Science The word science comes from the Latin “scientia”, meaning knowledge. What does that really mean? Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena. What is the purpose of science? Perhaps the most general description is that the purpose of science is to produce useful models of reality. Triple Science You have the option to study all three separate science subjects: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Each separate GCSE has been developed with the advice of learned societies, science advisers and teachers to stimulate interest in science and provide an excellent grounding in preparation for further study at A Level and beyond. At the end of the course, three separate GCSE qualifications are gained in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Biology Biology is a fascinating and exciting subject. From the intricate design of individual cells to the vast and varying habitats on the planet, a study of Biology will help you to understand why DNA is so amazing and how we fit into the world around us. Without Biology, there would be fewer medicines to cure diseases, less food and many of the planet’s plants and animals would have become extinct. Pick up a newspaper and Biology will never be far from the headlines, from stem cell research and MRSA, to the clearing of rainforests. This course will help you understand the issues involved and allow you to be able to weigh up the scientific evidence presented in order to answer the questions which are being asked of Biologists every day. What you will study The topics covered will include: Cell Activity, Tissues, Organs and Organ Systems, Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins and Enzymes, Human Biology, Homeostasis, Infectious Diseases, Plants as Organisms, Variation and Inheritance, Adaptation and Interdependence, Evolution, Energy and Biomass in Food Chains. Chemistry “For me, Chemistry represented an indefinite cloud of future potentialities which enveloped my life to come in black volutes torn by fiery flashes, like those which had hidden Mount Sinai. Like Moses, from that cloud I expected my law, the principle of order in me, around me, and in the world. I would watch the buds swell in spring, the mica glint in the granite, my own hands, and I would say to myself: 1 1 1 will understand this, too, I will understand everything.” (Primo Levi) This quotation from Primo Levi sums up beautifully the idea that Chemistry is a continually evolving subject, which allows us to understand the world better and that there is always something new to be discovered. It involves investigating the world around us in order to predict what might happen when one chemical collides with another. The skills required to do this enhance
progress in all walks of life such as the production of new medicines, the synthesis of molecules to conserve raw materials, the search for alternatives to fossil fuels and much more. What you will study The topics covered will include: Trends within the Periodic Table, Purifying Water, Energy from Reactions, Analysing Substances, Making Ammonia, Alcohols, Carboxylic Acids, and Esters. Physics The word Physics is derived from the Greek translation of “ta physika”, natural things. It is the natural world that surrounds us in our daily lives that Physics tries to describe, often mathematically. Whether we are observing distant galaxies or subatomic particles, we try to understand how they work and make predictions about future outcomes. Physicists are curious people, excited by physical phenomena, not introverted and only interested in human experience. All the inventions and technology that make up our busy lives and have helped make our nation so innovative and productive come from Physics. Physics is not only in engineering and technology, Physics is everywhere: in music, media, art and literature. Look at the world around you in a new way; think Physics! What you will study The topics covered will include: Forces and their Effects, Turning Moments, Hydraulics, Wave Properties, The Electromagnetic Spectrum, Electricity, Optics, Red Shift, Ultrasound, Heat Processes and Star Life Cycle. How you will be assessed in Triple Science You will take two, equally weighted, 1 hour 45 minutes examinations in each subject at the end of Year 11 (six papers in all). Examinations are the only means of assessment. Trilogy Science In Trilogy Science, you will study all three major branches of science: Biology, Chemistry and Physics and gain two GCSEs on completion. This award gives you an excellent foundation in overall Science so the option of taking A Level in a science subject is still available. What you will study Topics studied broadly cover those in Triple Science and include Plants as Organisms, Evolution, Rates of Reaction, Crude Oils and Fuel, and Nuclear Physics. How you will be assessed in Trilogy Science The course is assessed in a linear format by six 1 hour examinations, two papers of equal weighting in each of Biology, Chemistry and Physics i.e. six papers each worth 16.67% of the total marks. There is no Controlled Assessment.
Examination Board – AQA Core Subject: Either via Separate Science Pathway or Triology Science Pathway 20 NEWCASTLE HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS GDST
