2019 Parents’ Briefing P6 (Foundation) Curriculum and Assessment Science
Content A. Coverage of topics & concepts B. Assessment - Knowledge-type and Application-type Questions - Supporting Process Skills - Features of the Exam Paper C. Strategies to Support our Pupils
A. Topics and Concepts Reference: https://www.moe.gov.sg/docs/default-source/document/education/syllabuses/sciences/files/science-primary-2014.pdf
A. Topics and Concepts • Thematic Approach 5 themes: Diversity, Cycles, Systems, Energy and Interactions (over a period of 2 years) Appreciate the links between different themes/ topics to allow the integration of scientific ideas. • Spiral approach Same theme is revisited at upper block More advanced concepts and skills are built on basic ones learnt at the lower block.
Science Skills and Processes Skills Processes Observing Creative problem Comparing solving Classifying Decision-making Using apparatus and equipment Investigation Communicating Inferring Formulating hypothesis Predicting Analysing Generating possibilities Evaluating
Sequence of Science Topics 2019 Primary Term 1 Term 2 • Forces • Interactions within the 6 • Interactions within the (FDN) environment environment (food chain (Adaptations) • Man’s impact on the & factors affecting their survival) environment Term 3 Term 4 • PSLE Revision • PSLE Revision
B. Assessment Format of paper (Foundation) Duration of paper: 1 h 15 minutes Booklet Item Type Number of Marks Weighting Questions allocated (%) A Multiple Choice 18 2m 36 B Structured 6 - 7 2 - 3m 14 (Fill in the blanks, Matching) Open-ended 5 - 6 2 - 4m 20 TOTAL 30 - 70 Provision of word list for Foundation Science Paper
Examination Dates CA Term 1 Week 9 (TBC) SA1 Term 2, Week 8 - 9 Prelims Term 3 Weeks 6 - 9 (TBC) PSLE Term 4, Weeks 2 - 3 All exam dates will be confirmed in the school bulletin
B. Assessment Features of the paper • There are different question types: Knowledge and Application Type Questions Pupils will be able to apply facts/ concepts to new situations and use one or a combination of basic process skills. Familiarity with the terms used in the question stems will benefit pupils: Spend less time writing unnecessary information (correct facts but not answering to the point, marks are not awarded)
B. Assessment Knowledge (KW) and Application (AOK) Type Questions KW (How it looks like) AOK (How it looks like) o Name the gas inside the o Explain why there was a test tube… decrease… o Write down the stages o Suggest a benefit … of the life cycle… o What can be concluded o State the process … from the results… o How did this make it fair… It is still required of pupils to Pupils need to explain in detail when recall basic facts/terms/names (of expressing their answers key processes*) as this accounts for some portion of the paper
Examples Question types Expected Answer (Note key words in questions) What is… Direct recall of facts, no reasoning required Which part/ parts … Can be a one word or short State a property… phrase answer Give a reason … Tracing from cause to effect in detail Explain this observation… What could have caused … Describe how… Requires identifying the components of a fair test and List the steps … expressing them in a logical order
Question types Expected Answer (Note key words in questions) What is the aim … Requires being able to identify the variables of a fair test A sentence stating what you hope to find out from the experiment What conclusion can you States a related scientific draw… concept or pattern based on the data collected What is the relationship … Suggest two changes/ ways Requires being able to identify the variables of a fair test & to make… changing one of these to achieve a different outcome
B. Assessment Features of the paper • Sub parts of a Question (Answers could be related but not repeated) Recognising this will benefit pupils: They spend less time searching for the concept tested to write their answer
Example The diagram below shows a box with three parts. Each part receives a different amount of light. Avoid error: Explain other Science concepts (cockroaches like to hide). Incorrect although it appears to be about the animal. Alvin put 10 cockroaches into the box above. The table shows the number of cockroaches in the different parts after two hours. part with light part with some part with no present light present light present Number of 1 3 6 cockroaches after two hours No light present (a) Circle the condition that cockroaches like best. light present / some light present / no light present Apply to (b) and explain (b) Give a reason how this condition helps the cockroach to survive best condition.
B. Assessment Features of the paper • Apply technique taught when answering (ETC strategy) This benefits pupils as they approach the question systematically.
ETC Strategy in answering science questions Step 1: Extract Step 2: Topic Step 3: Information Identification Concept Identification Circle key Use key words in words as Identify diagrams / text clues to concept within identify likely topic and use topic tested it to form an explanation
Examples An experiment was set up to find out which coloured light(s) could be used for photosynthesis. 1 E xtract info 2 T opic: Photosynthesis (a) Why were the fish found in sections K and M only? Explain your answer. 3 & 4 C oncept: Products of Photosynthesis Red and blue light enabled plants to photosynthesize. Oxygen is produced & fish need oxygen to survive.
Avoiding common mistakes • Answer is partial, not complete. • Stating what is given in the question without inferring the scientific concept . eg. The grass died as ‘ the box had covered it’ instead of ‘…the grass could not receive light to make food’. • Giving additional incorrect answer/ concept leading to ½m deducted for each incorrect point.
C. Supporting our Pupils • Accurate Understanding of Concepts is important – MAKE CONNECTIONS between concepts learnt – APPLY concept(s) in new situations – EXPLAIN clearly, completely and accurately referencing to science concepts/ facts • Revision of concepts learnt from P3 to P6. Home support from parents/ guardians is greatly appreciated. • Practice – Important to practise the array of thinking skills (e.g. creative problem solving, decision making & investigation skills) that support scientific inquiry
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