Science
Our Science curriculum seeks to nurture the student as an inquirer. Children are naturally curious about and want to explore the things around them. The science curriculum leverages and seeks to fuel this spirit of curiosity about themselves and the environment.
With the above in mind, the Science department focuses our efforts on the following:
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Provide our students with opportunities to learn science principles and concepts using a “hands-on, minds-on” approach with inquiry - based learning
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Support our teachers with training and resources to keep our teaching approaches up-to-date and relevant with customised resources
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Create an environment that supports learning while encouraging bold experimentation with department signature programmes
Through the learning of Science in this manner, we aim to nurture students who enjoy scientific inquiry and apply scientific concepts and skills in making responsible decisions.
SCIENCE ALIVE
We ignite the love for science through a “hands-on, minds-on” approach, which emphasizes learning through inquiry. The lessons designed by our teachers using the UbD lesson design engage students to physically explore, discover knowledge and link new concepts to the existing body of knowledge. Essentially, Science curriculum centres on inquiry and discovery.
SEAMLESS LEARNING
Our students engage in the practices of science to model how scientists ‘do’ science to build knowledge through the integration of basic process skills in complex processes. They perform close observations, test ideas, look for evidence and communicate their findings in scientifically acceptable ways. This approach develops positive attitude for inquiry and cultivates an interest in Science.
Additionally our department harnesses technology to bring about seamless learning.
Learning is no longer confined to the boundaries of the physical classrooms. Learners are able to learn in different modes, from formal to informal settings; physical to digital spaces by leveraging on the ICT tools such as SLS, Google classroom and other online learning portals. The incorporation of seamless learning elements in our school’s Science curriculum brings the students’ learning process closer to their authentic day-to-day life experiences. The activities given allow the students to observe, apply, make sense, reflect and thus make connections with the learnt knowledge or to make hypotheses pertaining to what they are going to learn. The result is a greater use of personal experiences beyond the classroom which allow our students to exchange ideas, encouraging thinking from different perspectives.
Seamless learning has made the learning experience and the knowledge learnt more meaningful. It helps students develop Science process skills, habits of mind and ethics/ attitudes necessary for the improvement of students’ self-directed learning and science inquiry.
P3 AND P4 INTEGRATED SCIENCE CURRICULUM
The P3 and P4 Integrated Science curriculum connects unifying concepts across different subject disciplines. It specifically focuses on making connections for students by allowing them to engage in relevant, meaningful activities that are authentic to real-life. For example, while learning the characteristics of Fungi during Science, the students collect data, related to the growth of fungi, and present them in a bar graph, during Maths.
MAKER EDUCATION
Maker Education (Maker-ed) is integrated in the science curriculum as Maker-ed allows for deeper learning through application of knowledge and skills. During Maker-ed lessons, students imagine, design, and create projects that align the content of learning with hands-on application. Students are challenged to solve an authentic real-life problem and in the process, they collaborate with peers and carry out the application of the Science concepts. Students develop the Growth Mindset, the development of 21st Century Competencies, i.e. problem solving, critical thinking and innovation.
SCIENCE WIRELESS TRAIL
To enable our students to interact closely with the natural environment and bring learning of Science beyond the constraints of the classrooms, the school has developed Science wireless trails within the school compound.
Our Vertical Walls and clasping Vine Canopy invite students to appreciate the diversity of plants and wildlife in nature. Our Constructed Wetlands nook invites students to appreciate that elements of nature (rainwater and terrain) can be beneficial to man and his environment when they are harnessed. Conserving wetlands in land scarce Singapore helps in doing our part towards conservation of natural resources as well and reducing global warming. The other learning spaces within our outdoor experiential learning garden are the Paludarium, Herb and Spice Garden, Wormery and the Aquaponics.
Students learning about different habitats at the different learning spaces
Use of QR code and technology to explore further on the habitats
LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
To immerse students in authentic environments so that they see relevance in what they learn in class and extend their exposure to the natural world, our students embark on learning journeys. Each of these learning journeys is linked to a theme that is covered in the school’s Science curriculum. Through these learning journeys, students are given the opportunity to observe and explore living organisms or science phenomena.
Lessons at the Science Centre excites students. Not only do the lessons reinforce the concepts learnt in class, students carry out interesting activities beyond the curriculum. For example when they attend the lesson on Diversity of Cell, the students get to separate DNA from a cell! Our students build on these learning experiences. Upon their return to school, teachers reinforce their learning as well as provide opportunities for simple research work for those interested.
To create platforms for students to showcase their acquisition of scientific knowledge and concepts, students are exposed to school-based and national competitions such as Singapore Flying Machine Competition and Sony Creative Science Awards competitions.