Online Resources from the RSC 

At the start of 2007 the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) launched two new websites designed to support the teaching and learning of chemistry. Now two more RSC-supported resources aimed at teachers and their students are available online. 

Post-16 chemistry 

The Best choice  website is aimed at post-16 students. The site covers general, inorganic and organic chemistry and the content is arranged according to the main UK specifications. Users are encouraged to read and learn about a topic and then attempt questions on what they have covered. Should they manage to complete the problem correctly then nothing more appears. Only when an error is made do 'help' messages/questions appear to guide the user through the problem. Background chemical information is also provided. 

Chemistry and sport 

The RSC's Chemistry and sport  website contains resources designed to support the teaching of chemistry from primary, through KS3 and KS4, to post-16 level in sport-related contexts. The teaching materials are linked to a global calendar of sporting events. The resources will appear and reappear annually as each related sporting event draws near. 

The RSC would welcome any comments teachers and their students may have on these new resources. Comments should be sent via e-mail 

Grants to promote analytical science 

Teachers are invited to apply to the Royal Society of Chemistry's Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund (ACTF) for grants to fund projects designed to enhance and promote analytical chemistry in primary, secondary or tertiary education. Projects should focus on analytical science and be relevant to the ACTF's current priorities, which include: 

• developing activities in primary, secondary and tertiary education designed to raise the profile of analytical chemistry (eg  competitions, schools' lectures, study tours, teacher fellowships etc);  
• producing updated teaching material for improving basic, practical analytical skills at tertiary level;  
• promoting analytical chemistry education and training in the developing world; and 
• communicating the important role analytical science plays in our everyday lives to government, policy makers, industry and the public. 

Grants are unlikely to exceed £30,000. Projects may be of any duration, but not normally more than three years. Longer-term projects will be subject to a mid-term review. The deadline for applications is 30 April 2007. Application forms are available from Dr David Ferguson (Tel: 01276-500780; e-mail: david.ferguson@ntlworld.com) and applicants should discuss their projects with him in the first instance. 

Courses for non-specialist teachers 

Royal Society of Chemistry-GlakoSmithKline courses aimed at non-specialist chemistry teachers (see Educ. Chem., 2006, 43  (5), 119) will start on 19-20 March at the Science Learning Centre (SLC) North West and John Leggott College, Scunthorpe - the SLC for South York and Humber. A similar course will start at the SLC North East on 24-25 April. The four-day course costs £120.  For further information see website or contact Dr Maria Pack at the RSC  Tel: 020-7440 3363.