PRIMARY SCIENCE

CONTENTOF

SYLLABUS

(PRIMARY 5)

Themes Core Lower Block *(P3-P4)

Core Upper Block **(P5-P6)

Diversity Diversity of living and non-living things (General characteristics & classification)

Diversity of materials

Cycles Cycle in plants and animals (Life cycles)

Cycle in matter and water (Matter)

Cycle in plants and animals (Reproduction)

Cycle in matter and water (Water)

Systems Plant System (Plant parts and functions)

Human System (Digestive system)

Plant System (Respiratory & circulatory systems)

Human System (Respiratory & circulatory systems)

Cell System

Electrical System

Interaction Interaction of forces (Magnets) Interaction of forces (Frictional force, gravitational force, force in springs)

Interaction within the environment

Energy Energy Forms and Uses (Light and heat) Energy Forms and Uses (Photosynthesis)

Energy Conversion

Organisation of Syllabus Organisation of Syllabus - (- (Themes)Themes)

Note: Underlined topics are excluded in the Foundation syllabus

Materials

Lower Block (P3 and P4)

Variety & Characteristics of Living Things

Matter

Magnets

Life Cycles of Plants & Animals

Light Heat

Plant Parts & Functions

Respiratory & Circulatory System

Reproduction in plants & animals

Electrical System

Forms of Energy & conversions

ForcesEnvironmentalImpact

Ecology

Cells

Upper Block (P5 and P6)

Contents of Syllabus Contents of Syllabus - - Deletions and ShiftsDeletions and Shifts

Simple Machines

Classification of Organisms & Materials

Day & Night Cycles

Lower Block (P3 & P4)Upper Block (P5 & P6)

Removed

Digestive & SkeletalMuscularSystem

SkeletalMuscular

WaterShift to Upper Block

Shift to Upper Block

Diversity

Cycles

Systems

Interaction

Energy Photosynthesis & Respiration

Skills which Pupils need for Science

Skills

Processes

ObservationComparingClassifyingUsing apparatus and equipment (Refined)Communicating (verbal, pictorial)Communicating (tabular)Communicating (graphical)

AnalysingGenerating possibilities (Refined)Evaluating

Creative problem solving

Decision-making

Investigation

Lower Block (P3 and P4)

Upper Block (P5 and P6)

Contents of Syllabus Contents of Syllabus - - Skill CoverageSkill Coverage

Inferring (Refined)

Formulating Hypothesis (Refined)

Predicting (Refined)

Curiosity

Creativity

Integrity

Objectivity

Open-mindedness

Perseverance

Responsibility

Lower Block (P3 and P4)

Upper Block (P5 and P6)

Contents of the Syllabus Contents of the Syllabus - - Attitude CoverageAttitude Coverage

Assessment component of Science

Section A (MCQ) - 60% 30 questions 2 marks each

Section B –( Open ended question)-40%14 questions

Duration of paper: 1h 45min

Example 1Example 1Four identical plants are put at four different locations where the temperatures are different. The rate of water loss at each location for each plant is given in the table below.

Temperature of place (C) Amount of water loss per min (g)

30 5

24 1

35 6

28 3

What relationship do you see between the amount of water loss and the temperature of the places where the plants are placed?

Temperature of place (C) Amount of water loss per min (g)

30 5

24 1

35 6

28 3

Study the data provided and look fora pattern to describe the relationship.

Example 2Example 2One day, Connie conducted an experiment to find out the period of the day when the air contained the most dust.

She asked her father to park his car in the car park.The car was left in the car park without being moved or cleaned for twenty-four hours.

Connie recorded the appearance of the windscreen of the car at different periods of the day.

She concluded that the air contained the most dust between 12 midnight and 8 am. Her father told her that her experiment was not a fair one.

(a) What should Connie do to make her experiment a fair one? [1]

(b) Give a reason for your answer in (a). [1]

How can we develop theseskills in our pupils

Organisation of Syllabus Organisation of Syllabus - - OverviewOverview

Current (2001) Syllabus

Revised (2008) Syllabus

Designed for 80% of the curriculum time

20% freed up time White Space

Examinable at PSLE

Non-examinable at PSLE

This 80% includes the knowledge, skills and attitudes that all students should acquire.

The 20% freed up curriculum time, known as the white space, is to enable teachers to use more engaging teaching and learning approaches, and/or to implement customised school-based programmes as long as the aims of the syllabus are met.

Hands On Tasks

Teaching by Inquiry

Eco-trail

Learning Journeys

CCAs

Learning activities and teaching strategies that promote inquiry

Concept Mapping

Cooperative Learning

Field Trip

i

Investigation Projects

Ethics & Attitudes

I T

Demo

Demo

Problem Solving

?

Questioning

NE

NE

Experiential Learning

In-House Eco-trailExperiential Learning in the school

Trails will start from Term 2, across all levels (p1-6).

Out-of-school LJsLearning journeys are also planned outside school when the opportunity arises for rich learning to take place.

CCAs that promoteScience and process skills

Hands on LearningProcess

Einstein ClubGuide pupils to become good scientists

Green ClubPupils learn about the environment and their roles in the world

Hands on Tasks (T2) + Practical Test (T3)

Robotics Club Develop logical thinking skills through programming

How can YOU help your Child in Science?

Some ideasEncourage your child to join school organised

science activitiesScience related CCAsEncourage them to question about daily

phenomena at home and getting answers from reliable sources.

Some ideasEncourage them to watch science

programmes (Discovery, Animal Planet)Bring them to the Science CentreBring them to parks and the zoo