For a detailled course description, click Science-S23-CourseDescription.

COURSE CONTENT

The Course is split up into 7 Units of theory to learn, which includes practical, experimental work too. There are also opportunities for the pupils to be working outside their classroom and for them to get involved in some trips related to their course work. The content of the Units is outlined below:

Healthy Bodies

In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are :

• • Surviving and organs
  • Gas exchange
  • Lungs
  • Breathing
  • Keeping your lungs clean
  • Effect of smoking
  • Lung measurements

Metals

In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are :

• • • Elements and the periodic table
    • The property of metals
    • Alkali metals
    • Reactivity of metals
    • Extraction of metals
    • Getting Iron
    • The problem with rust
    • Preventing rust

Energy in the home

In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are :

• • • Burning fuels
    • Energy sources and uses
    • Electrical energy costs
    • Heat Loss from a house- and how we can prevent it.
    • Conduction
    • Convection
    • Radiation

Plants

In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are :

• • • Life cycle of a flowering plant
    • Seed structure
    • Seed dispersal
    • Seed germination- Investigation
    • Testing a leaf for starch
    • Photosynthesis
    • Water transport in plants
    • Gas exchange in leaves
    • Electrical energy costs

Sound waves
In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are:

• • • How sound travels
    • Sound waves
    • Musical instruments
    • Human hearing
    • Ultra-sound
    • Sound levels
    • The ear

Water
In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are:

• • • Uses of water
    • Water and the human body
    • Fresh water and salt water
    • Distillation for survival
    • Water cycle
    • Water supply treatment
    • Hard and soft water

Environment
In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are:

• • • Food in plants
    • Food chains
    • Food webs
    • Predator & prey relationships
    • Stability in food webs
    • Energy loss in food chains
    • Pyramid of numbers
    • Adaptations
    • Endangered species

Course resources

All students will have access to textbooks appropriate to the course and they could also be given access to some content by using Ipads.

There are lots of chances for pupils to be involved in trips or learning outside, if possible and appropriate. The pupils can be involved in project work and some science teachers are available either at lunchtimes and/or at the end of the day to give extra support if and when needed, throughout the year.

Assessment

There is a range of ways that teachers will assess the pupils, including: 

• • • checking class-work,
    • making posters
    • doing investigations or project work
    • making a power-point on related course-work on a computer
    • Unit tests

Homework

Homework can be an essential part of the course for those students who want to make good progress. Homework could include questions and problems from worksheets and regular revision of the material covered in the class.

Some of the Science teachers are usually available at lunchtimes and/or at the end of the day to give you help with your Homework – so it’s easy to get it all done…correctly !

Transferable skills

There are many very useful and valuable transferable skills gained by studying S2/3 Science, including: researching, ICT, reporting, numeracy, literacy, graphing, investigating, practical experimental skills, analysing, presentation, evaluating… to name just a few.

Progression

There is good progression from this Course on to the N3/4 Science course in S4.

The S2/3 Science Course is not intended for those pupils who are aiming to go directly into N5 Biology, Chemistry or Physics.