Science
Year 9
Key Stage 3
Autumn Term
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At Key Stage 3, pupils have four lessons of science per week. During lessons, pupils will be taught topics within Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Year 9 is a bridging year where students will start developing the specific skills required for GCSE. Lessons are linked to wider world themes; this helps students relate to difficult or more abstract concepts. Topics are carefully designed to build on prior learning and introduce new ideas in a logical sequence. Each topic begins with a prior learning activity to establish understanding and inform future learning.
Assessment:
Multiple choice quizzes to regularly check acquired knowledge
Skills assessments designed to check practical related skills
Tests, divided into knowledge and application sections, to identify specific areas for support
Autumn term topics:
Biology A – Animal cells, movement of substances and respiration
Chemistry A – Mixtures
Physics A – Simple forces
Physics B – Energy and global resources
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Science enquiry skills are split into six strands:
Developing concepts – explaining ideas, leading to linking concepts
Planning and conducting – conducting investigations, writing methods, leading to justifying choices
Concluding and evaluating – processing data, forming conclusions and evaluating practical methods
Literacy – using scientific terminology to describe, explain, compare and evaluate
Numeracy – selecting correct equations and rearranging leading to linking equations
Curiosity – ask questions about science, independently seeking answers and connecting ideas
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Discuss with your child what they have learnt in science lessons. Ask them to explain an idea to you, this promotes retention of knowledge and builds confidence. Talk about science in the news, watch a documentary together, encourage your child to find out more about a topic.
Avoid saying ‘Science is hard’ or ‘I couldn’t do Science’ as we know this can promote negative attitudes. Instead work together in finding an answer to a problem using revision websites or videos.
Encourage your child to question what they see on social media presented as ‘science fact’. Who is making the claim? What is the evidence to support the claim? Do scientists agree?
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Cognito Education Science videos
Educake (all students have a login to complete homework or set themselves questions)
S-cool (free sign up)
Examples of wider reading in Science:
Tumble science podcast – search on a podcast app
Key Stage 3
Spring Term
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At Key Stage 3, pupils have four lessons of science per week. During lessons, pupils will be taught topics within Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Year 9 is a bridging year where students will start developing the specific skills required for GCSE. Lessons are linked to wider world themes; this helps students relate to difficult or more abstract concepts. Topics are carefully designed to build on prior learning and introduce new ideas in a logical sequence. Each topic begins with a prior learning activity to establish understanding and inform future learning.
Assessment:
Multiple choice quizzes to regularly check acquired knowledge
Skills assessments designed to check practical related skills
Tests, divided into knowledge and application sections, to identify specific areas for support
Spring term topics:
Biology B – Plants and photosynthesis
Chemistry B – Atomic structure and the periodic table
Chemistry C – Atmospheric chemistry and using resources
Physics C – Basic circuits
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Science enquiry skills are split into six strands:
Developing concepts – explaining ideas, leading to linking concepts
Planning and conducting – conducting investigations, writing methods, leading to justifying choices
Concluding and evaluating – processing data, forming conclusions and evaluating practical methods
Literacy – using scientific terminology to describe, explain, compare and evaluate
Numeracy – selecting correct equations and rearranging leading to linking equations
Curiosity – ask questions about science, independently seeking answers and connecting ideas
-
Discuss with your child what they have learnt in science lessons. Ask them to explain an idea to you, this promotes retention of knowledge and builds confidence. Talk about science in the news, watch a documentary together, encourage your child to find out more about a topic.
Avoid saying ‘Science is hard’ or ‘I couldn’t do Science’ as we know this can promote negative attitudes. Instead work together in finding an answer to a problem using revision websites or videos.
Encourage your child to question what they see on social media presented as ‘science fact’. Who is making the claim? What is the evidence to support the claim? Do scientists agree?
-
Cognito Education Science videos
Educake (all students have a login to complete homework or set themselves questions)
S-cool (free sign up)
Examples of wider reading in Science:
Tumble science podcast – search on a podcast app
Key Stage 3
Summer Term
-
At Key Stage 3, pupils have four lessons of science per week. During lessons, pupils will be taught topics within Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Year 9 is a bridging year where students will start developing the specific skills required for GCSE. Lessons are linked to wider world themes; this helps students relate to difficult or more abstract concepts. Topics are carefully designed to build on prior learning and introduce new ideas in a logical sequence. Each topic begins with a prior learning activity to establish understanding and inform future learning.
Assessment:
Multiple choice quizzes to regularly check acquired knowledge
Skills assessments designed to check practical related skills
Tests, divided into knowledge and application sections, to identify specific areas for support
Summer term topics:
Biology C – Food and digestion
Biology D – Variation and evolution
Chemistry D – Bonding and properties
Physics D – Waves
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Science enquiry skills are split into six strands:
Developing concepts – explaining ideas, leading to linking concepts
Planning and conducting – conducting investigations, writing methods, leading to justifying choices
Concluding and evaluating – processing data, forming conclusions and evaluating practical methods
Literacy – using scientific terminology to describe, explain, compare and evaluate
Numeracy – selecting correct equations and rearranging leading to linking equations
Curiosity – ask questions about science, independently seeking answers and connecting ideas
-
Discuss with your child what they have learnt in science lessons. Ask them to explain an idea to you, this promotes retention of knowledge and builds confidence. Talk about science in the news, watch a documentary together, encourage your child to find out more about a topic.
Avoid saying ‘Science is hard’ or ‘I couldn’t do Science’ as we know this can promote negative attitudes. Instead work together in finding an answer to a problem using revision websites or videos.
Encourage your child to question what they see on social media presented as ‘science fact’. Who is making the claim? What is the evidence to support the claim? Do scientists agree?
-
Cognito Education Science videos
Educake (all students have a login to complete homework or set themselves questions)
S-cool (free sign up)
Examples of wider reading in Science:
Tumble science podcast – search on a podcast app