Junior Science
Head of Department: Mr D. Stewart.
Staff: Mr S. Gault, Dr N. Cully, Mr A. Lee, Mrs T. Reid.
Biology, Chemistry and Physics are taught together as Integrated Science in Years 8 & 9. The course covers the first two years of Key Stage 3 in the Revised Curriculum and is based on the new ‘Science Pathways’ textbooks. The Year 8 pupils’ class work books contain a comprehensive range of materials, which has been organised into thirteen units.
These are:
| Unit Title | Discover |
|---|---|
| Chemical changes | How do you make a Bunsen burner flame change colour? |
| Water for life | Has our drinking water once been snake venom? |
| Life, the body system and cells | How do I use a microscope to look at cells? |
| Solutions and separations | How can I solve a crime using chromatography |
| Forces everywhere | Why did the Titanic sink? |
| Human Reproduction | How do babies develop inside their mothers? |
| Acids and alkalis | How should you treat a wasp sting? |
| On the move | Why did the space shuttle Columbia explode? |
| Plants and water | Why do plants wilt? |
| The brain and learning | How can I improve my learning? |
| Solids, liquids and gases | Why is the smell of slurry more noticeable when the weather is warm? |
| The universe | What is meant by a black hole? |
| Design for life | How can we collect insects? |
In Year 9 coverage currently includes the topics:
- Health
- Energy
- Senses
- Substances
- Forces
- Earth & Spaces
- Ecology Study
Within each unit, an essentially practical approach is taken which helps develop scientific thinking. This encourages pupils to learn through active involvement and motivates them by providing continuous constructive feedback on their efforts. The built-in assessment scheme covers the skills and processes relevant to science, as well as knowledge and understanding, which is formally tested at the end of each unit.
Last year Year 8 visited W5 in Belfast.