Lesson Plan

• Describe oxidation as the gain of oxygen and reduction as the loss of oxygen in chemical reactions.
• Identify the oxidised and reduced substances in a balanced equation using the oxygen definition.
• Apply a step‑by‑step procedure to determine oxidation and reduction in common IGCSE reactions.
• Write and balance redox equations and label the oxidising and reducing agents.
• Construct simple half‑reaction representations based on oxygen gain/loss.

• Projector and screen
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed worksheet with practice reactions
• Reaction cards (MgO, CO₂, Na₂O, etc.)
• Periodic table posters
• Student notebooks and calculators

Begin with a quick visual of a rusting nail to spark curiosity about why oxygen matters. Review students’ prior knowledge of basic chemical equations and ask them to predict what changes when oxygen is added. Explain that by the end of the lesson they will be able to label oxidation and reduction using the oxygen‑centric definitions.

1. Do‑now (5') – short quiz on previous oxidation/reduction ideas; teacher checks responses.
2. Mini‑lecture (10') – define oxidation (gain of O) and reduction (loss of O) with textbook examples.
3. Guided practice (15') – work through the identification steps on the board using Mg + O₂ → MgO and C + O₂ → CO₂.
4. Pair activity (15') – students complete worksheet, labeling oxidised/reduced species in three syllabus reactions.
5. Whole‑class discussion (10') – review answers, clarify misconceptions, introduce simple half‑reaction notation.
6. Exit ticket (5') – each student writes one reaction and states which reactant is oxidised and which is reduced.

Summarise the key rule: oxidation = gain of oxygen, reduction = loss of oxygen, and remind students how this helps them quickly identify redox pairs. Collect exit tickets as a retrieval check and assign homework to complete additional practice questions from the textbook.