The study of science fires pupils’ curiosity about phenomena in the world around them and offers opportunities to find explanations. Experimentation and modeling are used to develop and evaluate explanations, encouraging critical and creative thought. They discover how scientific ideas contribute to technological change – affecting industry, business and medicine and improving quality of life. They learn to question and discuss ideas that may affect their own lives, the directions of societies and the future of the world.

 7A Tissues and Transplants : This unit takes a look at organ transplants; what they are, their history and why they are needed. Within this context, the concepts of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems are explored, together with the use of the microscope.

7B Sex and Science : This unit explores the uses of natural and modern reproductive strategies, in terms of saving endangered animals and human procreation  

7C Ecology Matters : This unit looks at the work ecologists do in advising the building industry. Material covered includes habitats, adaptations and feeding relationships. 

7D Classified : This unit considers how we organise things into groups to make life easier. This is extended to cover biological classification and variation in terms of its genetic and environmental causes.

7E Acids and Alkalis : This unit introduces ideas about acids, alkalis and indicators in the context of acid manufacture. There is also an introduction to ideas about risk assessment and hazard classification.

7F Bubbles, Bangs and Burning : The main theme is fairgrounds and fireworks including associated issues of fire safety, pyrotechnics and explosions. There is development of some of the ideas on safety introduced in Unit 7E. The unit introduces the idea of chemical changes and includes work on key criteria for deciding whether a change has taken place. There is also an introduction to the reactions of acids with metals and limestone, and the tests for common gases.

7G What a Waste : This unit looks at how different sorts of waste are disposed of in the UK and some of the problems this causes.

Within this context the different properties of solids, liquids and gases and the implications of their handling and storage are considered, together with an introduction to the particle theory of matter.

7H Materials from the Earth : The unit briefly introduces the ways that all rock types are formed, but concentrates mainly on the various processes involved in the formation of sedimentary rocks – weathering, erosion, transport, deposition, compaction and cementation. The context for the unit is using materials from the Earth, and the need to study rocks to locate useful materials.

7I Energy and Sustainable Living : This unit uses sustainable living to introduce the idea that stores of energy are needed to make most things happen, and that burning fossil fuels to transfer energy is contributing to global warming. It goes on to look at ways of reducing our use of fossil fuels, and at alternative energy resources. It includes food as an energy store.

7J Electrical Circuits: This unit uses the context of household electrical wiring to cover the measurement of current in series and parallel circuits. It also looks at some of the uses and dangers of electricity, and at the idea of using models to help us to think about things.

7K Forces and their Effects : This unit revises the concepts of forces and their effects and extends pupils’ knowledge of friction, gravity and speed. These ideas are presented using a theme of outdoor sports, such as climbing and kayaking, to link to ideas.

Setting

All classes in Key Stage 3 Science are taught in mixed ability groups. In Year 7 this is as Tutor Groups, but in Years 8 and 9 the Tutor Groups are mixed up.

Staffing

There is a core of science teachers who choose to remain at Lower School to ensure a consistent approach to teaching and learning in science for Years 7 & 8. In Year 9 more teachers will be involved in the delivery of the curriculum. However for all years the aim is to reduce the number of different teachers each group has so better relationships can develop.

Home Learning

Students will be set homework in science when it is appropriate to do so. Many of the tasks will be research/presentation based tasks or revision. If students do not have any official homework tasks set there are many websites that can be used to support the learning of the topics being studied in class.  www.bbc.co.uk/ks3bitesize

There are also these topics for personal research which may be set as homework. (see attached file)

Equipment

Students must have the usual school equipment for Science lessons, they are expected to use pencils for diagrams. Goggles will be provided for practical work and hair bands can be borrowed for long hair – though most students prefer to use their own. Students will be asked for experiments to remove blazers and to tuck ties in to avoid any spillages/accidents with these.

Assessment

Students are assessed in different ways in Science not only to monitor their progress in KS3, but to enable them to develop the skills required for KS4 assessment.

Each Unit has a short test carried out at the end of the unit comprising of 5 multiple choice questions and a couple of long answer questions. These tests are used by teachers to inform them of the understanding students have developed of the unit. Results will be used by teachers to assign interim levels.

Students will sit a Term Test covering the units of that term. All of the questions will be long answer with support or extra time provided to those students who require it. These tests will provide the attainment levels that will be reported to parents. Students will be provided with revision activities for these tests.

During the Autumn and Spring Terms students will be ‘trained’ into planning, carrying out, analysing and evaluating the practical work they are completing in lessons. In the Summer Term they will then carry out an Assessed Investigation.

Students will also have a Research/Open Ended Task to carry out each term. This may be in the form of a report/video/presentation on current science topics. Again the ‘training’ takes place in the first 2 terms with the Assessed Work in the Summer Term.

Last updated: 04 November 2011

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