At a glance
- Usual grade
- Grade 10 or 11
- Standards
- NGSS HS-PS1 (and parts of PS3) or a state's standards
- Math needed
- Algebra 1, ideally alongside Algebra 2
- Assessment
- School tests, labs, semester finals
- Next step
- AP Chemistry (after chemistry and Algebra 2)
What NGSS expects in high school chemistry
These are NGSS high school performance expectations on chemical reactions (core idea PS1, Matter and Its Interactions). Schools build their chemistry course around them.
| Code | What students must be able to do |
|---|---|
| HS-PS1-2 | Explain the outcome of a simple reaction using outer electron states, periodic table trends and patterns of chemical properties |
| HS-PS1-4 | Model how energy released or absorbed in a reaction depends on changes in total bond energy |
| HS-PS1-5 | Explain how changing temperature or concentration affects reaction rate |
| HS-PS1-6 | Refine a chemical system by changing conditions to increase products at equilibrium |
| HS-PS1-7 | Use mathematical representations to show that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved in a reaction |
Source: nextgenscience.org, checked 6 October 2026. Wording shortened. Schools that follow a state's own standards cover similar content with different codes.
A typical year in high school chemistry
| Part of the year | Usual units | Where students struggle |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Measurement and significant figures, atomic structure, periodic trends, bonding and naming compounds | Naming ionic and covalent compounds, Lewis structures |
| Winter | The mole, balancing equations, reaction types, stoichiometry | Mole conversions, limiting reactant, percent yield |
| Spring | Gases, solutions, acids and bases, rates and equilibrium, thermochemistry | Gas law algebra, molarity, pH |
Order varies by school and textbook. Ask for your child's course syllabus.
Where students lose points
The mole is the turning point of the course. Students who memorized steps without understanding what a mole is get lost when a problem goes from grams to moles to molecules, or from one substance to another through a balanced equation. Dimensional analysis, writing units on every number and cancelling them, fixes most of this, but only with practice.
The other common losses are arithmetic with scientific notation, significant figures in answers, and naming and formula writing, which feel like memorization but follow rules. In NGSS-style questions, students also need to explain at the particle level: why a reaction speeds up when heated, or why mass is conserved, in words and with a particle diagram.
How one-to-one chemistry lessons work
A tutor who teaches high school chemistry first checks whether the trouble is chemistry or the algebra underneath it, since rearranging PV = nRT or a molarity equation is an algebra skill. Lessons then teach one consistent method for each problem type on the shared whiteboard, with your child solving problems while the tutor watches the working and corrects the step that goes wrong.
Lab reports get help too: how to write a hypothesis, present data in a table and graph, and write a conclusion using evidence. Before tests and finals, lessons move to mixed practice so your child can recognize problem types without the chapter heading as a clue.
When to start
The best time is before the mole unit, usually late fall. A student who finishes the first semester with shaky stoichiometry will find gases, solutions and equilibrium harder in the spring. Students aiming for AP Chemistry later should aim for a strong grade here; College Board recommends high school chemistry and Algebra 2 before AP Chemistry.
Common questions
What is the difference between chemistry and honors chemistry?
Schools set this themselves. Honors usually moves faster, uses more math and goes deeper into topics like equilibrium. Many schools give honors courses extra weight in the weighted GPA.
My child is good at science but bad at chemistry math. What helps?
Usually a short algebra repair (rearranging formulas, scientific notation, ratios) plus one consistent method for mole problems. Most students improve within a few weeks.
Is there an external exam for high school chemistry?
No board exam like IGCSE. Grades come from school assessments. The external exam comes later if your child takes AP Chemistry.
Can a tutor help with lab reports?
Yes, with structure, data presentation and writing conclusions from evidence. The report itself must be your child's own work.
How much do high school chemistry lessons cost with LiveTutor?
$15 a lesson, the same rate for every subject and level, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons a week billed monthly. The first lesson is a free trial.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.