S3 Science
Curricular Area: Science
All students will select a Focus Science for the year. This can be Core Biology, Core Chemistry or Core Physics and you will follow this course for 3 periods per week for the full year. The Focus Science chosen will usually be one of the science subjects you are most likely to continue with in the Senior Phase, or the science you feel you need to commit the most time to best prepare you for the senior phase. You will additionally be able to select a second Science from the options column. There is often an additional Science option in the “Schools Of” column.
Each Science subject in S3 will allow you to deepen your understanding of what you have begun in S1 and S2. The courses will be practical based with a good mix of experimental, investigative and theoretical work. We will develop numeracy skills, such as scale and proportion, using equations and the analysis and processing of experimental data. We will also develop our scientific literacy by completing experimental reports. Each course will allow you to see the relevance of Science in our world today in terms of sustainability, affordability and ethical considerations. The skills developed in these courses will help prepare you for senior phase Sciences.
The work (and skills) covered will be of equal difficulty across all three Sciences and there is a firm expectation that pupils engage with the regular assessments and home study tasks throughout the year that will help identify the appropriate level of study in S4.
Resources for these courses (classwork and home study tasks) will be shared electronically with pupils via Google Drive and Google Classroom and the work set will be targeted at preparing pupils for the senior phase.
The work covered in S3 Science courses will be at SCQF level 3/4 matching the level 3/4 experiences and outcomes from the Broad General Education. Students will, however, have the opportunity to gather evidence towards a National 4 qualification in the Science they study.
At the end of S3 you will receive a recommendation for S4 in the Science or two Sciences you have studied at either SCQF4 or SCQF5 level. Sciences not covered in S3 but chosen for S4 may be recommended at a lower level and should be discussed with your Science teacher beforehand.
Currently the topics likely to be covered in each of the S3 Sciences are described below.
Subject: Biology (Code SBIF)
Cells
Students will deepen their understanding of cells and the structures within them. We will look at how cells multiply and divide. You will then carry out some research work looking at the use of stem cell technology in modern Science including the medical and ethical issues involved.
Watch our presentation
Genetics and DNA
The structure of DNA will be developed in this course looking at base pairs and the how the arrangement of these determines your unique makeup. Students will investigate the variation in genetic information and how these are combined from DNA from both your parents or in the case of some organisms, only one parent...
Ecology
This topic will develop your understanding of biodiversity from S1 and look at how living things adapt to their environments. You will consider the effect each living thing has on another and consider the impact that humans and our environment have on the biodiversity of life.
Human body
From the heart and lungs to your stomach and intestines, you will learn about the functions of these organs in the human body and how they play their part in the respiratory and digestive systems in your body. You will look at the impact that lifestyle has on these systems and how you can best keep yourself healthy.
Subject: Chemistry (Code SCHF)
Chemical Reactions
Students will investigate the importance of controlling and measuring the rates of chemical reactions. We will also develop our understanding of the structure of the atom and how its structure can help us explain and predict chemical reactions. We will then look at the chemical reactions of acids with bases and make sense of the importance of masses and volumes when carrying out reactions.
Watch our presentation
Carbon Chemistry
We will look at how the diversity of natural compounds based on the element carbon are put together. We will look at the structures and reactions of fuels, carbohydrates and alcohol, including work to make sure that natural chemicals are used sustainably.
APPLIED CHEMISTRY
This topic will look at real life applications of chemistry and will involve a research project involving internet research, experiment planning, data gathering from practical work and presenting your findings.
Subject: Physics (Code SPHF)
Dynamics
Using remote sensors, students will carry out practical investigations to describe the relationship between speed, distance and time. This will then be continued using the concept of unbalanced forces to investigate and calculate acceleration.
Watch our guide to S3 Physics
Electricity
Students will spend some time familiarising themselves with electrical circuits and will investigate the design of simple circuits to solve everyday problems involving the uses of switches, bulbs, resistors, etc.
This will then be expanded to look at how these circuits can be enhanced using digital logic gates, ultimately building up more sophisticated circuits used in most current electronic technology.
Properties of matter
This topic will build on the basic model of matter introduced in S1 and will develop an understanding of how the atoms or particles in solids, liquids and gases interact with each other. Work will include experiments to understand pressure and density and will also look at the relationship between pressure, temperature and volume.
Space
Students will investigate red dwarves, black holes, exoplanets, dark energy, etc. as they find out about what lies beyond our own solar system. This will include how Scientists are able to make these discoveries without even going there. We will look at how Physics has improved global communications using satellites and how exploring the depths of the universe has improved life on earth.
