Level

Middle-School: 6°, 5°, 4° and 3°
At this level, the subject is mandatory
Language of tuition: English

Curriculum

This is a school-based curriculum.

Textbook reference

Not applicable

Adaptations (with respect to the French Ed. Nat.)

Not applicable

Timetabling

2 x 2-period lab-based lessons per week
1 x 1-workshop period every week

Course Objectives

An inquiry-based problem solving course with interdisciplinary subject matter, extensive use of hands-on activities and exploration of the historical context of scientific discoveries. Split into the following 3 modules.
6ème:
UNIVERSE (Our Place in the Universe): Developing a sense of size, scale and our location, from universe to galaxy, solar system and planets. The evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere (exploration of properties of gases) and the important role that life has played in the increase in oxygen, with its resulting influence on the development of life on Earth.
SENSE AND MEASURE (Interactions with the Environment): Survival depends on ‘good’ perception of the environment, via our senses, yet senses are limited and perceptions can be mistaken. Measuring instruments have been created to compensate for deficiencies in our senses.
PYRAMID (Matter and Materials): The Egyptian pyramids have lasted for millenia and present mysteries that can be explored scientifically: geologists & chemists explore properties of the building materials; mathematicians model the structure; biologists & physicists explore the problems of moving and lifting the heavy blocks. Testing & evaluating evidence for the various hypotheses (within a historical context) that attempt to explain different “mysteries” of the pyramids.
5ème:
Evolution of the Earth and Life (Our Place in the Universe): The 4.6 billion year history of the Earth can be read by examining the geological record (layers, geological structures and fossils). The Earth changes and is still changing, with geological processes and biological aspects affecting each other. One consequence of this interaction is the evolution of life.
Matter and Materials: Physical transformations of materials and exploitation of the properties of different materials: in cooking, in construction, with electricity.
Light (Interactions with the Environment): Physical properties of light and its transmission through different materials; structure of eyes & the process of sensing light; the relationship between light and heat as exploited in solar ovens or observed with the ‘greenhouse effect’.
4ème :
The Skin of the Earth : The discovery that this module proposes to make is that the surface of the Earth is not a surface! In a vertical section it consists of the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the lithosphere. In the fluid phases (the atmosphere and hydrosphere) variations in pressure and temperature are easily measurable. On Earth life (found in the biosphere) develops and interacts vigorously in an environment of atmosphere, water, sunlight, degraded rocks and decomposing biological material.
Bluiding Blocks & Interactions : This unit gives the opportunity for an initial journey into the infinitely small world of atoms and their components.The latter interact, to form extremely varied molecular structures.The infinite variety of the matter around us is a result of this construction game, whose basic building blocks are atoms.
Individual response and group adaptation: This unit focuses on how life develops in a changing environment. These changes happen on all the different timescales: day/night, summer/winter, glacial period/interglacial period, continental drift, changes in the atmosphere, not to mention accidents, in which a living organism is brutally placed in very different conditions. The responses of organisms to these changes are varied: individual responses, group responses, evolution of species.
Skills – Laboratory safety; naming, drawing and use of lab equipment; choice of appropriate laboratory equipment; creating data tables and graphs; general scientific investigation process; experimental design and evaluation; literature research, internet ethics and citation of sources. IT (shared documents, spreadsheets, presentation, word processing, email, data-logging). Modeling, design, construction, testing; manipulation of materials; precision, accuracy & range of measurement; basic processing of data; interpretation of data; using scales in modeling & drawing. Problem-solving, oral presentations, group work. Writing of lab reports (starting in 5ème).
3ème
Biology: Human dietary needs and why a balanced diet is essential for good health. What constitutes a balanced diet? The major organ systems of the body to include the skin, skeletal structure and the digestive system. What are some of the specialised cells found within the human body and what are their functions? The role of enzymes within living things. How the body protects us from disease; to include natural immunity such as skin and blood cells, and acquired immunity in the form of vaccinations.
Chemistry: The structure of the atom. The Periodic Table and the main groups of elements found within it. Using the Periodic Table to predict chemical reactions between elements and the products of those reactions. Molecules of an element and molecules of a compound. Ions and electrolysis. Properties of ionic and covalent compounds. How to measure the rate of a chemical reaction.
Physics: Calculating speed, distance and time. Distance-time graphs. Construct distance-time graphs from experimental data. Scalar and vector quantities. Calculating acceleration. Speed-time graphs.
Construct speed-time graphs using experimental data. Measuring gravitational potential and kinetic energy. Conservation of energy. Mass and weight.

Teaching strategies

Inquiry based teaching strategies where teachers set up student centered lessons to encourage student thinking and problem solving, involving as many ‘hands on’ activities as possible.
Any of the following strategies may be employed by the teacher with the students primarily working in groups/ pairs and sometimes individually:
Hands-on practical lab work doing experiments from student-designed investigations/ projects with varied amounts of teacher guidance. Investigations with teacher-guided instructions. Use of history of science investigations/ activities to prompt student thinking and problem solving.
Use of simulations, animations, data analysis, videoclips, reflection/ analysis/ review of work carried out, design tasks, worksheets involving data or text analysis, exercises to develop critical reading skills, solving problems, creation and development of concept illustration via diagrams, flow charts or models, researching information (online and using library resources) and occasionally some formal concept teaching.
Students may be engaged in many different ways that may include: think-pair-share, discussion, debate, drama, brainstorming, concept / mind mapping, problem-based learning, oral presentation.

Multimedia Teaching Aids

Online simulations, animations and video clips. DVDs.
Software programs such as Google Earth and Stellarium. Shared documents on Google Drive.
Use of smartphone, ipad apps and Webcams for recording images/ sound in video or still format.

Assessment

Diagnostic: Ongoing informal assessment is used to test the level of skills acquired previously.
Formative: Oral questioning and discussion – pupil to pupil or pupil to teacher during class discussion, individual work, group work and practical work
Summative: Tests on course content and skills.
Formative and/or Summative:
Self and peer assessment of group projects and other assignments.
Research and design of projects.
Presentations.
Written assignments including creation of graphs, tables, diagrams, booklets, stories.
Tests and quizzes on course content and skills.
Manipulative skills.

Suggested Learning Strategies

To be active, engaged participants during the course.
Establish a balance between collaborative learning with peers and individual effort.
Develop a curiosity about scientific events and phenomena.
Explore interests in science from various sources (museums, apps, books, magazines, internet, experts)
Discussion with friends and family about scientific interests and classwork.
Review and organise their classwork regularly.

Average weekly home study time

Between 30 min and 1 hour.

Cross-curricular activities

The nature of the science course itself is interdisciplinary encompassing the major branches of science as well as technology.
Projects with other departments may be developed according to the teacher.