Knowledge-Based Activities in Chemistry for Scientifically Challenged Learners of Grade 7

This study dealt with the development and validation of Knowledge-Based Activities in Chemistry for Scientifically Challenged Learners of Grade 7 in Lagundi-CCL National High School. The developed knowledge-based activities in Chemistry consist of four (4) motivational activities such as priming and games, four (4) group task activities and fourteen (14) individualized task activities such as puzzles, picture interpretation, activity sheets and pocket-based activity sheets excluding applications that covers the lessons regarding solutions, substances and mixtures, periodic table, elements and compounds, acids and bases and properties of metals and non-metals. The participants of the study were the identified twenty-one (21) scientifically challenged learners of Grade 7.  They were given the validated test before and after exposure to the developed knowledge-based activities in Chemistry. Likewise, for the acceptability of the developed knowledge-based activities in Chemistry, ten (10) Chemistry teachers evaluated the material utilizing the adapted-questionnaire checklist. Descriptive, developmental and experimental methods of research were used in the study. In order to determine the level of performance of the participants mean and standard deviation were used. Moreover, dependent t-test was used to determine the significant difference on the level of performance of the participants. Lastly, weighted mean was used to determine the level of acceptability of the developed knowledge-based activities as evaluated by the teacher-respondents. On the level of performance of the participants in different lessons in Chemistry before and after exposure to the developed knowledge-based activities: they performed Fairly Satisfactory in the lessons, solutions, substances and mixtures, elements and compounds and acids and bases before exposure to the knowledge-based activities. However, after exposure to the material they performed Very Satisfactory. While on the lessons, properties of metals and non-metals, before exposure to the material they performed Fairly Satisfactory and after exposure, the participants’ performance was Outstanding. On the significant difference on the level of performance in Chemistry before and after exposure to the material with respect to the different lessons or topics, there was a significant difference on the level of performance of the learners. On the level of acceptability of the developed knowledge-based activities in Chemistry with respect to the different criteria, the expert-respondents agreed that the material was Very Highly Acceptable. The study concluded that the level of performance of the participants improved and increased after their exposure to the developed knowledge-based activities in Chemistry, level of performance of the participants significantly differed after exposure to the material and with the evaluation made by the experts, it was concluded that the material possessed the characteristics of a good instructional device.