BGE Science (S1-3)

S1 – Developing Your Skills 

In S1 you will have 3 periods per week of Science where you will study Biology, Chemistry and Physics through practical experimentation, investigations, research, and collaborative learning.  
You will also have 1 period a week of Scientific Enquiry where you will develop the key skills to enable you to effectively investigate a scientific topic and communicate your findings clearly.

 Some of the topics covered in S1 are: 

• Joule Island – Find out about the different ways in which we can generate electricity and use this information to develop a plan to meet the energy needs of a research team on a remote island. 
• Cells and Stuff – All living things are made from cells – but what are cells? You will go on to find out about some very small living things and how they affect our lives. 
• Science Squad – Learn about the differences between atoms, molecules, elements, compounds and mixtures before using your knowledge and skills to solve problems. 
• Electricity – Learn how to build circuits to perform different jobs.  
• Facts of Life – Study reproduction in animals and the potential benefits and dangers of genetic engineering. 
• Chemical Reactions – What is a chemical reaction and how do you control the speed of one? You will go on to investigate the properties and reactions of acids and alkalis in everyday life.

In your Scientific Enquiry class, you will focus on a series of key skills which are essential in the science classroom and beyond. This class will aim to develop everybody’s practical and investigative skills as well as the numeracy and scientific literacy skills needed to successfully communicate your findings.  

S2 – Applying Your Skills

As you move into S2, you will have 4 periods of Science and as you continue to study different areas of the wide world of Science, you will begin to apply the skills you have developed in the Scientific Enquiry course in a series of investigations which will be presented in a variety of ways. 

The topics covered in S2 Science are: 

• Forces – Learn about what forces are and why they need to be understood by engineers who build the machines that shape our modern world. 
• Biodiversity – Study the environment, both locally and in more exotic locations to get an idea about how living things interact with and depend on each other. 
• Science Rocks – Find out about some resources we can get from the earth, how they are formed and what we need to do to them to transform them into useful materials we depend upon in our everyday lives. 
• Light – Investigate the properties of visible light and the uses of light beyond the visible spectrum. 
• Body Bits – Find out about different biological systems and how to care for them.
• Thermal Processes – Heat, how it travels, and how insulation can be used to save money and energy at home. 

S3 – Honing Your Skills 

At the end of S2 you will have the opportunity to choose to specialise in one or more of the Science subjects in S3: Biology, Chemistry, Physics or General Science. 
This year will give you a taste of what these subjects entail in the Senior Phase and are excellent preparation for National 4 or 5 courses in the Sciences. 
You will visit each of your chosen subjects for 2 periods per week. 

S3 Chemistry

In Chemistry in S3 you will build on the following S1/2 topics:

·         Science Squad

·         Chemical Reactions

·         Science Rocks

You will focus in on the areas of chemistry that will be essential to understand if you are to go on and study chemistry at National 4 or 5 level in the senior phase.

Topics of study in S3 are:

·         Atoms and the Periodic Table
·         Fuels and Hydrocarbons
·         Metals and their reactions

You will also begin to develop the problem solving and investigative skills that will be used throughout the Senior Phase Science courses. These are useful across the school curriculum and incorporate many of the skills introduced in S1 and S2, like:

·         Selecting
·         Numeracy
·         Predicting
·         Evaluating
·         Presenting
·         Analysis
·         Design
·         Effective Communication

S3 Biology

In Biology in S3 you will build on the following S1/2 topics:

·         Cells and Stuff
·         Facts of Life
·         Biodiversity
·         Body Bits

You will focus in on the areas of biology that will be essential to understand if you are to go on and study biology at National 4 or 5 level in the senior phase.

Topics of study in S3 are:

·         Multicellular Organisms
·         Cell Biology

You will also begin to develop the problem solving and investigative skills that will be used throughout the Senior Phase Science courses. These are useful across the school curriculum and incorporate many of the skills introduced in S1 and S2, like:

·         Selecting
·         Numeracy
·         Predicting
·         Evaluating
·         Presenting
·         Analysis
·         Design
·         Effective Communication

S3 Physics

In Physics in S3 you will build on the following S1/2 topics:

·         Essential Energy
·         Electricity
·         Forces
·         Light

You will focus in on the areas of physics that will be essential to understand if you are to go on and study physics at National 4 or 5 level in the senior phase.

Topics of study in S3 are:

·         Properties of Waves
·         The Electromagnetic Spectrum
·         Atomic Structure
·         Nuclear Radiation

You will also begin to develop the problem solving and investigative skills that will be used throughout the Senior Phase Science courses. These are useful across the school curriculum and incorporate many of the skills introduced in S1 and S2, like:

·         Selecting
·         Numeracy
·         Predicting
·         Evaluating
·         Presenting
·         Analysis
·         Design
·         Effective Communication

S3 Science

In Science in S3 you will build on all of the topics covered in S1 and S2:

Physics:

·         Essential Energy
·         Electricity
·         Forces
·         Light

Biology:

·         Cells and Stuff
·         Facts of Life
·         Biodiversity
·         Body Bits

Chemistry:

·         Science Squad
·         Chemical Reactions
·         Science Rocks

You will focus in on the areas of these Sciences that will be essential to understand if you are to go on and study a science at National 4 level in the senior phase.

Topics of study in S3 are:

·         Applications of Science
o   How do we use science in our everyday lives?
·         Fragile Earth
o   What are the major problems facing our planet and how can Science help solve them?
·         Human Health
o   How do we use science to measure our health and what is its role in helping to keep us healthy?

You will also begin to develop the problem solving and investigative skills that will be used throughout the Senior Phase Science courses. These are useful across the school curriculum and incorporate many of the skills introduced in S1 and S2, like:

·         Selecting
·         Numeracy
·         Predicting
·         Evaluating
·         Presenting
·         Analysis
·         Design
·         Effective Communication