England

Working Scientifically

• The development of scientific thinking

  • The ways in which scientific methods and theories develop over time

    • The process of scientific inquiry (11-A.1)
    • Identify control and experimental groups (11-A.2)
    • Identify independent and dependent variables (11-A.3)
    • Identify the experimental question (11-A.4)
    • Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials (11-A.5)
    • Cells and cell theory (11-E.1)

  • Using a variety of concepts and models to develop scientific explanations and understanding

    • Structure and function: nucleic acids (11-D.6)
    • Punnett squares: Mendelian inheritance (11-L.3)
    • Interpret a Serengeti food web (11-O.1)
    • Interpret an Antarctic food web (11-O.2)
    • Count subatomic particles in atoms and ions (11-S.1)
    • Count atoms in chemical reactions using models (11-W.1)

  • Appreciating the power and limitations of science and considering ethical issues which may arise

  • Explaining everyday and technological applications of science; evaluating associated personal, social, economic and environmental implications; and making decisions based on the evaluation of evidence and arguments

  • Evaluating risks both in practical science and the wider societal context, including perception of risk

  • Recognising the importance of peer review of results and of communication of results to a range of audiences

• Experimental skills and strategies

  • Using scientific theories and explanations to develop hypotheses

    • The process of scientific inquiry (11-A.1)

  • Planning experiments to make observations, test hypotheses or explore phenomena

    • The process of scientific inquiry (11-A.1)
    • Identify the experimental question (11-A.4)
    • Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials (11-A.5)

  • Applying a knowledge of a range of techniques, apparatus, and materials to select those appropriate both for fieldwork and for experiments

    • Identify laboratory tools (11-B.1)

  • Carrying out experiments appropriately, having due regard to the correct manipulation of apparatus, the accuracy of measurements and health and safety considerations

    • Identify parts of a light microscope (11-B.2)

  • Recognising when to apply a knowledge of sampling techniques to ensure any samples collected are representative

  • Making and recording observations and measurements using a range of apparatus and methods

    • Identify laboratory tools (11-B.1)
    • Identify parts of a light microscope (11-B.2)

  • Evaluating methods and suggesting possible improvements and further investigations

• Analysis and evaluation

  • Applying the cycle of collecting, presenting and analysing data, including: presenting observations and other data using appropriate methods; translating data from one form to another; carrying out and representing mathematical and statistical analysis; representing distributions of results and making estimations of uncertainty; interpreting observations and other data, including identifying patterns and trends, making inferences and drawing conclusions; presenting reasoned explanations, including relating data to hypotheses; being objective, evaluating data in terms of accuracy, precision, repeatability and reproducibility and identifying potential sources of random and systematic error

    • Evaluate fossil evidence of evolution (11-M.1)
    • Evaluate anatomical and molecular evidence of evolution (11-M.2)
    • Construct explanations of natural selection (11-M.3)
    • How can group behaviour affect survival? Identify evidence to support a claim (11-O.7)

  • Communicating the scientific rationale for investigations, including the methods used, the findings and reasoned conclusions, using paper-based and electronic reports and presentations

• Vocabulary, units, symbols and nomenclature

  • Developing their use of scientific vocabulary and nomenclature

    • Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype (11-L.1)
    • Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive (11-L.2)
    • Classify and describe organisms using domains (11-N.1)
    • Name binary ionic compounds (11-U.1)
    • Name ionic compounds containing polyatomic ions (11-U.2)

  • Recognising the importance of scientific quantities and understanding how they are determined

  • Using SI units and IUPAC chemical nomenclature unless inappropriate

    • Convert temperature units: Celsius and Kelvin (11-C.4)
    • Name binary ionic compounds (11-U.1)
    • Name ionic compounds containing polyatomic ions (11-U.2)
    • Write chemical formulas of ionic compounds (11-U.3)

  • Using prefixes and powers of ten for orders of magnitude (e.g. tera, giga, mega, kilo, centi, milli, micro and nano)

  • Interconverting units

    • Convert temperature units: Celsius and Kelvin (11-C.4)
    • Convert between mass and moles of a substance (11-V.2)

  • Using an appropriate number of significant figures in calculations

    • Identify significant figures in measurements (11-C.1)
    • Add and subtract with significant figures (11-C.2)
    • Multiply and divide with significant figures (11-C.3)
    • Convert temperature units: Celsius and Kelvin (11-C.4)

Biology

• Cell biology

  • Cells as the basic structural unit of all organisms; adaptations of cells related to their functions; the main sub-cellular structures of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells

    • Cells and cell theory (11-E.1)
    • Identify functions of plant cell parts (11-E.2)
    • Identify functions of animal cell parts (11-E.3)
    • Plant cell diagrams: label parts (11-E.4)
    • Animal cell diagrams: label parts (11-E.5)
    • Compare cell types by their structures (11-E.6)
    • Structure and function of the cell membrane (11-F.1)

  • Stem cells in animals and meristems in plants

  • Enzymes

  • Factors affecting the rate of enzymatic reactions

  • The importance of cellular respiration; the processes of aerobic and anaerobic respiration

    • The chemistry of cellular respiration (11-H.2)

  • Carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids as key biological molecules

    • Structure and function: carbohydrates (11-D.3)
    • Structure and function: lipids (11-D.4)
    • Structure and function: proteins (11-D.5)
    • Structure and function: nucleic acids (11-D.6)
    • Identify the structures and functions of biomolecules (11-D.7)
    • Compare the structures and functions of biomolecules (11-D.8)

• Transport systems

  • The need for transport systems in multicellular organisms, including plants

    • Structure and function of the cell membrane (11-F.1)
    • Types of passive transport (11-F.2)
    • Osmosis (11-F.3)

  • The relationship between the structure and functions of the human circulatory system

    • Organisation in the human body: the heart and the circulatory system (11-G.1)

• Health, disease and the development of medicines

  • The relationship between health and disease

  • Communicable diseases including sexually transmitted infections in humans (including HIV/AIDs)

  • Non-communicable diseases

  • Bacteria, viruses and fungi as pathogens in animals and plants

  • Body defences against pathogens and the role of the immune system against disease

  • Reducing and preventing the spread of infectious diseases in animals and plants

  • The process of discovery and development of new medicines

  • The impact of lifestyle factors on the incidence of non-communicable diseases

• Coordination and control

  • Principles of nervous coordination and control in humans

  • The relationship between the structure and function of the human nervous system

  • The relationship between structure and function in a reflex arc

  • Principles of hormonal coordination and control in humans

  • Hormones in human reproduction, hormonal and non-hormonal methods of contraception

  • Homeostasis

    • Homeostasis and feedback loops (11-G.2)

• Photosynthesis

  • Photosynthesis as the key process for food production and therefore biomass for life

    • The chemistry of photosynthesis (11-H.1)

  • The process of photosynthesis

    • The chemistry of photosynthesis (11-H.1)

  • Factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis

• Ecosystems

  • Levels of organisation within an ecosystem

  • Some abiotic and biotic factors which affect communities; the importance of interactions between organisms in a community

    • Factors affecting carrying capacity (11-O.6)

  • How materials cycle through abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems

    • Interpret a Serengeti food web (11-O.1)
    • Interpret an Antarctic food web (11-O.2)
    • The carbon cycle: biosphere processes and interactions (11-O.3)
    • The carbon cycle: geosphere processes and interactions (11-O.4)

  • The role of microorganisms (decomposers) in the cycling of materials through an ecosystem

    • The carbon cycle: biosphere processes and interactions (11-O.3)

  • Organisms are interdependent and are adapted to their environment

  • The importance of biodiversity

    • Kelp forests: factors affecting biodiversity (11-P.1)

  • Methods of identifying species and measuring distribution, frequency and abundance of species within a habitat

  • Positive and negative human interactions with ecosystems

• Evolution, inheritance and variation

  • The genome as the entire genetic material of an organism

    • Introduction to the genetic code (11-J.1)

  • How the genome, and its interaction with the environment, influence the development of the phenotype of an organism

    • Introduction to the genetic code (11-J.1)
    • Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype (11-L.1)

  • The potential impact of genomics on medicine

  • Most phenotypic features being the result of multiple, rather than single, genes

  • Single gene inheritance and single gene crosses with dominant and recessive phenotypes

    • Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive (11-L.2)
    • Punnett squares: Mendelian inheritance (11-L.3)

  • Sex determination in humans

  • Genetic variation in populations of a species

    • Sexual reproduction and genetic variation: part I (11-K.1)
    • Sexual reproduction and genetic variation: part II (11-K.2)

  • The process of natural selection leading to evolution

    • Construct explanations of natural selection (11-M.3)

  • The evidence for evolution

    • Evaluate fossil evidence of evolution (11-M.1)
    • Evaluate anatomical and molecular evidence of evolution (11-M.2)

  • Developments in biology affecting classification

  • The importance of selective breeding of plants and animals in agriculture

  • The uses of modern biotechnology including gene technology; some of the practical and ethical considerations of modern biotechnology

Chemistry

• Atomic structure and the Periodic Table

  • A simple model of the atom consisting of the nucleus and electrons, relative atomic mass, electronic charge and isotopes

    • Count subatomic particles in atoms and ions (11-S.1)
    • Nuclear notation for atoms and ions (11-S.2)

  • The number of particles in a given mass of a substance

    • Calculate molar mass (11-V.1)
    • Convert between mass and moles of a substance (11-V.2)

  • The modern Periodic Table, showing elements arranged in order of atomic number

  • Position of elements in the Periodic Table in relation to their atomic structure and arrangement of outer electrons

  • Properties and trends in properties of elements in the same group

  • Characteristic properties of metals and non-metals

  • Chemical reactivity of elements in relation to their position in the Periodic Table

• Structure, bonding and the properties of matter

  • Changes of state of matter in terms of particle kinetics, energy transfers and the relative strength of chemical bonds and intermolecular forces

  • Types of chemical bonding: ionic, covalent, and metallic

    • Introduction to chemical bonding (11-T.1)

  • Bulk properties of materials related to bonding and intermolecular forces

    • Chemistry of water (11-D.1)
    • Properties of water: cohesion and adhesion (11-D.2)

  • Bonding of carbon leading to the vast array of natural and synthetic organic compounds that occur due to the ability of carbon to form families of similar compounds, chains and rings

  • Structures, bonding and properties of diamond, graphite, fullerenes and graphene

• Chemical changes

  • Determination of empirical formulae from the ratio of atoms of different kinds

  • Balanced chemical equations, ionic equations and state symbols

    • Count atoms in chemical reactions using models (11-W.1)
    • Count atoms in chemical equations (11-W.2)
    • Balance chemical equations I (11-W.3)

  • Identification of common gases

  • The chemistry of acids; reactions with some metals and carbonates

  • pH as a measure of hydrogen ion concentration and its numerical scale

  • Electrolysis of molten ionic liquids and aqueous ionic solutions

  • Reduction and oxidation in terms of loss or gain of oxygen

• Energy changes in chemistry

  • Measurement of energy changes in chemical reactions (qualitative)

    • Identify exothermic and endothermic processes (11-R.1)

  • Bond breaking, bond making, activation energy and reaction profiles (qualitative)

• Rate and extent of chemical change

  • Factors that influence the rate of reaction: varying temperature or concentration, changing the surface area of a solid reactant or by adding a catalyst

    • Factors that affect reaction rate (11-BB.1)

  • Factors affecting reversible reactions

    • Predict the equilibrium shift (11-CC.1)
    • Identify the stresses that cause an equilibrium shift (11-CC.2)

• Chemical analysis

  • Distinguishing between pure and impure substances

  • Separation techniques for mixtures of substances: filtration, crystallisation, chromatography, simple and fractional distillation

  • Quantitative interpretation of balanced equations

    • Determine mole ratios (11-Y.1)
    • Calculate the mass of a reactant or product (11-Y.2)
    • Identify a limiting reactant and calculate the amount of a product (11-Y.3)

  • Concentrations of solutions in relation to mass of solute and volume of solvent

    • Calculate the molarity, amount of solute or volume of a solution (11-AA.2)

• Chemical and allied industries

  • Life cycle assessment and recycling to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life

  • The viability of recycling of certain materials

  • Carbon compounds, both as fuels and feedstock, and the competing demands for limited resources

  • Fractional distillation of crude oil and cracking to make more useful materials

  • Extraction and purification of metals related to the position of carbon in a reactivity series

• Earth and atmospheric science

  • Evidence for composition and evolution of the Earth's atmosphere since its formation

    • The carbon cycle: biosphere processes and interactions (11-O.3)

  • Evidence, and uncertainties in evidence, for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change

  • Potential effects of, and mitigation of, increased levels of carbon dioxide and methane on the Earth's climate

  • Common atmospheric pollutants: sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulates and their sources

  • The Earth's water resources and obtaining potable water

Physics

• Energy

  • Energy changes in a system involving heating, doing work using forces, or doing work using an electric current: calculating the stored energies and energy changes involved

  • Power as the rate of transfer of energy

  • Conservation of energy in a closed system, dissipation

    • Conservation of mechanical energy (11-HH.1)

  • Calculating energy efficiency for any energy transfers

  • Renewable and non-renewable energy sources used on Earth, changes in how these are used

• Forces

  • Forces and fields: electrostatic, magnetic, gravity

    • Newton's law of universal gravitation (11-GG.4)
    • Magnets and magnetism (11-PP.1)

  • Forces as vectors

  • Calculating work done as force × distance; elastic and inelastic stretching

    • Hooke's law (11-JJ.1)

  • Pressure in fluids acts in all directions: variation in Earth's atmosphere with height, with depth for liquids, up-thrust force (qualitative)

• Forces and motion

  • Speed of sound, estimating speeds and accelerations in everyday contexts

  • Interpreting quantitatively graphs of distance, time, and speed

  • Acceleration caused by forces; Newton's First Law

    • Newton's first law of motion (11-GG.2)

  • Weight and gravitational field strength

    • Newton's law of universal gravitation (11-GG.4)

  • Decelerations and braking distances involved on roads, safety

• Wave motion

  • Amplitude, wavelength, frequency, relating velocity to frequency and wavelength

  • Transverse and longitudinal waves

    • Waves on strings (11-KK.1)

  • Electromagnetic waves, velocity in vacuum; waves transferring energy; wavelengths and frequencies from radio to gamma-rays

    • Properties of electromagnetic waves (11-MM.1)

  • Velocities differing between media: absorption, reflection, refraction effects

    • The law of reflection (11-NN.1)

  • Production and detection, by electrical circuits, or by changes in atoms and nuclei

  • Uses in the radio, microwave, infra-red, visible, ultra-violet, X-ray and gamma-ray regions, hazardous effects on bodily tissues

• Electricity

  • Measuring resistance using p.d. and current measurements

    • Ohm's law: voltage, current and resistance (11-OO.1)

  • Exploring current, resistance and voltage relationships for different circuit elements; including their graphical representations

  • Quantity of charge flowing as the product of current and time

  • Drawing circuit diagrams; exploring equivalent resistance for resistors in series

  • The domestic a.c. supply; live, neutral and earth mains wires, safety measures

  • Power transfer related to p.d. and current, or current and resistance

• Magnetism and electromagnetism

  • Exploring the magnetic fields of permanent and induced magnets, and the Earth's magnetic field, using a compass

  • Magnetic effects of currents, how solenoids enhance the effect

  • How transformers are used in the national grid and the reasons for their use

• The structure of matter

  • Relating models of arrangements and motions of the molecules in solid, liquid and gas phases to their densities

  • Melting, evaporation, and sublimation as reversible changes

  • Calculating energy changes involved on heating, using specific heat capacity; and those involved in changes of state, using specific latent heat

    • Calculations involving specific heat capacity (11-II.1)

  • Links between pressure and temperature of a gas at constant volume, related to the motion of its particles (qualitative)

• Atomic structure

  • The nuclear model and its development in the light of changing evidence

  • Masses and sizes of nuclei, atoms and small molecules

  • Differences in numbers of protons, and neutrons related to masses and identities of nuclei, isotope characteristics and equations to represent changes

  • Ionisation; absorption or emission of radiation related to changes in electron orbits

  • Radioactive nuclei: emission of alpha or beta particles, neutrons, or gamma-rays, related to changes in the nuclear mass and/or charge

    • Classify nuclear reactions (11-QQ.1)

  • Radioactive materials, half-life, irradiation, contamination and their associated hazardous effects, waste disposal

  • Nuclear fission, nuclear fusion and our Sun's energy

• Space physics

  • The main features of the solar system