Science

Download the Science Long Term Curriculum Plan for Years 7-11. An overview of the curriculum is shown below.

Science curriculum journey

Click on the image to open a pdf version.

Key Stage 3 at Harris Boys’ takes place over years 7, 8 and 9. Our vision for Science at Harris Boys is to ensure that our students are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to answer scientific questions about the world around them.

In the process, this should fuel curiosity and promote independence when understanding the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. Our curriculum in Key Stage 3 aims to give students a strong foundation of the basics of science, giving them the opportunity to build on their knowledge by revisiting topics in more depth each year.

This builds our students’ confidence in being able to think and like a scientist and allows them to access and understand a wealth of information they can apply to the world around them.

Year 7 Science

The curriculum begins by looking at the basics of science such as cells, atoms and forces and builds on these over time so that students are able to understand more complex topics such as reproduction and acids and alkalis.

This allows students to build links to topics learnt at the start of the year and apply prior knowledge to new contexts. The content is included because it allows students to access information about themselves, and about the world around them.

Some students may not have experienced our subject at their primary school, so will come to us with very little knowledge in science. This is why it's important to include topics such as movement, human reproduction, universe and earth structure for students to grasp that science is applicable to their everyday lives and foster an interest in science so they may go on to make informed decisions about the world around them.

It also develops their skills because students will be working like scientists from Year 7. They will be able to plan investigations that allow them to draw valid conclusions from data they have collected and will be able to critically reflect upon their own conclusions to make an informed decision, using what they have learnt in lessons.

The following topics are taught in Year 7

• Lab Safety
• Movement
• Particles
• Gravity
• Cells
• Speed
• Light
• Elements
• Variation
• Acids and Alkalis
• Human Reproduction
• Sound
• Energy
• Current
• Earth’s Structure

Year 8 Science

Our Year 8 curriculum builds on the knowledge learnt in Year 7 and introduces new concepts such as magnetism and chemical reactions and applies them to a wider context. 

The content is included because it allows students to learn about topics contextually important to them, for example health and human reproduction. We have also chosen topics that take into consideration the wider interests of students, such as space physics. Other topics, such as the atmosphere, are particularly important for students growing up in society today, especially in a city rife with pollution. 

It develops the skills because it provides a wide range of activities that allow students to access a wealth of knowledge and information. This allows students over the course of Year 8 to come to their own informed decisions about topics such as health, and construct their own explanations of abstract topics using prior knowledge from Year 7.

The following topics are taught in Year 8:

• Energy transfers
• Periodic Table
• Metals and non-metals
• Breathing
• Digestion
• Forces
• Pressure
• Respiration
• Photosynthesis
• Work
• Chemical Energy
• Magnetism
• Electromagnets

Year 9 Science

The curriculum begins by addressing any misconceptions students have from Year 7 and Year 8. These topics have been drawn from the question level analysis of the end of Year 7 and 8 assessments for this cohort of students so that misconceptions are addressed and any knowledge/skills gaps closed before students commence the Year 9 curriculum.

The curriculum begins by looking at the basics of science such as cells and atoms, before moving on to more complex topics such as the periodic table and chemical bonding. For example, students will need to know about the structure and development of an atom before they can understand electronic structure of elements which is taught during the periodic table topic in Term 2B.

The content is included because it will allow students to develop curiosity about the natural world, give them insight into working scientifically, and it will help them appreciate the relevance of science to their everyday lives. It will also allow students to deepen their understanding of the key five concepts in Science (Cells, Energy, Interdependence, Forces and Particles) before they become increasingly specialised topics at Key Stage 4. It will develop scientific thinking, improve experimental skills and strategies, encourage data to be analysed and evaluated and develop the use of scientific vocabulary throughout.

The following topics are taught in year 9:

• Waves
• Speed and Acceleration
• Electricity
• Nutrition and Digestion
• Energetics
• Chemical Bonding
• Diffusion and Osmosis
• Density and Changing States
• The Circulatory System
• Radioactivity

Details will be added soon.

Year 7, 8 and 9 homework

For our Key Stage 3 students, all homework will be set on www.educake.co.uk. Homework is set every other week, and will be set on both current and previous topics that students are learning. Please download a document about how to use Educake.

Year 10 and 11 homework

For our key stage four students, all homework will be set using Microsoft Teams. Homework is set every other week, and each homework will focus on one of the three sciences. Your son/ward can access Microsoft Teams using their school email address and password.

Extra-curricular science at HBAED aims to enrich and support the learning that has taken place in the classroom as well as sparking curiosity for the world around us.

By linking Science Club directly to the curriculum, students can investigate familiar topics in greater depths. We try to cover a wide range of activities to develop skills in science, engineering and technology.

Students have designed ‘robotic’ arms that used similar mechanisms to some prosthetic limbs linking directly to their studies of the human body. Similarly, students have investigated distance, speed and time by exploring the different designs of paper airplanes and carry out experiments to discover how the design will influence the plane's ability to fly.

Science Club allows students to consider the uses and implication of science in our everyday lives today and in the future.

Some examples of experiments students have carried out:

• Making robotic arms
• Heart dissections
• Making plastic from starch
• Catapults
• Elephant Toothpaste
• Homopolar Motors

BBC Bitesize

• KS3 Biology http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/z4882hv
• KS3 Chemistry http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/znxtyrd
• KS3 Physics http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zh2xsbk
•  KS4 Biology http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/z9ddmp3
• KS4 Chemistry http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zs6hvcw
• KS4 Physics http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zh2xsbk

YouTube Channels

• Veritasseum
• VSauce
• ASAPScience
• SLowmo guys
• Mythbusters
• SciShow
• CrashCourse
• KhanAcademy
• MinutePhysics
• Periodic videos
• TED-Ed
• Mental Floss
• MyGCSE Science (subscription required for Additional/Further Additional Science content)

Good Books

• A Short History of Almost Everything, Bill Bryson
• The Magic of Reality, Richard Dawkins
• Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind, by Yuval Noah Harari
• Bad Science, by Ben Goldacre
• Science, The Definitive Visual Guide
• Question Everything

Places to go in the holidays or at the weekends

• Science Museum http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
• Natural History Museum http://www.nhm.ac.uk/
• Royal Observatory Greenwich http://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory
• Hunterian Museum https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums/hunterian
• Old Operating Theatre Museum http://thegarret.org.uk

Other resources

BBC Radio 4 Podcasts

• In our time
• BBC Inside Science
• The Infinite Monkey Cage

Magazines (many back issues available to borrow from the science office)

• New Scientist
• BBC Focus
• How things Work

Monthly Public Astronomy Meetings

• http://www.bakerstreetastro.org/

Royal Institution

• http://www.rigb.org/

Whether you end up studying A-level biology, chemistry or physics, a degree in science or go straight into the workplace at the age of 16, you’re likely to use your science knowledge regularly.

Attributes developed during science lessons

Analytical skills – The ability to analyse and critically evaluate information is an essential skill that can be applied to every role, be it in a scientific career or elsewhere.

Communication – Good verbal and written communication skills are essential in order to deliver and understand information quickly and accurately. It is a life skill that is vital both in and out of the workplace.

Teamwork – Regardless of the career path you choose, you will be required to work well as part of a team. Working together on experiments and to complete written work means you will be well prepared for later life.

Predicting – Being able to call upon previous observations and experiences to predict the outcome of a new situation is a skill you’ll be required to use day-to-day in every career.

Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical engineers apply engineering principles and materials technology to healthcare.

In this role, you'll research, design and develop medical products, such as joint replacements or robotic surgical instruments, design or modify equipment for clients with special needs in a rehabilitation setting or manage the use of clinical equipment in hospitals and the community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlnZpv713V4&safe=active

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/biomedical-engineer

Crime Scene Investigator

As a crime scene investigator, you'll be involved in securing and protecting crime scenes, and collecting evidence from crime scenes, post-mortems and other incidents, such as fires and suspicious deaths.

You'll also be responsible for processing and categorising evidence, so that it can be used in criminal investigations. This might include gathering photographic evidence or physical samples from the scene, such as weapons, fingerprints, clothing or biological evidence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVdfpY6ovVc&safe=active

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/crime-scene-investigator

Sport Therapist

Sports therapists use a range of techniques and modalities to make sure people involved in sport and exercise are training and competing safely.

You'll provide an immediate response when sport and exercise-related injuries occur and will rehabilitate the patient back to full fitness. You'll also provide advice and support to help prevent injuries from happening in the first place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmSBdXItT9g&safe=active

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/sports-therapist

Marine Biologist

Marine biology is the study of all aspects of life in the sea and the environment on which it depends. This includes marine plants, animals and other organisms, both vertebrate and invertebrate, in deep oceans, shallow seas and the laboratory. The main aims of marine biology are to improve understanding of the marine world and to understand and predict changes in ecosystems affected by human and natural disturbances.

Marine biology is a broad-ranging career. You could go into field work, academic research, laboratory work, consulting, charity, outreach or policy making.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqgwuL07JtI&safe=active

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/marine-biologist