Subject: Science Year group: 9

Duration: 10 lessons Term 1a

Topic Title: Our Impact on the Planet
Intention: knowledge gained, and skills developed

In this chapter, students have learnt about hydrocarbons and been introduced to the alkanes. They should now be able to
identify alkanes from their formulae, and be able to name and draw the displayed formula of the first four alkanes. Students
have also learnt about some of the reactions of hydrocarbons, including combustion (both complete and incomplete) and
cracking. All students should be able to write balanced symbol equations for the complete combustion of hydrocarbons and to
describe the conditions of cracking. Students have also learnt about crude oil as a source of hydrocarbons and the fractional
distillation of crude oil. They should be able to describe how the size of the hydrocarbon molecule affects its properties,
including viscosity, boiling point, and flammability.

Students should also understand how the atmosphere has evolved over time. This includes both how the general composition
of the atmosphere has changed and how the atmosphere is currently being affect by human activity. Students should be able to
describe the human activities that are thought to cause global warming and be able to explain some of the effects this has on
the climate of the Earth. Students should also be able to explain the effect of other pollutants on the Earth, including carbon
monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulates.

Students should also understand the effect of different types of pollution including land, water, and air pollution. Students
should be able to outline the processes of deforestation and peat destruction. Students should understand what is meant by
the greenhouse effect, global warming, and its predicted effects. Students should be able to distinguish greenhouse gases from
those that cause acid rain.

Implementation: What will students learn and how?

Students will learn about:

 How crude oil is separated into useful fractions
 How to meet the demand by cracking the less useful hydrocarbons
 Burning fuels and its environmental impacts
 How other human activities can cause air, water and land pollution
 How greenhouse gases released result in global warming through greenhouse effect

Throughout this chapter, students have had many opportunities to develop their working scientifically skills,
including evaluating models and interpreting and evaluating evidence for scientific theories

Impact: Assessment and feedback points

Assessment will be in the form of exam style questions that assess knowledge and skills gained throughout the
topic as well as synoptic questions that may rely on skills gained from previous topics. Assessments will include
questions that require extended written responses as well as math's skills and investigative skills.

Links to GCSE and A Level:

GCSE Chemistry: 5.7.1 Carbon compounds as fuels and feedstock
5.9.2 Human activities which contribute to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

GCSE Biology: 4.7.3 Biodiversity and the effect of human interaction on ecosystems
A Level Chemistry: 3.1.4 Energetics
Numeracy and literacy opportunities: ‘How science works’ opportunities:
Students will be analysing and evaluating data, drawing
Interpreting data complex conclusions from the interpretation of data

PSHE opportunities: Careers links:

N/A Crude oil engineer, Climate change officer, Geographic

technician, Biologist, Biotechnologist, Climate scientist,
Countryside officer, Ecologist, Geoscientist, Land
surveyor, Research scientist

Term 1a Our Impact on the Planet

lesson Lesson title Objectives

1 Crude oil
2 Fractional
distillation
3 Supply and
Demand
 Describe what crude oil is
made up of
 Explain what alkanes are
 Represent the first four
alkanes by their formula and
names
 Describe how crude oil is
separated using fractional
distillation
 Explain the separation of
crude oil by fractional
distillation
 Compare the properties of
hydrocarbons in terms of their
size
 Describe how larger
hydrocarbons are made more
useful
 Describe thermal and catalytic
cracking
 Compare alkanes and alkenes
 I can name some of the
molecules that contain carbon
on the Earth and in its
atmosphere (L2)
 I can explain the differences in
properties of different
molecules with reference to
their structure (L6)
 I can describe how to carry out
fractional distillation for
separating crude oil (L5)
 I can explain how fractional
distillation for separating
crude oil works (L6)
 I can represent hydrocarbons
using chemical formulae (L5)
 I can state that catalysts speed
up chemical reactions (L1)
4 Combustion  Describe the process of
combustion
 Compare the products of
complete and incomplete
combustion
 Write balanced equations for
the complete combustion of
hydrocarbons
5 Air Pollution  Describe how acid rain is
formed
 Describe the affects of acid
rain on living organisms
 Describe how air pollution
causes global dimming and
smog
6 Land and water  Describe how land and water
pollution pollution occurs
 Explain the impacts of land
and water pollution
7 Deforestation  Describe the term
deforestation
 Explain how deforestation
impacts biodiversity
 I can represent chemical
reactions using balanced
symbol equations (L6)
 I can state combustion as an
example of chemical reaction
(L1)
 I can state that during
chemical reactions reactants
become products (L1)
 I can state that during
chemical reactions atoms are
rearranged for reactants to
become products (L1)
 I can represent chemical
reactions using word
equations (L3)
 I can describe ways that
human activities impact on the
climate by producing carbon
dioxide (L4)
 I can explain the impact of
human activities on the
climate by producing carbon
dioxide (L5)
 I can describe how organisms
may be affected by their
environment (L3)
 I can evaluate the impact of
humans on other organisms,
with reference to the
accumulation of toxic
materials (L6)
 I can describe ways that
human activities impact on the
climate by producing carbon
dioxide (L4)
 I can link the importance of
photosynthetic organisms to

10 Greenhouse  State the name of greenhouse
gases gases
 Describe the greenhouse
effect
 Explain how human activities
increase greenhouse gases
8 Global warming  Describe how the composition
of the atmosphere is changing,
and the impact of this on
global warming
 Describe some biological
consequences of global
warming
Marked Task and Feedback
maintaining levels of oxygen
and carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere (L6)
 I can state that all organisms
in an ecosystem are affected
by their environment (L1)
 I can list human activities that
impact on the climate by
producing carbon dioxide (L2)
 Interpret challenging data patterns
(L3)
 I can name the main elements
that make up the composition
of the atmosphere and Earth
(L2)
 I can explain the impact of
human activities on the
climate by producing carbon
dioxide (L5)
 I can evaluate data (discussing the
environmental implications of
global warming(L6)