• Experience 7.3 Limiting Reagent and Percent Yield

Investigation 8: Thermochemistry

• Experience 8.1 Energy in Chemical Bonds
• Experience 8.2 Heats of Formation and Reaction
• Experience 8.3 Heat in Changes of State

Storyline 3: The Chemistry of Climate Change

Investigation 9: The Behavior of Gases

• Experience 9.1 Properties of Gases
• Experience 9.2 The Gas Laws
• Experience 9.3 Ideal Gases
• Experience 9.4 Gases in Earth's Atmosphere

Investigation 10: Weather and Climate

• Experience 10.1 Earth's Surface Systems
• Experience 10.2 Water and Energy in the Atmosphere
• Experience 10.3 Atmospheric System Feedbacks
• Experience 10.4 Long-Term Climate Factors
• Experience 10.5 Short-Term Climate Factors

Investigation 11: Global Climate Change

• Experience 11.1 The Chemistry of Earth's Atmosphere
• Experience 11.2 Evidence of Climate Change
• Experience 11.3 Anthropogenic Carbon Emissions
• Experience 11.4 Climate Models
• Experience 11.5 Consequences of Climate Change
• Experience 11.6 Response to Climate Change

Storyline 4: The Dynamics of Chemical Reactions and Ocean Acidification

Investigation 12: Reaction Rates and Equilibrium

• Experience 12.1 Rates of Reaction
• Experience 12.2 The Progress of Chemical Reactions
• Experience 12.3 Reversible Reactions and Equilibrium
• Experience 12.4 Free Energy and Entropy

Investigation 13: Acids-Base Equilibria

• Experience 13.1 Acids, Bases, and Salts
• Experience 13.2 Strong and Weak Acids and Bases
• Experience 13.3 Reactions of Acids and Bases
• Experience 13.4 Buffered Solutions

Investigation 14: Ocean Acidification

• Experience 14.1 Ocean pH Levels
• Experience 14.2 Earth's Ocean as a Carbon Sink
• Experience 14.3 Oceans and Climate Change
• Experience 14.4 Consequences of Ocean Acidification

Storyline 5: Industrial Applications

Investigation 15: Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

• Experience 15.1 Oxidation vs. Reduction
• Experience 15.2 Modeling and Predicting Outcomes of Redox Reactions
• Experience 15.3 Electrochemical Cells

Investigation 16: Organic Chemistry

• Experience 16.1 Hydrocarbons
• Experience 16.2 Functional Groups
• Experience 16.3 Polymers

Investigation 17: Nuclear Processes

• Experience 17.1 Radioactivity and Half-Life
• Experience 17.2 Fission and Fusion
• Experience 17.3 Nuclear Technologies

Investigation 18: Green Chemistry

• Experience 18.1 Industrial Chemicals
• Experience 18.2 Principles of Green Chemistry
• Experience 18.3 Designing Sustainable Processes