Science Webinar 2021 Upper Block - Ministry of Education

Science Webinar 2021 Upper Block

School of Excellence, Individuals of Character

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Coverage of Webinar

What is Science?

Upper Primary Science syllabus

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



What is Science?

Observations

Experiment

Theory

Prediction



Science to Primary Science Many fields or areas in modern science

Biology, Chemistry and Physics

In Primary Science,

Focus is on some aspects of Biology and Physics

Strong emphasis on helping pupils to acquire process skills that are relevant to the study of Science



Process Skills in Primary Science

• Observing

• Comparing

• Classifying

• Using apparatus and equipment

• Communicating



• Inferring

• Predicting

• Analysing

• Generating possibilities

• Evaluating

• Formulating hypothesis




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




Coverage of the Syllabus

Four themes

EnergySystemsCycles Interactions

Primary 5 & 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



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

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/syllabuses/sciences/files/science-primary-2008.pdf


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 (5 Fill-in-the-blanks)

Section C 20m (5-7 Open-ended)

Types of questions:

1) Knowledge with application

2) Process skills related



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



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

explain why/how something occurs.



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.



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.




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.


I saw Nicholas CageI S N C



Mind maps

•a diagram

•represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked

•arranged around a central key word or idea



An example

Image from beautifylminds.com.sg


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"



An example



Plantsleaves Roots Flowers Stem Water Fruits

SeedsFood

Nutrients

Plants

leaves Roots Flowers Stem

Fruits

Seeds

Water FoodFood Water Nutrients

hashas has

has

develop into transportabsorbmake



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.



Common misconceptions

Common P5 misconceptions

Common P6 misconceptions



Alternative Conceptions

• Refers to science misconceptions that students make due to observations in their daily lives without reference to science theories.

P5 misconceptions• Misconception: Some materials (example plastic)

are insulators of heat.

Explanation:

In primary science, we use the term good or poor

(bad) conductors of heat, since all materials will

conduct heat. The difference is how fast the heat can

be conducted through the material. Good conductors

allow heat to flow through easily/quickly.



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).



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.



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)



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.



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.



Answering Science questions



Techniques in Answering Science Questions

Types of questions

How to craft answers (some dos and don'ts)



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


• Application

– Expected results

• Explain / Why

– Comparisons

– Observations

– Results

– Experimental results

• Sequencing (process)


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



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…



Steps to Answering Questions

1. Identify and Highlight key information

2. Trigger Schema

3. Identify Concepts and Scientific Vocabulary

4. OIC (To make sense of the question)



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.




Q1 - Cycles

Concept: plant reproduction,

heredity

Scientific vocabulary:

• Characteristics

• Inherit

• Parent

• Offspring



Q1 - Cycles

OIC:

• O : There are two parent plants with different characteristics.

• I : The young plant may inherit characteristics from both parents.

• C: The young plant might have fruits that may not be sweet

(could be sour).

No. It may inherit the characteristics of plant Y and the fruit can

be sour.

Process Skills involved

•Observing

•Comparing

• Inferring

•Analysing

•Communicating



Q2 - Cycles

Concept: water cycle,

condensation


• Heat loss

• Heat gain

• Condensation/

Condenses

• Change state

• Water droplets

• Water vapour

Benjamin



Q2 - Cycles

Both the back and front surfaces.

OIC:

• O : Tiny water droplets form on the surface of lenses.

• I : Both surface of the lenses are cold. Condensation has occurred

as there is a cold surface for the water vapour to condense.

• C: The water droplets will form on both front and back of the

lenses.



Warm water vapour from the surrounding touches the cold back and

front surfaces of the glass, loses heat and condenses to form water

droplets.

Process Skills involved

•Observing

•Analysing

•Communicating

Benjamin



Q3 - Energy

Concept: Photosynthesis


• Photosynthesis

• Sunlight

• Chlorophyll

• Oxygen gas

• Water

• Carbon dioxide



Q3 - Energy

As the duration of light received by the plants per day increases, the

mass/size of the fruits increases



Energy

When there is more light, more photosynthesis takes place resulting

in a greater amount of excess food produced. The excess food is

transported to the fruits causing the mass of the fruits to increase.

OIC:

• O : Different fruits are exposed to different amounts of light.

• I : Light is needed for photosynthesis. The rate of photosynthesis

is different. Excess food created is stored in fruits.

• C: When there is more photosynthesis, there is more food

produced. This leads to more excess food created which is stored

in the fruits.



Q4 - Systems



Q4 - Systems

Concept: Electrical system,

conductors of electricity


• Closed circuit

• Open circuit

• Conductors of

electricity

• Insulators of

electricity



SystemsOIC:

• O : Iron ring is a conductor of electricity.

• I : A closed circuit will be formed when the iron ring touches the

wire.

• C: A closed circuit will cause the buzzer to sound.

The buzzer would sound.



The iron ring is a conductor of electricity. So, when it

touches the wire, a closed circuit would be formed and

electricity will flow through the circuit and buzzer.

OIC:

• O : Iron ring is a conductor of electricity.

• I : A closed circuit will be formed when the iron ring touches the

wire.

• C: A closed circuit will cause the buzzer to sound.



Q5 - Interactions

Concept: environmental

conditions affect living things


• Temperature

• Birth rate



InteractionsOIC:

• O : Temperature affects the gender of the turtles hatched.

• I : Higher temperature will result in fewer male turtles hatched.

• C: Fewer male turtles will result in fewer mates for the female so

fewer eggs will be laid.

The population will decrease.



There will be fewer males being hatched to mate with the

female turtles.

OIC:

• O : Temperature affects the gender of the turtles hatched.

• I : Higher temperature will result in fewer male turtles hatched.

• C: Fewer male turtles will result in fewer mates for the female so

fewer eggs will be laid.



As the average amount of rainfall increases, the number

of male turtles that are hatched increases.



The rain cools down the temperature of the eggs so more

male turtles are born when there is more rainfall.

OIC:

• O : Rainfall affects the number of male turtles hatched.

• I : Higher rainfall will result in more male turtles hatched.

• C: Higher rainfall causes the temperature of the eggs to be

lowered.



Q6 - Energy

Concept: Photosynthesis


• Photosynthesis

• Sunlight

• Chlorophyll

• Oxygen gas

• Water

• Carbon dioxide



Q6 - Energy

OIC:

• O : Water plant gives off gas when light shines on it.

• I : The amount and intensity of light affects the amount of gas

produced.

• C: The intensity of the light has to be increased without changing

the setup. Since we cannot add items to the experiment, we can

change the distance between the lamp and the plant.

She can move the lamp closer to the plant. Higher light

intensity will cause photosynthesis to take place at a faster rate

resulting in more oxygen gas being collected.



OIC:

• O : Amount of gas produced decreases over time.

• I : Rate of photosynthesis has decreased. Factors that affect rate

of photosynthesis are amount of carbon dioxide, amount of water,

intensity of light.

• C: Water and light intensity are constant so amount of carbon

dioxide must have decreased.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the water has decreased

resulting in photosynthesis taking place at a slower rate.


Science Webinar 2021 Upper Block - Ministry of Education

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