Science — Year 8

 

Science Overview

Term 1: Organisms

Understanding the structures of the respiratory system, students will learn about gas exchange in the lungs. They will investigate changes in lung volume and also interpret data on lung volumes. Students will then learn about the digestive system and the components of a healthy diet.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 3: Matter

Students will study patterns in the Periodic table and will understand similarities and differences between elements in different groups and periods. They will progress to looking at the properties of compounds and mixtures and make prediction about the behaviour of substances.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

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Term 2: Reactions

Students will develop ideas studied in Year 7 and will learn about endothermic and exothermic reactions. They will then look at changes in mass during physical processes and chemical changes.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

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Term 4: Forces

Students will develop their knowledge of forces by studying contact forces such as friction and drag. They will look at compression and stretching of different materials. They will also learn about pressure in different substances and explain observations where the effects of forces are different because of differences in the area over which they apply.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 5: Genes

Students will look at the theories of evolution and will learn about the ecological pressures placed on different species. They will learn about the genetic make-up of organisms as they gain an understanding of genetic inheritance and how this produces variation within and amongst species.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

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Term 3: Energy

Work done and energy transfer are studied in this topic. Students will learn about input forces and output forces and will look at the use of levers and pulleys. Students will also study thermal energy and will lean how methods of thermal insulation work in terms of conduction, convection and radiation.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

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Term 5: Electromagnets

Students will study electromagnetism and look at the use of solenoids and current in changing the strength of an electromagnet. They will also look at magnet fields and make predictions about magnetic materials.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 1: Earth

Climate is the focus of this unit and students will learn about the contribution that natural and human chemical processes make to our carbon dioxide emissions. They will also learn about the structure of the Earth and the methods used for extraction of different resources.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

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Term 2: Waves

Students will learn about different wave types. They will learn about the electromagnetic spectrum and will study the effects of different waves on objects and cells of the human body. Students will also use the wave model to explain observations of the reflection, absorption and transmission of waves.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

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Term 4: Ecosystem

Students will study the processes of respiration and photosynthesis. They will study aerobic and anaerobic respiration and will look at the adaptations of plants for carrying out photosynthesis.

A short summative assessment will be sat after each block of two units.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 6: Working Scientifically

Students will develop key skills need for planning and carrying out successful scientific investigations. They will also spend time enhancing their mathematical skills.

Practical planning and completion of scientific investigations.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community: