Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Developinga Scope and Sequence

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head TeachersCurriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head TeachersScience Unit Curriculum DirectorateScience Unit Curriculum Directorate

DevelopingDeveloping

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Scope and SequenceScope and Sequence


The fundamental step in the design of The fundamental step in the design of effective teaching and learning effective teaching and learning programs is the establishment of a programs is the establishment of a program overview with a scope and program overview with a scope and sequence plan.sequence plan.


When developing this plan teachers should When developing this plan teachers should consider the following:consider the following:

Syllabus requirementsSyllabus requirements

FlexibilityFlexibility

Further considerationsFurther considerations


Program OverviewProgram Overview


Content mapping grids demonstrate the development of student ‘learn about’ and

‘learn to’ content across a stage in relation to the identified scope and sequence.



each unit of work must address at least one each unit of work must address at least one Prescribed Focus Area Prescribed Focus Area



all knowledge and understanding outcomes and all knowledge and understanding outcomes and essential content is addressed within the essential content is addressed within the appropriate stageappropriate stage


content addressed within the appropriate stagecontent addressed within the appropriate stage


the selected Prescribed Focus Area and skills the selected Prescribed Focus Area and skills essential content is appropriate to achieve the essential content is appropriate to achieve the relevant Stage 4 or Stage 5 outcomesrelevant Stage 4 or Stage 5 outcomes




Syllabus Requirements

the selected skills essential content is appropriate to achieve the relevant Stage 4 or Stage 5 outcomes

a minimum of 50% of course time must be allocated to practical experiences


Why do we do practical work?Why do we do practical work?


Practical work provides opportunity for:Practical work provides opportunity for:

Getting a feel for natural phenomenaGetting a feel for natural phenomena

Developing investigation skillsDeveloping investigation skills

Providing a basis for conceptual understandingProviding a basis for conceptual understanding

Giving a sense of the nature of scienceGiving a sense of the nature of science

Providing the excitement of inquiry and Providing the excitement of inquiry and discoverydiscovery


Types of practical work:Types of practical work:DemonstrationsDemonstrationsExplorationsExplorationsRecipe-style exercisesRecipe-style exercises InvestigationsInvestigationsProjectsProjects

They are undertaken within a context.They are undertaken within a context.


Students who understand the nature of Students who understand the nature of scientific evidence should be able to detect scientific evidence should be able to detect when:when:

Conclusions are not consistent with dataConclusions are not consistent with dataFact and opinion are intermingledFact and opinion are intermingledGraphs distort the appearance of dataGraphs distort the appearance of dataAverages mask variation in dataAverages mask variation in dataHigh levels of precision are unwarrantedHigh levels of precision are unwarranted

The diagram below shows the relative The diagram below shows the relative movements of Earth and the Moon around the movements of Earth and the Moon around the Sun. It is not drawn to scale.Sun. It is not drawn to scale.

Question 7 : Sun, Earth and Moon

QUESTION 7QUESTION 7How long does it take for the Moon to go once around the How long does it take for the Moon to go once around the Sun?Sun?

% % responseresponse Distracter AnalysisDistracter Analysis

Option 1 1 day Option 1 1 day

Option 2 1 week Option 2 1 week

Option 3 1 monthOption 3 1 month

Option 4 1 yearOption 4 1 year

24.2%

4.0%

13.9%

56.2%

This response may be based on a student’s common experience of when the moon is visible or when the sun would appear

This response may indicate a student having a poor recollection of the movements of the moon around the Earth

This response may be based on a student’s knowledge or recollection of the movements of the moon around Earth.

This response would suggest an accurate knowledge of the movement of the moon and Earth around the sun.

Extended answer tasks - Heating iceExtended answer tasks - Heating ice

A science class was doing A science class was doing an experiment to observe an experiment to observe temperature changes when temperature changes when heating ice. heating ice.

Each group started the Each group started the experiment with four cubes experiment with four cubes of ice and a small amount of of ice and a small amount of water in a beaker. water in a beaker.

They heated the beaker, They heated the beaker, with constant stirring, over a with constant stirring, over a low Bunsen burner flame as low Bunsen burner flame as shown in the diagram below. shown in the diagram below.

They measured the They measured the temperature every minute temperature every minute and recorded the results in a and recorded the results in a table.table.

One group of students obtained the following resultsOne group of students obtained the following results

a)a) Using the information from the result table, describe Using the information from the result table, describe what was happening in the first 9 minutes of the what was happening in the first 9 minutes of the experiment.experiment.

b)b) Using your knowledge of the particle theory, explain Using your knowledge of the particle theory, explain why this happens.why this happens.

THE PARTICLE THEORY OF MATTERTHE PARTICLE THEORY OF MATTERALIAS ALIAS

THE KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORYTHE KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORYThese theories are essentially the same. These theories are essentially the same. The Kinetic Molecular Theory emphasizes the movement of The Kinetic Molecular Theory emphasizes the movement of

the particles.the particles.1.1. All matter consists of extremely small particles. (A drop All matter consists of extremely small particles. (A drop

of water is made up of 30 billion billion (3 x 10of water is made up of 30 billion billion (3 x 1019 19 ) ) particles of water.).particles of water.).

2.2. All particles of one substance are identical.All particles of one substance are identical.3.3. The spaces between particles are very large compared The spaces between particles are very large compared

to the size of the particles themselves.to the size of the particles themselves.4.4. The particles in matter attract one another.The particles in matter attract one another.5.5. All particles of matter are constantly in motion.All particles of matter are constantly in motion.


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Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Developinga Scope and Sequence