Upon commencing Grade 9 Science, students, for the first time, delve into the details and intricacies presented in each of 4 Physical Sciences: Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Earth & Space Science.
At the end of the Grade 9 Chemistry unit, students are expected to answer many nuanced questions, some of which include: What is an ion? What is an ionic bond? What is an ionic compound? What is ionization? What is a polyatomic ion? Although there are similarities between these terms, it is their major conceptual differences that are often tested. Yet, students tend to unconsciously interchange these terms. Why?
Students often have difficulty categorizing newly learned concepts in High School Science due to small subtleties in terminology (such as those mentioned), turning otherwise fair concepts into difficult ones.
York Region tutors recognize and appreciate that such nuances in all 4 Sciences can be an obstacle to student learning, and work to keep each student’s perspective at the heart of their teaching as they work one-on-one through homework, assignments and laboratories.