Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 18/01/2026
Subject: Chemistry
Lesson Topic: Define an oxidising agent as a substance that oxidises another substance and is itself reduced
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe oxidation and reduction in terms of electron transfer.
  • Define an oxidising agent and explain why it is reduced in a redox reaction.
  • Identify the oxidising agent in a chemical equation using oxidation numbers or the half‑reaction method.
  • Write the reduction half‑reaction for the identified oxidising agent.
  • Solve short practice problems involving oxidising agents and balanced redox equations.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Handout or textbook section on redox reactions
  • Worksheet with practice questions
  • Printed set of example redox equations
  • Markers and whiteboard
  • Calculator (optional)
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick demonstration of a metal strip turning black in hydrogen peroxide to spark curiosity.
Review students’ prior knowledge of electron transfer and oxidation numbers.
State that by the end of the lesson they will be able to define an oxidising agent and locate it in any redox equation.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5'): Students answer a short question on assigning oxidation numbers from the previous lesson.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Present the formal definition of an oxidising agent and illustrate with the Zn/Cu2+ example using the projector.
  3. Guided practice (15'): Work through the half‑reaction method together; students identify the oxidising agent in a new equation.
  4. Independent worksheet (10'): Students complete three practice questions while the teacher circulates to check understanding.
  5. Quick check (5'): Exit‑ticket – write the oxidising agent for a given reaction and its reduction half‑reaction.
  6. Summary discussion (5'): Recap key points and address any misconceptions.
Conclusion:
Summarise that an oxidising agent causes another species to lose electrons while it itself gains electrons.
Collect the exit‑ticket as a retrieval check and highlight common errors.
Assign homework: balance a redox reaction in acidic medium and identify the oxidising agent.