The end of the school year is here—and if your teen is taking high school chemistry, you might be hearing a lot more about equations, labs, reviews, and “this is so much!”

Whether your teen has been doing great or hanging on by a thread, the final weeks of chemistry can feel intense. Between cumulative exams, final projects, and review overload, it’s easy for students to get overwhelmed.

But with the right support and a few simple strategies, you can help your teen wrap up the year with confidence—and without burnout.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Review Strategically, Not Stressfully

At the end of the year, more studying doesn’t always mean better results. What helps the most is focused review—the kind that targets what your teen actually needs to revisit.

Here’s how to approach it:

• Go through old tests or quizzes and highlight questions they missed

• Look for common patterns (sig figs? mole conversions? naming compounds?)

• Use that list to build a weekly review plan, tackling one topic at a time
  
  

Tip: One topic per day + a few practice questions = way more effective than cramming five chapters in a night.

2. Practice Problem-Solving, Not Just Reading

Reading the textbook or notes might feel productive, but the real progress comes from working through problems.

Encourage your teen to:

• Re-do problems from past homework or tests

• Use end-of-chapter questions from the textbook

• Check out video walkthroughs or online resources that show step-by-step solutions
  
  

Chemistry is a hands-on subject, whether it's practicing problems, using manipulatives, exploring virtual labs and simulations, or hands-on labs. The more your teen practices applying the concepts, the better they’ll understand them.

3. Organize Notes, Reference Sheets & Study Materials

If their binder looks like a black hole of handouts and notes, now’s the time to declutter and regroup.

Here’s how to help:

• Set up three piles: Keep, Toss, and Need to Review

• Create a cheat sheet or formula chart with important equations, definitions, and reminders

• Use sticky notes or highlighters to mark pages with helpful examples
  

Bonus: Organizing their materials is a simple task that builds a sense of control and reduces overwhelm.

4. Use Virtual Labs & Simulations for Reinforcement

Not everything has to be done with pencil and paper. If your teen is struggling to understand an abstract concept—like gas laws, collisions, or titrations—try using a virtual lab simulation.

My favorite go-tos:

• PhET Interactive Simulations – Great for visualizing concepts in real time

• ChemCollective – Ideal for practicing virtual chemistry labs and reviewing lab procedures

These are especially helpful for review week or when your teen is prepping for a final that covers lab-based skills or data interpretation.

5. Encourage Communication with the Teacher

Now is the time to reach out if your teen:

• Doesn’t understand a recent concept

• Missed assignments or needs to make up work

• Wants to know what to focus on before the final exam

Encourage them to email the teacher directly (or do it together if needed). It shows initiative and gives them a clear picture of where they stand.

Sometimes, a 10-minute chat with the teacher can unlock exactly what your teen needs to feel focused and back on track.

6. Supporting Their Study Habits

You don’t need to know chemistry to be your teen’s biggest supporter. Here are a few ways to help them finish strong without adding more pressure:

• Help set up a study space that’s quiet, organized, and distraction-free

• Create a study calendar with small goals leading up to their final

• Encourage weekly practice, even if it’s just 15–20 minutes a day

• Celebrate the effort—not just the grade
  
  

Ready to Go the Extra Step?

If your teen needs just a little more support to finish the year strong, there are two great ways we can work together:

1. Private Tutoring with Dr. Williams on Outschool

Sometimes, all it takes is a one-on-one session to make things click. I offer private tutoring for high school chemistry, AP Chemistry, biology, and AP Biology through Outschool, a trusted and secure platform for families.

Tutoring is perfect for:

• Final exam review

• Clarifying tricky concepts like stoichiometry or acid-base reactions

• Catching up or getting ahead with confidence
  

➡️ View my Outschool Tutoring Schedule here

2. Math Essentials for Chemistry & Physics

If your teen is struggling with the math behind the science, this self-paced course series is a game-changer. It covers all the foundational skills students need to succeed in high school chemistry and physics—without feeling overwhelmed.

What’s included:

• Dimensional analysis (unit conversions done right!)

• Significant figures

• Scientific notation

• Rearranging and solving equations used in real science problems

It’s like a guided review that makes the numbers make sense.

➡️ Explore the Math Essentials Course Series here

Final Thoughts

The end of the year can feel heavy—but it’s also an amazing opportunity to reflect, reinforce, and reset. Your teen doesn’t need to be perfect. They just need support, structure, and the space to show what they’ve learned.