Science Session for Parents2019 - Upper Block
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Coverage of Workshop
Upper Primary Science syllabus and Bloom's revised
taxonomy
Scientific method (for answering science questions)
Strategies in helping your child to revise Science
Interesting websites on Science
Common misconceptions and difficulties faced by students
Answering higher order thinking questions
Q & A session
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
The Primary Science Syllabus aims to:
- provide primary students with
experiences
basic scientific terms and concepts
opportunities to develop skills, habits of mind and
attitudes necessary for scientific inquiry
- prepare students towards using scientific knowledge and
methods in making personal decisions
- help students appreciate how science influences people
and the environment
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Source: CPDD
Knowledge, Understanding
and ApplicationSkills and Processes Ethics and Attitudes
Scientific phenomena, facts,
concepts and principles
Scientific vocabulary,
terminology and conventions
Scientific instruments and
apparatus including techniques
and aspects of safety
Scientific and technological
applications
Skills
Observing
Classifying
Using apparatus and equipment
Communicating
Comparing
Inferring
Formulating
hypothesis
Predicting
Analysing
Generating
possibilities
Evaluating
Processes
Creative problem solving
Decision-making
Investigation
Curiosity
Creativity
Integrity
Objectivity
Open mindedness
Perseverance
Responsibility
Process Skills in Primary Science
• Observing
• Comparing
• Classifying
• Using apparatus and equipment
• Communicating
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
• Inferring
• Predicting
• Analysing
• Generating possibilities
• Evaluating
• Formulating hypothesis
Process Skills in Primary Science
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Processes are complex operations which call upon
the use of several skills.
At the primary level, the processes expected of
students are:
• Creative Problem Solving
• Decision-Making
• Investigation
Process Skills in Primary Science
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Coverage of the Syllabus
Four themes
EnergySystemsCycles Interactions
Primary 5 Primary 6
Reproduction
of plants and
animals
Water cycle
Respiratory and
Circulatory
systems (plants
and humans)
Cell system*
Electrical system
Energy forms*
and uses
(Photosynthesis)
Energy
Conversion*
Interaction of
forces
Interactions within
the environment
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
The Primary Science Syllabus
Where do
we get a
copy of the
2014
syllabus?
MOE website: http://www.moe.gov.sg/MOE website Parents Syllabuses Sciences 2008 Science
(Primary) SyllabusSchool of Excellence, Individuals of Character
PSLE coverage
Topics: All topics from P3 to P6
Format of paper – P5/P6 (Standard Science) :
Section A 56m (28 MCQs)
Section B 44m (13/14 Open-ended)
Format of paper – P6 (Foundation Science) :
Section A 36m (18 MCQs)
Section B 14m (6 Fill-in-the-blanks)
Section C 20m (7-8 Open-ended)
Types of questions :
1) Knowledge with application
2) Process skills related
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
What are the steps in theScientific Method?
School of Excellence, Individuals of CharacterSchool of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Variable 1
Variable 2
Variable 3
Variable 4
Variable 5
Outcome/result
Scientific
methodIndependent variable
(variable tested)
Dependent variable
(measurement /
observation)
Variables
that are kept
constant
(Constants)
Fair test
Control set-up
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Aim: To see how variable 1 affects
the resultsConclusion: About how did variable 1 affect the results
Hypothesis
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Revising Science
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Helping your child to revise Science Importance of key concepts / ideas
Strategies for recall
Mnemonics
Mind maps / concept maps
Hands-on with mnemonics and concept maps/mind maps
Online resources for drawing concept maps and mind maps
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Importance of key concepts and ideas
Key ideas are concepts that are
explained/expressed using scientific vocabulary.
Scientific vocabulary are scientific words used in
science that have specific meanings, different from
daily usage.
Key concepts are the main scientific ideas that
explains why/how something occurs.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Importance of key concepts and ideas
Scientific vocabulary are used in answers to explain
scientific concepts better, with lesser room for errors.
The current testing of Science is on scientific
concepts and their application in different situations.
There is a need to relate how an answer relates to a
concept or how the concept is applied.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Strategies to help in recalling
MnemonicsIs a learning technique that aids memory. To
improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are
used to make recall easier as it helps us to
organise, retain and remember information.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Strategies to help in recalling Steps to create Mnemonics
1.) Take the information that you need to remember
and choose one word out of each of the phrases
that is meaningful.
2.) Choose the first letter from each of these
words.)
3.) Make a word (acronym) or sentence from it or a
combination from it.
4.) The sentence should be made easy to
remember by making it humorous.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Strategies to help in recalling
Mnemonics (example)
four magnetic materials: iron, steel, nickel and cobalt.
We take the first letter of each word, iron, steel, nickel
and cobalt and make a word or sentence.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Singapore Is Not Cold S I N C
I See Chicken NuggetsI S C N
Strategies to help in recalling
Mind maps
•a diagram
•represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked
•arranged around a central key word or idea
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
An example
Image from beautifylminds.com.sg
Strategies to help in recalling
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Strategies to help in recalling
Concept maps
•a diagram showing the relationships among concepts
•a graphical tool for organizing and representing
knowledge
•represented as boxes or circles, are connected with
labeled arrows in a downward-branching hierarchical
structure
•linking phrases such as "gives rise to", "results in", "is
required by" or "contributes to"
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
An example
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Plantsleaves Roots Flowers Stem Water Fruits
SeedsFood
Nutrients
Plants
leaves Roots Flowers Stem
Fruits
Seeds
Water FoodFood Water Nutrients
hashas has
has
changes into transportsabsorbsmakes
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Uses of mind maps and concept maps
Helping children to recall previous knowledge and
identify areas with misconceptions or that have been
forgotten.
Helping pupils to understand and retain latest
knowledge.
Connecting prior knowledge with new knowledge.
Identify things that pupils have forgotten or has not
been able to make connections.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Some free tools available online
Mnemonics: http://spacefem.com/mnemonics
Concept mapping: http://cmap.ihmc.us/download
Mind mapping: http://www.mindmeister.com or http://mind42.com
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Fun websites for kids
How Stuff Workshttp://www.howstuffworks.com
National Geographic channel https://www.nationalgeographic.com/
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Common misconceptions
Common P5 misconceptions
Common P6 misconceptions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions
• Misconception : Non-metals (example plastic)
are insulators of heat.
Explanation:
In primary science, we use the term good or poor
conductors of heat (instead of insulators of heat),
since all materials will conduct heat while the
scientific vocabulary, insulators of electricity will be
used for the topic on electricity.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions
• Misconception: All eggs will develop into young
organisms.
Explanation:
Only eggs that are fertilised will develop into young
organisms.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions• Misconception: Flowers must have anthers and
filaments to become a fruit.
Explanation:
Not all flowers have male and female parts on the
same flower.
For a flower to develop into a fruit, the female parts
must be present and fertilised by pollen grains.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions
• Misconception: All plant cells contains
chloroplasts.
Explanation:
Only the parts of the plant where photosynthesis
takes place will have chloroplasts (green).
Other parts of the plant do not contain chloroplasts.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions
• Misconception: All cells contain a nucleus.
Explanation:
Red blood cells do not contain a nucleus.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions• Misconception: Water does not gain heat when it
is boiling as its temperature is constant.
Explanation:
Heat and temperature are two different things.
Heat refers to the amount heat energy the water
possesses while temperature is a measure of the
“degree of hotness” of an object.
Water when boiling is gaining heat energy from the
heat source but the energy is used to by the water to
change to gaseous form.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions
• Misconception: The temperature of ice is 0oC.
Explanation:
Pure water freezes and ice melts at 0oC. However,
once water freezes to become ice, the
temperature can go below 0oC.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 misconceptions
• Misconception: Breathing is respiration.
Explanation:
Breathing is the movement of air in and out of the
body.
Respiration is the process which cells in the body
produce energy.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions
• Misconception: When water boils, the white clouds
observed is steam.
Explanation:
Water vapour is colourless and cannot be seen. What
is seen is actually water vapour condensing when it
comes into contact with the cooler surrounding air to
form tiny water droplets (white clouds).
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions• Misconception: We breathe in oxygen and breathe
out carbon dioxide.
Explanation:
Air enters the body to the lungs where gaseous
exchange takes place. The oxygen is exchanged for
carbon dioxide.
The air entering the body has a higher concentration
of oxygen and lower concentration of carbon dioxide
compared to the air exiting the body.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions
• Misconception : Plants respire at night and
photosynthesises in the day.
Explanation:
Respiration is an on-going process that occurs in the
day and night while photosynthesis only occurs in the
presence of light.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions
• Misconception: Batteries store electricity / power.
Explanation:
A chemical reaction takes place in a battery that
causes a difference in electrical potential to occur at
the two ends, which causes electrons to flow
simultaneously throughout the circuit (in every
component at the same time).
(not elaborated in primary science)
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P5 Misconceptions• Misconception: Energy is used up.
Explanation:
•The total amount of energy in a system is constant.
•Energy can only be converted from one form to
another.
•Energy cannot be destroyed nor created.
•In primary science, we say that energy that is
converted to non-useful forms for a particular process
as energy loss.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P6 Misconceptions
• Misconception: Friction exists only in moving
objects.
Explanation:
Friction is a force that opposes motion or a force that
stops objects from moving. Even if an object is
stationary, there is frictional force acting on it that
tries to prevent it from moving.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P6 Misconceptions• Misconception: Weight is the same as mass.
Explanation:
Mass refers to the amount of matter an object
possesses.
Weight is the pull of gravity on this amount of matter.
Mass of an object will not change regardless of the
location.
Weight of an object will change dependent the force of
gravity at the location (example: weightlessness in
space)
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P6 Misconceptions• Misconception: Earthworms, flies and snails are
decomposers.
Explanation:
Decomposers are organisms that break down organic
material into simpler substances.
Earthworms, flies and snails do not do that. They aid
in the process of decomposition by breaking down
organic material into smaller pieces.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P6 Misconceptions
• Misconception: Force is often confused with
energy.
Explanation:
Force is a push or a pull on object.
Energy is the ability to do work, to cause a change to
happen.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
P6 Misconceptions
• Misconception: The higher an object is, the more
gravitational force acting on it.
Explanation:
The higher an object is, the more gravitational
potential energy it has. Gravitational force remains
about the same when an object is close to surface of
the Earth.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Answering Science Questions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Techniques in Answering Science Questions
Types of questions
How to frame answers (some dos and don'ts)
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Possible types of questions
• Application of concept
• State an observation
• Relationship /
Conclusion
• Experimental set-ups
– Critique / Improve on
set-up / Choosing sets
of set-ups / Variables
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
• Application
– Expected results
• Explain / Why
– Comparisons
– Observations
– Results
– Experimental results
• Sequencing (process)
Science Process skills
1) Observing
2) Comparing
3) Classifying
4) Inferring
5) Predicting
6) Analysing
7) Evaluating
8) Communicating
9) Generating possibilities
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
10) Formulating hypothesis
11) Creative Problem Solving
12) Decision-making
13) Investigation
Answering techniques
Depends on question but generally can apply the following strategy
4Is and an A
Identify : Information in question
Topic related to question
Concept(s) taught
Scientific vocabulary to be used
Answer: Formulate your answer
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Answering techniques
1. Identify and interpret the key information
given in the question. (highlight/annotate)
2. Identify the topic and concept(s)applicable to the question.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Identify and interpret the key information given in the question. (highlight/annotate)
Closed the switch
complete
circuit
Iron ball
magnetic
material
Light bulb turned
on and off
electrical circuit
is closed and
opened An electromagnet
Identify the topic and concept(s) applicable to the question.
Topic: Electricity / Magnet
Concepts:
Iron is a magnetic materials
A closed circuit allows electricity to pass
through. It has no gaps in the circuit.
An electromagnet is a temporary magnet using
a magnetic material.
Answering techniques
3. Answer the question in the appropriate manner using
most appropriate words (scientific vocabulary)
to express answer.
4. When asked to explain, it is important to link how the concept is applied in the situation given.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Answer the question in the appropriate manner using most appropriate words (scientific
vocabulary) to express answer.
The bulb lit up as the iron ball closes the gap at
point A forming a closed circuit for electricity to
pass through.
Answering techniques
OIC1. Observation – What we can observe/see
from the question.
2. Interpretation – What does the
observation imply or mean.
3. Conclusion – Link answer to the question
setting / concept in the question.
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Some question words…1. State – To write down a fact
2. Relationship – How the variable tested affects the
observation
3. Explain – link science concept into explanation
4. Compare – to group things based on common
characteristics
5. Classify – to identify similarities and differences
between objects, concepts or processes
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Some question words…
6. Why – Give reason
7. What – stating some observation, variable,
object etc…
8. Which – choose the right object, variable etc…
9. When - time
10. How – method. way of doing something etc…
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Interactions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Interactions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Scientific vocabulary:
• Like poles
• Unlike poles
• Attract
• Repel
Concept: Like poles of magnets
repel each other, unlike poles
attract, magnetic force
Interactions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Iron ring placed on top of magnet
•I : Mass of iron ring is acting on magnet A. Magnet force needs
to repel a larger combined mass. Magnetic force increases as
distance between magnets decreases.
C: Distance Y will decrease. The iron ring is attracted to Magnet
A. It adds mass to magnet A and pushes it towards
magnet B.
Interactions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Iron ring placed on top of magnet
•I : Mass of iron ring is acting on magnet A. Magnet force needs
to repel a larger combined mass. Magnetic force increases as
distance between magnets decreases.
C: Distance Y will decrease. The iron ring is attracted to Magnet
A. It adds mass to magnet A and pushes it towards
magnet B.
Process Skills
1) Observing
2) Comparing
3) Classifying
4) Inferring
5) Predicting
6) Analysing
7) Evaluating
8) Communicating
9) Generating
possibilities
10) Formulating
hypothesis
11) Creative Problem
Solving
12) Decision-making
13) Investigation
Interactions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Concept: unlike poles repel,
magnetic force, frictional force
Scientific vocabulary:
• Unlike poles
• Repel / repulsion
• Magnetic force
• Frictional Force
Interactions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Difference between maglev train and ordinary train. No
contact between the train and the track
•I : No contact implies no frictional force between the train and
track when it moves
C: There is no friction between the train and the track, due to
repulsion. The train can travel much faster than normal trains
as it does not need to overcome the force of friction.
Interactions
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Difference between maglev train and ordinary train. No
contact between the train and the track
•I : No contact implies no frictional force between the train and
track when it moves
C: There is no friction between the train and the track, due to
repulsion. The train can travel much faster than normal trains
as it does not need to overcome the force of friction.
Process Skills
1) Observing
2) Comparing
3) Classifying
4) Inferring
5) Predicting
6) Analysing
7) Evaluating
8) Communicating
9) Generating
possibilities
10) Formulating
hypothesis
11) Creative Problem
Solving
12) Decision-making
13) Investigation
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Variable changed
measurement
Best Conductor
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Variable changed
measurement
Best Conductor
Concept: good and poor
conductors of heat
Scientific vocabulary:
• Conductors of heat
• Temperature
increase/decrease
• Gain/lose Heat
• Faster/fastest
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Temperature of set-up C (iron filings) increase faster than
the temperature of set-up A (air).
•I : Iron is a better conductor of heat than air
C: Iron is a better conductor of heat than air. The
temperature of the iron filings increased more quickly than
the temperature of the test tube containing air.
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Temperature of set-up C (iron filings) increase faster than
the temperature of set-up A (air).
•I : Iron is a better conductor of heat than air
C: Iron is a better conductor of heat than air. The
temperature of the iron filings increased more quickly than
the temperature of the test tube containing air.
Process Skills
1) Observing
2) Comparing
3) Classifying
4) Inferring
5) Predicting
6) Analysing
7) Evaluating
8) Communicating
9) Generating
possibilities
10) Formulating
hypothesis
11) Creative Problem
Solving
12) Decision-making
13) Investigation
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Concept: Conversion of
energy. Elastic potential
energy to kinetic energy
and gravitational
potential energy
Scientific vocabulary:
• Elastic potential
energy
• Kinetic energy
• Gravitational
potential energy
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Elastic potential energy
Gravitational
potential energyKinetic energy
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Rubber band pulled back more
•I : More elastic potential energy in rubber band changed to
more kinetic energy in block to allow it to move to greater
height.
C: The greater the distance to which the rubber band was
pulled back, the greater the height moved by the block.
OR As the distance to which the rubber band was pulled back
increases, the height moved by the block increases.
(Variable changed)
(Measurement)
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Concept: light, formation of shadows,
factors affecting size of shadow
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Mr Rahman is moving away from the lamp
•I : Distance between light source and Mr Rahman is
increasing, so shadow is increasing in size
C: The graph should be increasing as the length of the shadow
is increasing
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Mr Rahman is moving towards (nearer to) the lamp
•I : Distance between light source and Mr Rahman is
decreasing, so shadow is decreasing in size
C: The length of the shadow is decreasing.
Energy
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
As the distance of the light source from Mr Rahman increases, the
length of his shadow increases..
Cycles
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Concept: Germination
Cycles
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Graph X is decreasing and Graph Y is increasing
•I : Seed leaf provides nutrients to the developing seedling before
the leaves develop. Mass of seed leaf should decrease.
C: Curve X. When the seed germinates, the seed leaf provides
nutrients to the seedling and decreases in mass.
Cycles
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : No sunlight for first 8 days.
•I : What is needed for seed to germinate? Conditions for seed
germination are warmth, oxygen and water and sunlight is not
needed.
C: The seed will still germinate into a seedling. (Light is not
required for germination to take place)
Cycles
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
OIC:
•O : Graph X decreases to a low constant value. Graph Y
continues to increase.
•I : Food in the seed leaf has been used up. The plant is still
growing so the plant is still getting food which implies that leaves
have developed.
C: The seedling has leaves to make food through the process of
photosynthesis under the presence of sunlight.
Cycles
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Concept: Seed dispersal,
overcrowding
Cycles
School of Excellence, Individuals of Character
Concept: Seed dispersal,
overcrowding
OIC:
•O : Seeds are dispersed far away. Seeds are in the droppings.
•I : Seeds dispersed prevents overcrowding. Seeds in droppings
will get nutrients.
C: The seeds are dispersed away from the parent plant to
prevent overcrowding.
The seeds gets nutrients from the droppings to grow better.