Curriculum Information

The content of this course aligns with the core science components of the WJEC Double Award Science GCSE. The content and assessment link to the aims of new Curriculum for Wales:
• Ambitious and Capable Learners – developing skills to learn
• Enterprising and Creative – solving problems and using this in their work
• Ethical and Informed Citizens – understanding their rights and responsibilities and taking care of the World
• Healthy and Confident – aware of having healthy minds and bodies.
The chosen areas also align with the Statements of What Matters in the Science and Technology Area of Learning and Experience. The cross-cutting skills of literacy, numeracy and digital technology will be embedded.

Students will be expected to have a grade D in GCSE Applied Science or Double Award Science or equivalent.

BIOLOGY
CELLS AND MOVEMENT ACROSS CELL MEMBRANES
• Structure of animal and plant cells
• Diffusion and osmosis
• Enzymes
RESPIRATION AND THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM IN HUMANS
• Aerobic and anaerobic respiration
DIGESTION AND THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM IN HUMANS
• The structure of the human digestive system
• Digestive products of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
• The need for a balanced diet.
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN HUMANS
• The structure and function of the four main parts of blood: red cells, platelets, plasma, white cells.
• Capillaries.
PLANTS AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• The importance of photosynthesis whereby green plants and other photosynthetic organisms use chlorophyll to absorb light energy and convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, producing oxygen as a by-product; and be able to state the word equation for photosynthesis
Practical activities:
• Production of labelled scientific diagrams from observation
• Investigation of the energy content of foods
• Investigation of the factors affecting photosynthesis

CHEMISTRY
THE NATURE OF SUBSTANCES AND CHEMICAL REACTIONS
• Elements, mixtures and compounds.
• Chemical symbols and formulae.
• Chromatography and Rf values.
• Chemical reactions and equations.
ATOMIC STRUCTURE AND THE PERIODIC TABLE
• The electronic structure of the first 20 elements.
• How the electronic structure of any element is related to its position in the Periodic Table.
• The test used to identify hydrogen gas
THE EVER-CHANGING EARTH
• The roles of respiration, combustion and photosynthesis in the maintenance of the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
• The environmental effects and consequences of the emission of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere through the combustion of fossil fuels.
• The tests used to identify oxygen gas and carbon dioxide gas.

Practical activities:
• Modelling atomic structure
• Separation techniques including chromatography
• Observation of the test used to identify hydrogen gas oxygen gas and carbon dioxide gas

PHYSICS
ELECTRIC CIRCUITS
• Symbols for components.
• Series and Parallel circuits.
• Ohm’s Law
GENERATING ELECTRICITY
• Renewable and non-renewable energy technologies
• The National Grid.
MAKING USE OF ENERGY
• Conduction, convection and radiation.
• Density and states of matter
• Energy loss from houses and methods for reducing energy loss.
FEATURES OF WAVES
• The description of a wave in terms of amplitude, wavelength (λ), frequency (f) and wave speed (v).
• the equations: wave speed = wavelength × frequency; v f = λ and speed = distance/time applied to the motion of waves, including electromagnetic waves
• Refraction.
• Electromagnetic Spectrum.
Practical activities:
• Investigation of the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics for a component from data provided.
• Investigation of the methods of heat transfer
• Determination of the density of liquids and solids (regular and irregular)

The practical activities provide the opportunity to demonstrate an ability to work scientifically. This will include experimental skills and strategies and skills in analysis and evaluation.

Students will carry out experimental tasks at home, recording and analysing their results. The work will be submitted as a vlog.

Equipment
Students will need the following equipment, some of which is expected they will have at home.

• Option 1: the department buys in bulk and students buy a pack (approx. £10 per pack)
• Option 2: students source their own equipment (approx. £30)

• Thermometer
• Sodium bicarbonate
• Jam jars
• Test tubes
• Funnel
• Elodea or similar pond weed available from pet shops
• 3 plants of the same type and size in plant pots (e.g. dandelions and yoghurt pots)
• Chromatography paper
• Water soluble coloured pens (or food colouring)
• Playdough or similar (3 different colours)
• Cocktail sticks
• Polystyrene cups
• Measuring jug
• Kitchen scales