Gleed Boys School, Spalding

Aims

-challenge, stimulate and extends students ideas and knowledge in Science from KS2;

- provide opportunities for achievement in scientific thinking;

-culture a friendly, caring, self reliant and independent working environment in Science;

- provide regular and appropriate homework for all year groups by inclusive targeted homework books;

-culture positive attitudes towards recognizing the important of Science in the 21st Century;

-instill appropriate safety aspects of Science;

-producing the best possible standard of work;

-create opportunities for questioning scientific change and developments i.e.; Science enquiry.

Key stage 3

Year 7 Science

Students will understand the basic lab. Safety procedures and recognise the danger warning symbols.
Begin to develop observational skills needed when substances are heated to suggest types of changes seen.
Measure length, mass, temperature, volume to a basic accuracy.
Students will have developed further the notions that force is pulls and pushes which can be measured in most situations and start to relate these to some body movements.
Use a simple spring and test the force it can withstand.
Suggest simple ways to reduce the force needed to move objects. Will be able to identify the main features of cells and describe some differences between plant/animal cells.
Know how cells grow and group to form tissues.
Some students begin to develop the notion of a permanent rather than a physical change in matter.
Begin to measure to fine accuracy consistently.
Suggest reasoned methods of overcoming frictional forces.
Describe how some cells are specialised for particular functions.
Understand that some things are soluble and others are not.
Will understand that two substances dissolved in solution can be sometimes separated and that distilling will help to achieve this.
Show how ICT can be used to monitor a simple experiment.
Show electrical circuits using symbols and set these up on a circuit board showing simple factors that effect current flow.
Know the differences between conductors and insulators and give examples of each.
Know how to wire a plug safely.
Be able to list some types of reproduction giving details.
Be able to group ‘things’ into broad categories.
Students will be able to describe some differences between certain plant and animal groups.
Suggest simple survey techniques to use in habitats and have a basic notion of how to relate adaptation to habitat
Measure acids and alkalis and have a simple idea of the pH scale.
Identify steel, iron and iron oxide as magnetic materials, distinguish between magnetic and non magnetic materials and give uses of magnets.

Year 8 Science

Will be able to list types of heat movement.
Students should know that sound waves are longitudinal.
That the human ear is the organ that detects sound waves and that the frequency of sound is the number of waves per second (unit Hz).
Amplitude is the distance from the crest of a wave to the place where there is no displacement.
Sound is carried by the particles in the medium vibrating, sound cannot travel through an empty space.
Students should be able to describe the major planets in the Solar system and some of their positions relative to one another.
Be able to name the three main types of rock and give at least one example of each type.
Begin to understand the weathering of rocks.
Know that microbes can be harmful and useful and are found in almost all environments, personal hygiene is important to prevent microbial growth.
Be able to name igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Explain how weathering cycles rocks.

Year 8

Y8 BIOLOGY MODULES

Will be able to list the important processes of life and know that organisms are made from cells.
Students should recall the basic cell structure of: cell membrane, nucleus and cytoplasm and that respiration occurs in all living things whereas photosynthesis occurs only in plants, involving light.
Most should be able to give some examples of a healthy diet and realise that the digestion of food is important relating some of this to the organs involved.
Student will be able to list the two main types of reproduction knowing a limited amount about each.
Most will be able to describe the important male/female sex organs and some of the major functions leading to embryo development.
Students will understand the importance of contraception and be able to describe some methods.
Why STI’s are dangerous with some ideas of basic symptoms and treatments together with the idea that smoking is a dangerous drug.
Will know that cell information is stored in the nucleus and that this is sometimes changed by accident causing problems.
Most students will be able to list the major human organs and suggest their relative positions in the body fairly consistently.
Students should realise that characteristics of individuals often have alternatives such as blue/brown eyes.
Students should know that genes control our characteristics.
Most should understand the basic food chain notion of habitats and an idea of the problems of water pollution and some associated ‘Green issues.’

Y8 CHEMISTRY MODULE

Know permanent and temporary chemical changes and Scientific diagrams and hazard symbols.
How to write word equations and use terms reactants and products.
Know the main differences between metals and non metals and their positions in the Periodic table.
Know the differences between elements, compounds and mixtures, with examples .
Know that fuels give out heat when burned and test for carbon dioxide, water and hydrogen.
Know that raw materials like limestone cane be changed into a number of different useful products like cement.
Be able to explain how particles move in solids, liquids and gases.
Know that mixtures can be separated by filtration, evaporation, distillation and chromatography, using the terms soluble, insoluble, filtrate, residue and distillate.
Know the corrosion of iron requires oxygen and water; that the reactivity of metals varies and they can be placed into a series on the basis of observed reactions with water, air, and acids.
Know the more reactive ones from a solution of their compounds.
Know that some liquids will conduct electricity and produce products at the electrodes and that one metal can be coated with another by electroplating.
Know how Universal indicator can be used to identify the strength of acids and alkalis.
That acid/base (alkaline) reactions will produce a salt and how this is obtained by evaporation.
Know how to use a burette for titrations, that metals (some) will react with acids to form salts.
They will know that in a chemical reaction, reactants
Products and the speed of this happening are called ‘the rate of reaction’. That the rate can be changed by changes in the temperature, concentration or surface area of the reactants.

Y8 PHYSICS MODULE

Know that energy can neither be created or destroyed but can be converted. They must know that Newton is a unit of force and gravity and mass are related.
Know that balanced forces are in equilibrium and therefore stationary.
Know that if the forces of an object are out of balance, the object will begin to move or change direction.
Know that pressure tells us whether a force is concentrated on small or spread out over large areas.
Know that a liquid cannot be compressed. Basic calculation needed is speed = distance/time.
They should know that frictional forces slow things down.
Know that many of the waves that are part of everyday life belong to the electromagnetic spectrum. All travel at the same speed but have different wavelengths, transferring energy.
Know that sound waves are longitudinal. That the human ear is the organ that detects sound waves and that the frequency of sound is the number of waves per second (unit Hz).
Amplitude is the distance from the crest of a wave to the place where there is no displacement.
Sound is carried by the particles in the medium vibrating, sound cannot travel through an empty space.
Know that bats use echoes with a high frequency above 20 000Hz to detect objects around them. This is too high for humans to hear (ultrasound).
E.M.W. is a family of waves that all travel in straight lines, while others are stopped by an object. When a wave hits a barrier it bounces back, reflected. Reflected waves have the same angle as incoming waves (wavelength/speed stay the same).
Know ROYGBIV, absorption, reflection of colours.
Know that magnetic field lines around a magnet show the direction of the forces around the magnet. If a magnet is free to turn it will come to rest pointing North/South. There is a magnetic field near a wire carrying an electric current. The field near a single wire is circular. The field
near a coil carrying an electric current looks similar to a field near a bar magnet.
Know there is a force in a wire carrying an electric current in a magnetic field. The force, the field and the current are all at right angles to each other.
Know that an electric current is a flow of charged particles around an electric circuit. The charges transfer energy from a battery or other power supply to the components in the circuit.
Changing the resistance in a circuit changes the current. Current from a battery is D.C. and always flows in the same direction. a.c. changes direction 50x a second.

Key stage 4

All schools have to deliver a core of scientific knowledge to students in KS4. At Gleed Boys’ School this will be achieved by two main routes:

VOCATIONAL STUDENTS will follow AQA Science A Modular course.

This comprises six modules taken over two years i.e. 3 modules in Y10 and 3 modules in year 11. These six modules cover core aspects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics all tied together under the idea of ‘How Science works’. Throughout these modules there are expectations for students to use experiential/investigative approaches to their work including ICT skills to research, log data and present ideas.

The modules are examined by means of an end of module exam set and marked by AQA which is worth 75% of the final exam grade. The remaining 25% of the final grade comes from coursework which has two sections:

Practical Assessment by the Science Teacher based upon the skills shown by students carrying out practical work.

Investigative Science Assessment (ISA). Here students collect data for a specific practical task set by AQA. They then answer a series of questions under exam conditions, again set by AQA.

At the end of the course students will achieve a GCSE in Science with access to grades A* to G.

ACADEMIC STUDENTS will follow AQA Science A Modular course and AQA Additional Modular Science course.

This comprises six modules taken during Y9. These six modules cover core aspects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics all tied together under the idea of ‘How Science works’. Throughout these modules there are expectations for students to use experiential/investigative approaches to their work including ICT skills to research, log data and present ideas.

Practical Assessment by the Science Teacher based upon the skills shown by students carrying out practical work.

Investigative Science Assessment (ISA). Here students collect data for a specific practical task set by AQA. They then answer a series of questions under exam conditions, again set by AQA.

At the end of the Y9 students will achieve a GCSE in Science with access to grades A* to G.

During Y10 a further additional 3 modules are taken. Again these 3 modules cover further aspects of Biology, Chemistry and Physics but with much more detailed scientific knowledge than those taken in Y9. Throughout these modules there are expectations for students to use experiential/investigative approaches to their work including ICT skills to research, log data and present ideas.

The modules are examined by means of an end of module written exam set and marked by AQA which is worth 75% of the final exam grade. The written papers can be taken in either January or June. The remaining 25% of the final grade comes from coursework which has two sections:

Practical Assessment by the Science Teacher based upon the skills shown by students carrying out practical work.

Investigative Science Assessment (ISA). Here students collect data for a specific practical task set by AQA. They then answer a series of questions under exam conditions, again set by AQA.

At the end of the Y10 students will achieve a further GCSE in Science with access to grades A* to G.

In summary, Vocational students achieve 1 GCSE Science pass by the end of Y11 and Academic students achieve 2 GCSE Science passes.

Departmental resources/innovations

Teaching staff The Department has 4 full time staff.

Support staff 1 Science based TA, 3 part time Technicians which means 2 technical support staff is available for most of the day.

Resources available 4 fully equipped Science labs, all with interactive white boards and speaker system. Appropriate software for KS3 & KS4 courses and Internet access. 1 shared room with Design which contains a full class set of PC’s with data logging ports/ software installed and room for normal class teaching at he front of the room. Large modern Prep. Room facility and Chemical store with mobile Fume Cupboard.

Teaching Methods

Varieties of methods are used by all teachers in the classroom and may include – Interactive White board work, DVD/Video, I.C.T., teacher demonstrations and practical work which may be group or individually based. Worksheets are widely used in all lessons and allow match/inclusion to occur by placing more demands on the pupils towards the end of the sheet with extension for some of the material. Book resources are available to each teaching group. Lonsdale Science is used in KS3. Cambridge Science AQA texts are used in KS4. The department has given considerable thought as to what match/inclusion should mean in science lessons; here are a few ideas we try to promote.

It is important to actively involve students in their own learning. This can include students sharing intentions with their teacher, using students’ ideas and questions as starting points, enabling students to share significant decisions about goals and procedures for learning, encouraging to review and reflect on their learning and helping pupils to recognise when they have been successful. Using a range of approaches makes it more likely that all students will find some aspects of their teaching suitable while still conforming to the three-part lesson of the strategy.

A flexible learning environment will promote the opportunities for students to select the most suitable approach and feel involved in their learning. We feel it is important that students can be encouraged to take ownership of their own learning where this is appropriate and, therefore, develop more independent learning skills especially for the more gifted and talented individuals.

Encouraging the students to be independent learners and establishing the classroom routines that support this will enable the teacher to spend maximum time on monitoring, supporting and challenging students.

Finally we feel the emphasis on match/inclusion must be person-centred rather than curriculum-centred if this process is to succeed. Students will be challenged to set their own targets for each module of work on their record sheet. Feedback on performance is be given and then students engaged as to how they will improve next time.

Visits/Trips.

Fieldwork is undertaken on the school site by all year 7 students so they can learn skills to undertake basic surveying of the environment. This is developed as they move through the school so by the time they reach Y11 some are able to survey in depth, other environments such as the marine environment on the East Coast.

We may organise outings to Scientific centres. Recent visits have included various museums, Science teaching centres and the Space centre and The Deep