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Science

“The Science of today is the technology of tomorrow.”  

E. Teller


Why does ice float? What powers your world? How can you make a rabbit glow in the dark? How are humans solar-powered? This is Science at Hyde, where students will learn the answers to these questions and so much more. They will get the opportunity to learn the basic principles of Biology, Chemistry and Physics during years 7-9, followed by the choice to follow either double or triple award Science at GCSE, guided throughout by a team of specialist teachers. We look forward to welcoming you into the world of Science. 

KS3 Science

Year 7

Year 7 Science

During Year 7 in Science, students will cover the following topics;

  • Skeletons
  • Cells
  • Particles
  • Energy
  • Reproduction
  • Periodic Table
  • Electricity
  • Organisms
  • Acids and Alkalis
  • Sound

Cells

Cells gives an overview of animal and plant cell structure, looking into how cells specialise for specific tasks.

Particles

Particles gives an overview of particle theory. The properties of solids, liquids and gases are explored. Students also look at the behaviour of particles during state changes, diffusion and dilution.

Energy

Energy is all around us but how does it transfer and change?  We look at energy systems and how we quantify the energy in the system.  Using domestic situations we compare how different devices use energy in differing amounts and how much this will cost us.  How does this impact on both the materials chosen for the job and overall energy and fuel resources?

Reproduction

Students will learn about reproduction in humans   including the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems, menstrual cycle, fertilisation, gestation and birth. Students will also learn about reproduction in plants.

Periodic Table

Students will learn the difference between atoms, elements, mixtures and compounds. Students will also explore the history and development of the periodic table of elements.

Electricity

Electricity is all around us in our gadgets and devices, but what is it?  How do we measure it and how do circuits work. We will investigate electrical current, how it flows in circuits and factors and components that can affect it.  We also explore why some materials are able to conduct electricity and some are not.

Organisms

Students will learn about relationships in different ecosystems, human food security.

Acids and Alkalis

Students will explore the difference between chemical and physical changes. Students also will learn about the reactions of acids and alkalis.

Sound

Investigating the phenomenon of sound; how does it get to us, how do we humans detect it, why is thunder always after lightning?  What factors affect how a sound is experienced by us and how fast does it travel in different materials? Just some of the questions we aim to investigate.

Skeleton

The skeleton topic gives an introduction to the structure and functions of the human skeleton and the interaction between the skeleton and muscles.

Year 8

During Year 8

in Science, students will cover the following topics;

  • Unicellular Organisms
  • Respiration and Exercise
  • Separating Techniques
  • Light
  • Digestion
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Motion Forces
  • Genetics
  • Heat
  • Space

Respiration and Exercise

Students will learn about the circulatory system and blood. This will be followed by how we breathe and how we use the oxygen taken in to provide energy through the process of respiration.

Separating techniques

Students will learn about how you can separate different mixtures using: filtration, evaporation, chromatography and distillation.

Light

Using equipment we can model how the eye and simple cameras captures light and focus it.  We investigate how different surfaces affect light in different ways and how light travels from sources.  Why do we see colours?

Digestion

Students will learn about a healthy balanced diet, deficiency diseases, and the structure and function of the digestive system.

Chemical reactions

Students will explore different chemical reactions and will learn why and how they happen.  Students will also explore combustion and learn about the impact of global warming on our planet.

Motion Forces

Pushing and pulling are forces. How could we show them on diagrams and how can we work out the size of them?  How do they affect motion?

Genetics

Students will learn about variation, inheritance and the development of  the DNA model.

Heat

Why do some objects feel hot and some don’t?  How does the heat move from one object to another when they heat up and cool down?  Can the movement be made easier or harder with the materials we use? 

Space

Where exactly does Earth exist in the vastness of Space? How far away are we from other bodies in space and what are they like?  Did you know the Earth’s position affects the length of the day during the year and why we have seasons?

Unicellular Organisms

Students will explore the world of the very small, looking at unicellular organisms and some of the processes going on inside them.

Year 9

Year 9 Science

During Year 9 in Science, students will cover the following topics;

  • Physics Concepts
  • Plants
  • Metal Reactions
  • Electricity II
  • Action Forces
  • Rocks
  • Biological Concepts
  • Chemical Concepts

Plants

Students will observe animal and plant cells and learn about their structures. The topic also covers photosynthesis and respiration in plants.

Metal Reactions

Students will learn about different properties of metals and non-metals. Students will then explore different metal reactions and link this to reactivity.

Electricity II

Developing our understanding of the workings of electrical circuits through models  we look at resistance and how to calculate it. We look at what electricity produces as it flows through a wire when straight and when coiled which will lead us into investigating electromagnets.

Action Forces

Pushing, pulling, squashing, stretching and turning.  All these actions on objects are forces. How could we show them on diagrams and how can we work out the size of them?  What factors work to try and stop them working efficiently? Do force fields only exist in Star TrekⓇ or are they real?

Rocks

Students will learn about the difference between the three main types of rock. They will also learn about how they are formed in different ways and how this links to their properties.

Biological Concepts

This forms a transition unit between KS3 and KS4 Biology. It revises key concepts learnt across all years of KS3 in preparation for the GCSE course starting in year 10.

Chemical Concepts

This forms a transition unit between KS3 and KS4 Chemistry. It revises key concepts learnt across all years of KS3 in preparation for the GCSE course starting in year 10.

Physics Concepts

This forms a transition unit between KS3 and KS4 Physics. It revises key concepts learnt across all years of KS3 in preparation for the GCSE course starting in year 10.

Useful links to resources

KS4 Science

GCSE Biology

Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology 

Biology is offered as part of the separate Science qualification. Students will need to choose separate Science as an option to do this and this course of study will lead to 3 separate GCSE qualifications in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Paper 1
The topics for paper 1 are covered in Year 10. Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of the qualification (100 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts in biology
Topic 2 – Cells and control
Topic 3 – Genetics
Topic 4 – Natural selection and genetic modification
Topic 5 – Health, disease and the development of medicines

Paper 2
The topics for paper 2 are covered in Year 11. Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of the qualification (100 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts in biology
Topic 6 – Plant structures and their functions
Topic 7 – Animal coordination, control and homeostasis
Topic 8 – Exchange and transport in animals
Topic 9 – Ecosystems and material cycles

Useful Links

GCSE Chemistry

Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Chemistry 

Chemistry is offered as part of the separate Science qualification. Students will need to choose separate Science as an option to do this and this course of study will lead to 3 separate GCSE qualifications in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Paper 1
The topics for paper 1 are covered in Year 10. Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of the qualification (100 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts in chemistry
Topic 2 – States of matter and mixtures
Topic 3 – Chemical changes
Topic 4 – Extracting metals and equilibria
Topic 5 – Separate chemistry 1

Paper 2
The topics for paper 2 are covered in Year 11. Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of the qualification (100 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts in chemistry
Topic 6 – Groups in the periodic table
Topic 7 – Rates of reaction and energy changes
Topic 8 – Fuels and Earth science
Topic 9 – Separate chemistry 2

Useful Links

GCSE Physics

Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Physics 

Physics is offered as part of the separate Science qualification. Students will need to choose separate Science as an option to do this and this course of study will lead to 3 separate GCSE qualifications in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Paper 1
The topics for paper 1 are covered in Year 10. Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of the qualification (100 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics
Topic 2 – Motion and forces
Topic 3 – Conservation of energy
Topic 4 – Waves
Topic 5 – Light and the electromagnetic spectrum
Topic 6 – Radioactivity
Topic 7 – Astronomy

Paper 2
The topics for paper 2 are covered in Year 11. Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of the qualification (100 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics
Topic 8 – Energy – Forces doing work
Topic 9 – Forces and their effects
Topic 10 – Electricity and circuits
Topic 11 – Static electricity
Topic 12 – Magnetism and the motor effect
Topic 13 – Electromagnetic induction
Topic 14 – Particle model
Topic 15 – Forces and matter

Useful Links

GCSE Combined Science

Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Combined Science 

All students study combined Science unless they have chosen separate Science as an option. The Combined Science qualification will lead to 2 separate GCSE qualifications in Science. Students will sit six papers studied over the course of two years;

  • Paper 1 – Biology 1 (studied in Year 10)
  • Paper 2 – Biology 2 (studied in Year 11)
  • Paper 3 – Chemistry 1 (studied in Year 10)
  • Paper 4 – Chemistry 2 (studied in Year 11)
  • Paper 5  – Physics 1 (studied in Year 10)
  • Paper 6  – Physics 2 (studied in Year 11)

Paper 1: Biology 1 – Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes
16.67% of the qualification (60 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts in biology
Topic 2 – Cells and control
Topic 3 – Genetics
Topic 4 – Natural selection and genetic modification
Topic 5 – Health, disease and the development of medicines

Paper 2: Biology 2  – Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes
16.67% of the qualification (60 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts in biology
Topic 6 – Plant structures and their functions
Topic 7 – Animal coordination, control and homeostasis
Topic 8 – Exchange and transport in animals
Topic 9 – Ecosystems and material cycles

Paper 3: Chemistry 1 – Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes
16.67% of the qualification (60 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts in chemistry
Topic 2 – States of matter and mixtures
Topic 3 – Chemical changes
Topic 4 – Extracting metals and equilibria

Paper 4: Chemistry 2  – Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes
16.67% of the qualification (60 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts in chemistry
Topic 6 – Groups in the periodic table
Topic 7 – Rates of reaction and energy changes
Topic 8 – Fuels and Earth science

Paper 5: Physics 1  – Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes
16.67% of the qualification (60 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics
Topic 2 – Motion and forces
Topic 3 – Conservation of energy
Topic 4 – Waves
Topic 5 – Light and the electromagnetic spectrum
Topic 6 – Radioactivity

Paper 6: Physics 2  – Written examination: 1 hour and 10 minutes
16.67% of the qualification (60 marks)

Content overview
Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics
Topic 8 – Energy – Forces doing work
Topic 9 – Forces and their effects
Topic 10 – Electricity and circuits
Topic 12 – Magnetism and the motor effect
Topic 13 – Electromagnetic induction
Topic 14 – Particle model
Topic 15 – Forces and matter

Useful Links

Science Teachers

Teachers

Mrs A Harley
Subject Leader of Science

Mr H Machin
Assistant Subject Leader of Science

Mrs J Halliwell
Assistant Subject Leader of Science

Miss N Master
Assistant Subject Leader of Science

Mrs S Cunliffe
Teacher of Science

Mrs S Jishi
Teacher of Science

Miss E Mayers
Teacher of Science

Mr C Shakarchy
Teacher of Science

Miss A Udoewa
Teacher of Science

Miss A Piddington
Teacher of Science

Miss E Villacampa
Teacher of Science

Mr M Roberts
Science HLTA

Old Road, Hyde,
Cheshire, SK14 4SP
T: 0161 366 7533
E: [email protected]