The teaching syllabus is organised into 15 units. It is designed to cover the major aspects of science, as well as the social and technological implications of science. Each Unit allows students to investigate and examine a specific theme in science.
The introduction of each Unit outlines the context and the philosophy behind the organisation of the Unit. Instructional objectives were also listed to illustrate the level of achievement that is expected of the students on completing the Unit. It aims at assisting teachers in their selection of course materials, learning activities and instructional methods. It can also serve as the learning guidelines for the students and the basis of an evaluation program.
The key concepts, skills and values/attitudes to be developed by students are given for each Unit in tabular form. The major topics of the syllabus are indicated in the first column. Column two highlights the key points for the topics. Experienced teachers will find the information in these two columns sufficient to plan their teaching and to design appropriate teaching/learning activities according to the needs and interest of their students. Columns three and four indicate the materials that could be included at the core and extension levels and provide guidance as to how the topics can be treated at the respective levels. Column five lists suggested teaching and learning activities. Attempt has been made to cover a variety of activities which are coded to indicate the skills emphasised. Activities suggested here are by no means exhaustive nor meant to be prescriptive. It is hoped that teachers will find them useful as resources to choose from and, preferably, to further develop teaching and learning activities that best suit their students. It is expected that through conducting the suggested activities, students would demonstrate increasing competencies in the skills emphasised in the syllabus and would eventually attain the objectives stated in the syllabus. The extent to which students should have developed in the different areas after completing each Unit have been delineated for teachers?reference. The key points and activities for the extension materials are indicated in blue italic.
In drafting this teaching syllabus, careful consideration has been given to the sequencing of the topics but they are not the only way nor the best way in which the topics can be organised. Teachers need not adhere strictly to the suggested sequence and are encouraged to exercise their discretion in modifying the recommendations given in this guide taking into account the interest, needs and abilities of their students and other social or environmental factors. Teachers are also encouraged to adopt a variety of approaches in their teaching and incorporate ideas as well as materials from social issues and everyday experiences of students.
Listed below is the synopsis of the teaching syllabus, in terms of titles of the various units and subunits.
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Unit 1 |
Introducing Science |
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1.1 |
What is science |
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1.2 |
Safety in the laboratory |
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1.3 |
Using common laboratory equipment |
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1.4 |
Conducting a simple scientific investigation |
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Unit 2 |
Looking at Living Things |
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2.1 |
Living things |
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2.2 |
Observing an animal |
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2.3 |
Diversity of plant and animal life |
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2.4 |
Sorting things into groups |
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2.5 |
Endangered species |
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Unit 3 |
Cells and Human Reproduction |
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3.1 |
The basic units of living things |
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3.2 |
A new life is born |
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3.3 |
Puberty |
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3.4 |
Pregnancy |
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3.5 |
Sexually transmitted diseases |
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Unit 4 |
Energy |
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4.1 |
Forms of energy |
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4.2 |
Energy changes |
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4.3 |
Fuels |
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4.4 |
Generating electricity |
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4.5 |
Energy sources and we |
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Unit 5 |
The Wonderful Solvent - Water |
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5.1 |
Water purification |
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5.2 |
Further treatment of water |
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5.3 |
The water cycle |
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5.4 |
Water conservation and pollution |
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5.5 |
Dissolving |
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5.6 |
Growing crystals |
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5.7 |
Solvents other than water |
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Unit 6 |
Matter as Particles |
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6.1 |
States of matter |
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6.2 |
Illustrations for the support of the claims of the particle theory |
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6.3 |
Particle model for the three states of matter |
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6.4 |
Gas pressure |
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6.5 |
Density |
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6.6 |
Thermal expansion and contraction |
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Unit 7 |
Living Things and Air |
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7.1 |
What is air made up of |
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7.2 |
Burning |
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7.3 |
How does man obtain energy |
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7.4 |
How do green plants obtain energy |
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7.5 |
Gaseous exchange in animals and plants |
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7.6 |
Balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in nature |
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7.7 |
Effects of smoking and polluted air on our respiratory system |
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Unit 8 |
Making Use of Electricity |
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8.1 |
Closed circuit |
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8.2 |
Electrical conductors and insulators |
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8.3 |
Current |
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8.4 |
Voltage |
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8.5 |
Resistance |
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8.6 |
Circuit symbols |
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8.7 |
Electrical circuits |
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8.8 |
Fuses |
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8.9 |
Household electricity |
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8.10 |
Power of an electrical appliance |
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8.11 |
Cost of electricity |
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8.12 |
Electrical appliances |
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Unit 9 |
Space Travel |
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9.1 |
Forces |
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9.2 |
Friction |
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9.3 |
Force of gravity |
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9.4 |
A space journey |
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9.5 |
Life of an astronaut in space |
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9.6 |
Space exploration |
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Unit 10 |
Common Acids and Alkalis |
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10.1 |
Common acids and alkalis |
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10.2 |
Indicators for testing acids and alkalis |
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10.3 |
Acids and corrosion |
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10.4 |
Acid rain |
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10.5 |
Neutralisation |
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10.6 |
Every day uses of acids, alkalis and neutralisation |
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10.7 |
Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis |
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Unit 11 |
Sensing the Environment |
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11.1 |
Sensing the environment |
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11.2 |
How we see |
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11.3 |
Limitations of our eyes |
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11.4 |
Defects of the eye |
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11.5 |
How we hear |
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11.6 |
Limitations of our ears |
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11.7 |
Effects of noise pollution |
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11.8 |
Senses of smell, taste and touch |
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11.9 |
The brain and our senses |
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11.10 |
Responses to stimuli |
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11.11 |
Effects of drugs and solvents on our senses |
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Unit 12 |
A Healthy Body |
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12.1 |
Keeping our bodies healthy |
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12.2 |
Food substances |
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12.3 |
Balanced diet |
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12.4 |
Natural food and processed food |
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12.5 |
How food is digested and absorbed in our body |
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12.6 |
The fate of the digested food |
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12.7 |
Our circulatory system |
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12.8 |
How fatty food affects our circulatory system |
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12.9 |
Exercise and health |
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12.10 |
Need for rest |
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Unit 13 |
Metals |
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13.1 |
History of the use of metals |
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13.2 |
How to obtain metals |
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13.3 |
Properties and uses of metals |
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13.4 |
Making metals more useful |
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13.5 |
Environmental problems associated with the disposal of used metals |
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Unit 14 |
Materials of the Modern World |
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14.1 |
Making plastics from crude oil |
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14.2 |
Environmental problems associated with the disposal of plastics |
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14.3 |
Composite materials |
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Unit 15 |
Light, Colours and Beyond |
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15.1 |
How we see an object |
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15.2 |
Reflection at plane surfaces |
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15.3 |
Colour |
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15.4 |
Beyond the visible spectrum |
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15.5 |
Beyond infra-red and ultra-violet |
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15.6 |
Refraction and its practical uses |
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15.7 |
Optical fibres and total internal reflection |