KS3 Science Curriculum
Year 7 Science
Introduction:
Year 7 firstly introduces students to safe practice when carrying out experiments in a school laboratory. Students then cover a wide range of short topics covering the key principles of biology, chemistry and physics.Students will also carry out a practical investigate skills assessment at the end of the year do develop their scientific investigative skills.
Course Content:
Biology: cells, ecology, reproduction, variation and adaptations.
Chemistry: acids, alkalis, states of matter, chemical changes and the environment.
Physics: forces, electricity and energy.
Learning Activities and Teaching Approaches:
Students will experience a wide range of learning activities in science, where possible practical work is used to support the theory. Students will also have opportunities to apply their numeracy and literacy skills to science based tasks.
Assessment and Mastery:
Students are formally assessed about once every half term and grades awarded will be submitted on Go4Schools. In addition, students are given regular mastery recall tests to assess on-going learning. Students are expected to practise for these tests for homework. These mastery tests are used to assess how secure students are in the knowledge of the topic and again the results are reported on Go4Schools.
Support:
Students can access support throughout the academic year from their class teachers and when appropriate students may be offered intervention to help them progress.
The virtual learning environment (VLE/Fronter) is another area where appropriate resources may be found.
Year 8 Science
Year 8 develops the knowledge which students gain at year 7. It follows the same structure of many short topics in the key principles of biology, chemistry and physics.Students will also carry out a practical investigate skills assessment at the end of the year do develop their scientific investigative skills.
Course Content:
Biology: movement, respiration, photosynthesis, plants, environment.
Chemistry: chemical and physical changes.
Physics: exploring contact and non-contact forces, magnetism and electricity.
Learning Activities and Teaching Approaches:
Students will experience a wide range of learning activities in science, where possible practical work is used to support the theory. Students will also have opportunities to apply their numeracy and literacy skills to science based tasks.
Assessment and Mastery:
Students are formally assessed about once every half term and grades awarded will be submitted on Go4Schools. In addition, students are given regular mastery recall tests to assess on-going learning. Students are expected to practise for these tests for homework. These mastery tests are used to assess how secure students are in the knowledge of the topic and again the results are reported on Go4Schools.
Support:
Students can access support throughout the academic year from their class teachers. The virtual learning environment (VLE/Fronter) is another area where appropriate resources may be found.
Year 9 Subject: Science
Introduction:
Year 9 is an opportunity to consolidate knowledge form year 7 and year 8 and importantly prepare students for GCSE Science. Students will cover a range of short topics in biology, chemistry and physics, and they will begin to cover sections of content from the GCSE specification. Students will also carry out a practical investigate skills assessment at the end of the year do develop their scientific investigative skills.
Course Content:
Biology: variation, classification, adaptations, drugs microbes, immune system.
Chemistry: obtaining useful materials, using our Earth sustainably.
Physics: motion, forces and space, waves, sound and energy transfer
Learning Activities and Teaching Approaches:
Students will experience a wide range of learning activities in science, where possible practical work is used to support the theory. Students will also have opportunities to apply their numeracy and literacy skills to science based tasks.
Assessment and Mastery:
Students are formally assessed about once every half term and grades awarded will be submitted on Go4Schools. In addition, students are given regular mastery recall tests to assess on-going learning. Students are expected to practise for these tests for homework. These mastery tests are used to assess how secure students are in the knowledge of the topic and again the results are reported on Go4Schools.
Support:
Students can access support throughout the academic year from their class teachers. The virtual learning environment (VLE/Fronter) is another area where appropriate resources may be found.