Science
Key Stage 3
Science at Copland is taught using the Exploring Science scheme in Years 7 to 9. All four Attainment Targets (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Scientific enquiry) are taught and assessed each year through twelve units of work. Students do experiments and other classwork from their Exploring Science books.
Year 9 students can purchase a revision book in order to do extra work and to support them with homework and revision. The Year 9 course consists of 12 units, each lasting about three weeks. During this time students will do a wide range of activities to develop their scientific knowledge and understanding as well as their Literacy, Numeracy, ICT and thinking skills.
The units studied are:
Inheritance and Selection, Fit and Healthy, Plants and Photosynthesis, Plants for food, Reactions of Metals and Metal Compounds, Patterns of Reactivity, Environmental, Chemistry, Using Chemistry, Energy and Electricity, Gravity and Space, Speeding Up, Pressure and Moments
Revision and GCSEs
Towards the end of the Year 9 course, time is spent on revising for the SATs. During the three years of the course, topics are revisited to develop and add knowledge, which helps with the final revision. After their SATs, students will complete projects to help prepare them for their Science GCSE.
Assessment
At the start of each unit every student is issued with a Target Sheet which they can use to check their progress through the unit and to help them revise for end of unit tests and the end of year exam. Students’ scientific investigation skills will be assessed throughout the course. Students sit end of unit tests after completing two topics (so about every six weeks). They are given a mark and a level after each test.
The SATs exams take place in early May with mock exams in the first half of the Spring Term (around February).
How parents can help:
- Homework is given twice a week and it is a very important part of the Science curriculum. We greatly appreciate you taking a keen interest because your support significantly enhances your child’s attainment
- Please ensure that your child spends sufficient time on the work, presents it neatly and hands it in on time
- Revision for tests and exams is another area where you can support your child. Planning the topics to cover, writing notes and allowing enough time beforehand are key factors for success in tests. Why not go through the next revision quiz and review with your child the targets that have been set?
- Always ensure that your child brings the correct equipment, including: exercise book, pen, pencil, ruler, rubber and calculator.
- Encourage your child to attend the Science Club, Green Club or Science Homework / Revision Club.
- Visit the South Kensington Science or Natural History Museums when you can.
- There are frequent science programmes on television which often link in with the work in class.
The following books (published by Oxford) can also help your child in Science:
The Essentials of Science KS3
Edited by Katie Whelan (Price: £2.00 available from School)
ISBN: 1-9030 68-32-0 (Price: £3.50 available from Bookshops)
The Essentials of Science KS3 Student Worksheets
Edited by Katie Whelan (Price: £1.20 available from School)
ISBN: 1-9030 68-33-9 (Price: £2.50 available from Bookshops)
On target for Key Stage 3 Science
Johnson / Adamsone / Williams ISBN: 0748755306
Recommended Internet Websites
www.bbc.co.uk/revision
www.spolem.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/sosteacher
www.howstuffworks.com
www.nasa.gov
www.newscientist.com
www.facethemusic.org/evolution/html
Key Stage 4
Pupils will be studying the Dual Award run by the OCR exam board and can attain two GCSEs. They will be following the 21st Century Science Syllabus. Year 10 students will study one GSCE in Science (Core) and Year 11s will study a subject called GSCE Additional Science. There is also a separate science curriculum where students can attain three GCSEs in Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
In the past, students have been awarded a Double Award grade at the end of Year 11; with these new changes students will now attain a GCSE grade for Core Science at the end of Year 10 and a separate grade for Additional Science awarded at the of Year 11.
The students that study triple science will attain three GCSE’s in Biology, Physics and Chemistry and they will complete these in Year 11. We also offer fastrack science where the more able students can start their Triple Science GCSEs in Year 9. This has been running very successfully for over two years.
Year 10
Your child will be taught how science is linked with everyday situations in most of the topics taught this year.
GCSE Core Science is made up of three main components, which are:-
- Modules
- Ideas in Context
- Practical Data Analysis and Case Study.
The units in the 2008 course as external assessments are:
- B1 You and your genes
- C1 Air quality
- P1 Earth in Universe
- B2 Keeping healthy
- C2 Material choices
- P2 Radiation and life
- B3 Life on Earth
- C3 Food matters
- P3 Radioactive materials
- Ideas in Context
The internal assessment is made up of two parts:
- Practical Data Analysis
- Case Study
Each unit test paper will be in two tiers Foundation (F) or Higher (H).
Structure of Exam Papers
Units 1 - 3 are short answer questions from the Core curriculum
Unit 4 consists of short answer questions based on ‘Ideas in Context’ which incorporates:
- Pre-released materials
- Knowledge and understanding as well as the application of the core curriculum
- Ideas about science in familiar and unfamiliar context
- Includes some marks for communication skills
Unit 5 is internally assessed by science teachers and then externally moderated by OCR.
Year 11
Additional Modules:
Biology
Homeostasis, Growth and Development, Brain and Mind
Chemistry
Chemical Patterns, Chemicals of the natural environment, Synthesis and Analysis
Physics
Explaining Movement, Electric Circuits, The Wave Model of Radiation
Separate Sciences
The students that are studying separate sciences follow the same curriculum as the Core students in Year 10 and Year 11; however they will study an extra module in each subject over two years. The students will sit one unit in each subject at the end of Year 10, followed by two units in Year 11. The coursework element is completed by the end of Year 11.
Units 1 and 2 are short answer questions from the Chemistry / Physics / Biology curriculum.
Unit 3 consists of short answer questions based on ‘Ideas in Context’ + C7/P7/B7 which incorporates:
- Pre-released materials focusing on one or two of modules C1-C6/P1-P6/B1-B6
- Knowledge and understanding as well as the application of the core curriculum
- The remaining questions will be focused on the content of C7/P7/B7 ‘Further Chemistry/Physics/Biology’
- Includes some marks for communication skills
Note: Unit 3 is a 1 hour written paper to be taken at the end of Year 11
For Biology and Physics the students will do Unit 4 which is the data analysis and case study for their coursework. For Chemistry, the students will do Unit 5 instead of 4 which is the practical investigation element as their coursework.
Recommended Internet Websites
www.bbc.co.uk/revision
www.spolem.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/sosteacher
www.howstuffworks.com
www.newscientist.com
www.facethemusic.org/evolution/html
www.twentyfirstcenturyscience.org
