Happy New Year! As we usher in the Year of Loong, we are filled with excitement and anticipation for the new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. It is a perfect time to reflect on our achievements so far and strive to improve upon them.

In Year 9, our students have been immersed in the fascinating world of Chemistry, specifically focusing on the study of the periodic table. This year, we delved into the periodicity and trends observed in various groups, such as Group I, VII, VIII (0), and transition metals. It has been an engaging and enlightening journey for our young learners.

Coincidentally, this period coincided with the time when fireworks illuminated the skies, adding an extra layer of excitement to our lessons. Our students were thrilled to discover that fireworks were actually invented by the Chinese. The beautiful and explosive colours that grace the night sky are achieved through the use of transition metals or compounds. Additionally, paints, dyes, and many other everyday items may also contain compounds that include transition metals and elements such as noble gases, further highlighting their significance in our lives.

Understanding how to use and interpret the periodic table and its trends forms the foundation of studying chemistry. Our Year 9 students have made remarkable progress in this regard, developing a solid understanding of the elements, their properties, and their interactions.

In celebration of our journey through the periodic table, we would like to share some fun facts with you:

1. Did you know that the periodic table we use today was first proposed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869? It has since become one of the most important tools in chemistry.

2. The elements in the periodic table are arranged based on their atomic numbers, which represent the number of protons in an atom's nucleus.

3. Hydrogen, the lightest element, occupies a unique position in the periodic table as it has properties of both metals and nonmetals.

4. The noble gases (such as helium, neon, and argon) are called "noble" because they were once believed to be too unreactive to form compounds with other elements.

5. The element with the highest atomic number currently known is oganesson (Og) with atomic number 118.

We are incredibly proud of our Year 9 students for their enthusiasm and dedication to exploring the wonders of chemistry. Their understanding of the periodic table will serve as a solid foundation for their future scientific endeavours.

As we embark on this new year, we invite parents and potential students to join us on this exciting journey. The study of chemistry offers endless opportunities for exploration, discovery, and personal growth. We look forward to welcoming new students into our vibrant and supportive learning community.

The tenth-grade students delved into the content of Chapter 22 on analytical chemistry during their studies last week. Through a series of experiments, they observed various phenomena resulting from the interaction of different cations with sodium hydroxide and ammonia solution, including colour changes and the formation of precipitates in different hues. Impressively, the students successfully distinguished seven different cations through careful observation.

While acquiring new knowledge, the tenth-grade students have also begun comprehensive review sessions. They have diligently reviewed the states of matter, atomic structure, chemical bonds, and chemical structures. By utilizing different molecular models, the students have gained a clear understanding of the similarities and differences among three types of chemical bonds and four different chemical structures. They have established logical connections between structure, properties, and applications, deepening their comprehension of these concepts.

The students' dedication to learning and comprehensive review showcases their passion and perseverance in the field of chemistry. Their teachers continue to guide them in further exploration and practical applications, fostering their ability to achieve greater accomplishments in the realm of chemistry.

Congratulations to the tenth-grade students on their outstanding achievements in their studies, and we look forward to witnessing their continued success in the field of chemistry. Their efforts and dedication will lay a solid foundation for their future endeavours and enable them to make significant contributions to the scientific community.

The students have entered a new phase in their organic chemistry studies as they actively explore the mysteries of organic halogen compounds in the eleventh grade.

In the classroom, the students engage in learning through models, which aids in their understanding of the properties of hydrocarbons. They discover the unique ability of carbon atoms to form chains of up to four, enabling the creation of diverse shapes and structures in organic compounds.

Organic halogen compounds, specifically, have become the focus of their current studies. The students learned that halogens such as chlorine, bromine, and iodine can combine with carbon atoms to form organic halides. These compounds find wide-ranging applications in daily life, including use as solvents, in the synthesis of organic compounds, and in pharmaceuticals.

The students exhibit a strong curiosity and enthusiasm for this new field of study. Through hands-on experiments and discussions, they deepen their understanding of the properties and reaction mechanisms of organic halogen compounds. By personally synthesising and analysing these compounds, they gain a deeper comprehension of the underlying chemical principles.

This phase of learning not only broadens the students' knowledge of chemistry but also cultivates their laboratory skills and scientific thinking. They demonstrate a profound interest in organic chemistry and eagerly anticipate further exploration of intriguing experiments and knowledge.

The Grade 12 students are currently engaged in review and reinforcement, focusing on strengthening their understanding of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). This stage of revision primarily revolves around the analysis of proton and carbon spectra to determine the structure of organic compounds, utilising chemical shifts and spin-coupling patterns. NMR, as an extensively applied analytical technique in organic chemistry, provides these students with a powerful tool.

During this phase of learning, the students analyse data from proton and carbon spectra, interpreting peak positions and intensities to ascertain the chemical environments and chemical shifts of individual atoms within a molecule. By observing spin-coupling patterns in proton spectra, they can infer the interactions between hydrogen atoms in the molecule and further confirm its structure.

NMR plays a crucial role in organic chemistry and finds wide application in compound identification and structural elucidation. It not only assists scientists in determining the composition and structure of molecules but also provides insights into molecular dynamics and reaction mechanisms. Therefore, a deep understanding of NMR holds significant importance for students in their future scientific research and industrial applications.

Through this phase of review and reinforcement, students will become more proficient in utilising NMR techniques, laying a solid foundation for their future academic research and career development. They eagerly anticipate applying their acquired knowledge to practical experiments and real-world problem-solving, contributing to the further advancement of the field of organic chemistry.