Preparing your child for PSLE

13 Jan 2017

Overview

• Department Vision and Mission

• Primary Science Curriculum

• Revised Assessment Objectives

• Revised PSLE Examination Format

• Answering Techniques

• Parents as Facilitators

• Q & A

Department Vision & Mission

Vision:

• Active Learners with an inquiry mind and a heart for the environment.

Mission:

• Igniting in every student a passion for Science through the E3 approach through our programmes.

• Excite, Engage & Excel

Primary Science Curriculum

• Scientific inquiry may be defined as the activities and processes which scientists and students engage in to study the natural and physical world around us.

Primary Science Curriculum

Through inquiry learning, students will be able to:

Acquire knowledge and understanding of their natural and physical world based on investigations.

Apply the skills and processes of inquiry.

Develop attitudes and values that are essential to the practice of science.

Primary Science Curriculum

Topics for P6 2017Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4

Energy 1. What is Energy? 2. Forms and Uses of Energy

Interactions 1. Forces 2. Types of Forces

Interactions 1. Living Together 2. Characteristics of

the Environment 3. Food chains and

Food Webs 4. Adaptations for

Survival 5. Man’s Impact on

the Environment

Revision PSLE

Table of Specifications – PSLE ScienceTheme Life Science Physical Science

Diversity Diversity of living things

Diversity of non - living things

Diversity of materials

Cycles Cycles in plants & animals

Cycles in matter & water

Systems Plant, Human & Cell Systems

Electrical systems

Interactions Interaction within the environment

Interaction of forces

Energy Energy forms and uses

Energy forms and uses. Energy conversion

Weighting 45 – 55 % 45 – 55 %

Revised Examination Formats

Duration

• Standard

– 1h 45 min

Booklet Item Type

No. of Questions

Marks per

Question

Total Marks

%

A MCQ 28 2 56 56

B Open -Ended

12 - 13 2 - 5 44 44

40 - 41 100 100

Revised Assessment Objectives

Assessment Objectives Weighting

I Knowledge with Understanding

40 %

II Application of Knowledge and

Process Skills

60 %

Revised Assessment Objectives

Assessment Objectives

AO II Application of Knowledge and Process Skills Interpret information (including pictorial.

Tabular and graphical) Carry out investigation using one or a

combination of the following process skills: InferringPredictingAnalysingEvaluatingGenerating possibilitiesFormulating hypothesisCommunicating

Examination Tips

Answering MCQs

• Duration: 1h 45min for Booklets A & B

• ≈ 56 min for Booklet A

– (28 MCQ ≈ 2 min per question)

• Attempt Booklet A first, then Booklet B

• If unable to answer a certain question, circle it and move on to next question. Come back to that question after finishing the rest.

Science Department’s approach to conquer PSLE Science

1. Topical Concept Map

2. Topical Revision Notes & worksheets

3. Assessment book

4. Spelling – once every two weeks

5. Science Blast – Short revision test

Tackling PSLE Science questions

1. Understanding, not just remembering

2. Applying Process Skills

3. Techniques (processing given information, making associations)

4. Use of questioning technique called RIIMaKe approach

RIIMaKe

Answering Question Technique

Using RIIMaKe approach

RIIMaKeR Read question thoroughly

I Identify topic(s) and concept(s)

I Interpret data / information and find relationship

Ma Make the link with concept(s) identified

Ke Use KEY words/phrases in your answer.

Using RIIMaKe approach

RIIMaKeR Read question thoroughly

I Identify topic(s) and concept(s)

I Interpret data / information and find relationship

Ma Make the link with concept(s) identified

Ke Use KEY words/phrases in your answer.

Highlight or

circle important

words in question

Using RIIMaKe approach

A simple electric circuit inside the electric iron is shown below. It consists of a heating wire connected to a power supply.

The heating wire is made of a metal with a high melting point. When an electric current passes through the circuit, the

heating wire gets heated to a high temperature.

(i) What will happen if a metal with a lower melting point is used as the heating wire?

(ii) Explain why the electric iron in (i) will not work.

heating wire

to power supply

PSLE 2012 Q40b

Using RIIMaKe approach

A simple electric circuit inside the electric iron is shown below. It consists of a heating wire connected to a power supply.

The heating wire is made of a metal with a high melting point. When an electric current passes through the circuit, the

heating wire gets heated to a high temperature.

(i) What will happen if a metal with a lower melting point is used as the heating wire? [1]

heating wire

to power supply

R: Highlight or

circle important words in question

PSLE 2012 Q40b

Using RIIMaKe approach

A simple electric circuit inside the electric iron is shown below. It consists of a heating wire connected to a power supply.

The heating wire is made of a metal with a high melting point. When an electric current passes through the circuit, the

heating wire gets heated to a high temperature.

(i) What will happen if a metal with a lower melting point is used as the heating wire? [1]

heating wire

to power supply

I: Topic: Electrical

Energy, Energy Conversion, Heat,

State of Matter

PSLE 2012 Q40b

Using RIIMaKe approach

A simple electric circuit inside the electric iron is shown below. It consists of a heating wire connected to a power supply.

The heating wire is made of a metal with a high melting point. When an electric current passes through the circuit, the

heating wire gets heated to a high temperature.

(i) What will happen if a metal with a lower melting point is used as the heating wire? [1]

heating wire

to power supply

I: Interpret

data / find

relationship

PSLE 2012 Q40b

How it works.

Using RIIMaKe approach

A simple electric circuit inside the electric iron is shown below. It consists of a heating wire connected to a power supply.

The heating wire is made of a metal with a high melting point. When an electric current passes through the circuit, the

heating wire gets heated to a high temperature.

(i) What will happen if a metal with a lower melting point is used as the heating wire? [1]

heating wire

to power supply

Ma Ke: 1) Electrical

energy converted to

heat energy. 2)Heat -

Effect on the heating

wire

PSLE 2012 Q40b

The heating wire will melt.

The circuit will become an open circuit. No electric current can flow through the electric iron.

Using RIIMaKe approach

A simple electric circuit inside the electric iron is shown below. It consists of a heating wire connected to a power supply.

The heating wire is made of a metal with a high melting point. When an electric current passes through the circuit, the

heating wire gets heated to a high temperature.

(i) What will happen if a metal with a lower melting point is used as the heating wire? [1]

(ii) Explain why the electric iron in (i) will not work.

heating wire

to power supply

PSLE 2012 Q40b

How to better help your child in the learning of Science?

Parents as facilitators

1. Help your child to develop a routine for revision and homework

2. Revise P3 to P6 topics using concept mapping/ Science Revision Notes

3. Be familiar with the type of PSLE questions in the PSLE booklets

4. Revise the Practice Papers done in school and previous years examination scripts

5. Exposure to scientific knowledge from other sources: print and online (LMS portal)

Parents as facilitators

Ensure your child:

1. Revise to reinforce concepts, knowledge and improve retention:

• Textbook & Activity Book

• Revision Guide

2. Learn from mistakes

• Take down notes and copy explanations

• Corrections in Activity Book, AfL, CA, SA. Topical Worksheet, Process Skills Worksheet, Supplementary Worksheets, Practice Papers

• Proper filing

Parents as facilitators

Ensure your child:

3. Complete homework on time

4. Support school programmes: • Attend supplementary / remedial lessons

5. Build on your child’s interest:• Encourage your child to read science magazines and related

books as well as watch science television programmes (e.g. Discovery channel )

• Find out more from web resources: mconline.sg, Sciberdiver, BBC Science and etc.

Parents as facilitators

What you can do to help your child?

• Learn Together

• Parents can learn more about the science their children are studying at school too.

• Useful website for students. http://sciberdiver.wikispaces.com/Primary+3-4

http://sciberdiver.wikispaces.com/Primary+5

In summary , parental support can be for the following:

• Monitor Spelling

• Go through Topical notes

• RIIMaKE approach

• Link concept to daily lives

Thank you