Sciences

Curriculum Information for Key Stage 3 students

“Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science.”
– Edwin Powell Hubble, The Nature of Science, 1954

 

Welcome to the Science department

Aim:

The science department aims to deliver an interesting and stimulating curriculum that allows all students to achieve and enjoy. The curriculum enables students to develop secure knowledge and understanding of basic scientific principles and core investigative skills.

 

Overview:   

Through their scientific study students should understand and appreciate the importance and limitations of science, as well as gaining an awareness of the wider social, cultural, moral and economic factors that arise from scientific research.

Science should teach students skills that equip them for the wider world and the Thamesmead science department encourages a problem solving approach to scientific enquiry, including the ability to apply scientific knowledge to unfamiliar situations. Our schemes of work are designed to provide a range of learning experiences that match with student needs and capabilities across the whole ability range.

 

What topics will I study in KS3 (years 7, 8 & 9):

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 7 Topics:

Unit 1-Cells,

Unit 2 – Safety in the lab and

Particles and their behaviour,

Unit 3 – Heat transfer

 

Assessment: No assessment

 

 

 Topics:

Unit 4 – Reproduction

Unit 5- Acids and Alkalis

 

Unit 6 – Sound

 

 

 

Assessment:

Includes Unit 1, 2, 3

 Topics:

Unit 4 – Reproduction

Unit 5 – Acids and alkalis

 

Unit 7 – Light

 

 

 

Assessment:

No assessment

 Topics:

Unit 8- adaptations

Unit 9 – Scientific skills

Unit 7 – Light

Unit 10 – Electricity

 

 

 

Assessment:

Includes Unit 4, 5, 6

 Topics:

Unit 11- Feeding relationship

Unit 12 – chemical reactions

Unit 10 – electricity

 

 

Assessment: no assessment

 Topics:

Unit 14- classification and ecology

Unit 13 – separating mixtures

Unit 15- Magnetism

 

Revision for end of year exam in Summer 2

 

Assessment:

End of year exam includes Unit 1-13
Year 8 Topics:

Unit 1 – Fit and Healthy

 

Unit 2 – Atoms, Elements and compounds

 

Assessment:

No assessment

 

 

 Topics:

Unit 3 – Energy

 

Unit 4 – Respiration

 

Assessment:

includes Unit 1, Unit 2 and first half of Unit 3

 Topics:

Unit 5 – Electricity

 

Unit 6 – Reactivity Series and displacement reactions

 

Assessment:

No assessment

 Topics:

Unit 7 – Photosynthesis

 

Unit 8 –  Forces, Gravity and Space

 

 

Assessment:

Includes Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6

 Topics:

Unit 9 – Microbes

 

Unit 10 – Rocks and Weathering

 

 

Assessment:

No assessment

 Topics:

Revision for end of year exam in Summer 2

 

Finish Unit 10

 

Unit 11-The structure of atoms

Assessment:

End of Year Exam includes Units 1-8
Year 9 Topics:

Unit 1- Forces

Unit 2- Inheritance and selection

Unit 3- Using Chemistry

 

Assessment: no assessment

 

 Topics:

Unit 1- Forces

Unit 2- Inheritance and selection

Unit 3- Using Chemistry

 

 

Assessment:

End of KS3 exam

 Topics:

Starting GCSE

B1 – Cell Biology

C1- Atomic structure and the Periodic table

P1 – Energy

 

 

Assessment:

No formal assessment

 Topics:

B1 – Cell Biology

C1- Atomic structure and the Periodic table

P1 – Energy

 

 

 

Assessment:

Includes B1 topic

 Topics:

B1 – Cell Biology

C1- Atomic structure and the Periodic table

P1 – Energy

 

 

 

Assessment: no assessment

 Topics:

Revision for the end of year exam

 

Finishing B1, C1, P1

 

Assessment:

End of year exam includes B1, C1, P1

 

Can I study this at KS4? 

All students will study Combined Science Trilogy in KS4.  Those wishing to extend their knowledge can choose to take the Triple Science option which leads to GCSEs in the three separate Sciences of Biology, Chemistry and Physics

 

Are there any enrichment opportunities in school?

The Thamesmead Plus programme offers the Year 7 STEM club to further develop students’ interest in Science.

 

What could I do/read at home to help myself or where could I visit to help my learning?

Visiting Science and Natural History museums as well as Science exhibitions will help students with their learning and understanding of science. Scientific journals and tv programmes are good at supporting student’s natural curiosity and scientific vocabulary.

 

Useful websites:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z4kw2hv