S3 Topical Science

Course Overview

Science is central to our society. Our N3/N4 course builds upon skills developed throughout S1-S2 and is taught over two years. This course develops your understanding of all three Sciences, along with your Problem Solving and Communication skills.  

It focuses on the following topics: 

• Fragile Earth – Learn about Earth’s resources, such as Energy and Food, how they are sourced/produced and their uses and benefits. 

• Human Health – Find out about how to live a healthy lifestyle and research media reports of national and international health issues.(Biology) 

• Applications of Science – Explore science’s contribution to communication technologies (e.g. mobile phones) and the impact these have on society and the environment

Learning and Teaching Approaches

S3/S4 Science lessons focus heavily on Practical Skills such as experiments and investigations. There are also opportunities to participate in presentations, research, group work and class visits to local learning opportunities, such as Mackie’s Farm. This course will solidify your note-taking skills to ensure you are confident in preparing resources which can be used for revision. 

Homework

Regular homework will be issued through Google Classroom, along with Check Tests in class to aid progression.

Assessment Approaches

There will be formal written assessments at the end of each Unit. This will assess knowledge and understanding of the content, along with problem solving skills. Pupils will be assessed on their practical skills and abilities to design and carry out experiments. There will also be ongoing assessments of performance in group work, presentation skills and research skills.