Chemistry
At the Vocational Grammar School St. Pauli, students come from a wide range of educational backgrounds and school types. Consequently, their prior knowledge of chemistry may vary considerably—or be entirely absent. To ensure equal opportunities for all students, chemistry instruction in the preparatory year begins with the fundamentals of the subject.
No prior knowledge of chemistry is required. Every student has the opportunity to either learn the subject from scratch or refresh existing knowledge.
Prospective students are also welcome to sit in on a class to get a feel for the subject. Chemistry is taught in newly renovated, fully equipped science labs where hands-on experiments are a key component of the curriculum.
The subject is taught two hours per week in Grade 11, and three hours per week in Grades 12 and 13. Students may choose chemistry as either an oral or written subject in the Abitur examination.
Topics in Grade 11 include:
- Structure of atoms and the periodic table of elements
- Oxidation and reduction
- Acids and bases
- Introduction to organic chemistry
Topics in the qualification phase include:
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Proteins
- Plastics
- Electrochemistry / Acids and bases
- Modern atomic theory
- Analytical chemistry