Science at Dubai English Speaking College follows the English National Curriculum. It provides three major areas of study: life and living processes (Biology), materials and their properties (Chemistry) and physical processes (Physics). In Years 7 to 9 pupils follow the Key Stage 3 Science course and work towards their externally assessed SATs exams. Assessment is a continual process and pupils are set homework on a weekly basis and tested at the end of each topic. Exploring Science text books are used as a pupil resource and four Science topics will be studied each term, as outlined below.

Link to Science PowerPoint presentation [June 2006 - 24 MB]

Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Cells	Food and digestion	Inheritance and selection
Reproduction	Respiration	Fit and healthy
Environment and feeding Relationships	Microbes and disease	Plants and photosynthesis
Variation and classification	Ecological relationships	Plants for food
Acids and alkalis	Atoms and elements	Reactions of metals and metal compounds
Simple chemical reactions	Compounds and mixtures	Patterns of reactivity
Particle model of solids, liquids and gases	Rocks and weathering	Environmental chemistry
Solutions	The rock cycle	Using chemistry
Energy resources	Heating and cooling	Energy and electricity
Electrical circuits	Magnets and electromagnets	Gravity and space
Forces and their effects	Light	Speeding up
The solar system and beyond	Sound and hearing	Pressure and moments

One of eight Science Laboratories		Science/Technology I.T. Pod
	The Science Ecosystem

Yr 7 Chemistry	Yr 8 Biology	Eco Club	Yr 9 Chemistry

 

At DESC our aim is to give pupils a broad and balanced understanding of the Scientific world and the ability to apply their knowledge to new experiences. The department promotes a caring, friendly atmosphere and prides itself on the support and encouragement it gives to its pupils. We have high expectations for pupils' work and behaviour. Lessons incorporate practical experiments, demonstrations, discussions, videos and dynamic teaching. ICT is an integral part of the Science syllabus and both pupils and teachers will enjoy the facilities of a dedicated science computer suite with interactive technology. Teachers actively support Assessment for Learning strategies.

 

Yr 7 Physics lessons

Some helpful and interesting Science links for Year 7, 8 & 9 students:

 Click on the image to take you to the BBC Bitesize Science revision page

 Click on the image to take you to the the New Scientist website

 Click on the image to take you to the Andy Darvill Science Site

 Click on the image to take you to the BBC Science and Nature Page

 Click on the image to take you to Doc Brown's Chemistry Clinic

 Click on the image to take you to the Edexcel website

 Click on the image to take you to the Scibermonkey website

 Click on the image to take you to the SWGL Skoool website

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Year 10 Onwards

In Years 10 and 11 the majority of students follow the AQA GCSE Science A and GCSE Additional Science qualifications.  A selected group follows AQA GCSE Biology; Chemistry and Physics qualifications which include the same material covered by other students but with extension topics in each subject to complete the three separate awards.  Students’ practical work is assessed and this contributes 25% of final grades.

GCSE Science Topics

Biology Unit 1

1 How do human bodies respond to changes inside them and to their environment?

2 What can we do to keep our bodies healthy?

3 How do we use/abuse medical and recreational drugs?

4 What causes infectious disease and how can our bodies defend themselves against them?

5 What determines where particular species live and how many of them there are?

6 Why are individuals of the same species different from each other? What new methods do we have for producing plants and animals with the characteristics we prefer?

7 Why have some species of plants and animals died out? How do new species of plants and animals develop?

8 How do humans affect the environment?

Chemistry Unit 1

1 How do rocks provide building materials?

2 How do rocks provide metals and how are metals used?

3 How do we get fuels from crude oil?

4 How are polymers and ethanol made from oil?

5 How can plant oils be used?

6 What are the changes in the Earth and its atmosphere?

Physics Unit 1

1 How is heat (thermal energy) transferred and what factors affect the rate at which heat is transferred?

2 What is meant by the efficient use of energy?

3 Why are electrical devices so useful?

4 How should we generate the electricity we need?

5 What are the uses and hazards of the waves that form the electromagnetic spectrum?

6 What are the uses and dangers of emissions from radioactive substances?

7 What do we know about the universe and how it continues to change?


GCSE Additional Science

Biology Unit 2

1 What are animals and plants built from?

2 How do dissolved substances get into and out of cells?

3 How do plants obtain the food they need to live and grow?

4 What happens to energy and biomass at each stage in a food chain?

5 What happens to the waste material produced by plants and animals?

6 What are enzymes and what are some of their functions?

7 How do our bodies keep internal conditions constant?

8 Which human characteristics show a simple pattern of inheritance?

Chemistry Unit 2

1 How do sub-atomic particles help us to understand the structure of substances?

2 How do structures influence the properties and uses of substances?

3 How much can we make and how much do we need to use?


4 How can we control the rates of chemical reactions?

5 Do chemical reactions always release energy?

6 How can we use ions in solutions

Physics Unit 2

1 How can we describe the way things move?

2 How do we make things speed up or slow down?

3 What happens to the movement energy when things speed up or slow down?
4 What is momentum?

5 What is static electricity, how can it be used and what is the connection between static electricity and electric currents?


6 What does the current through an electrical circuit depend on?

7 What is mains electricity and how can it be used safely?

8 Why do we need to know the power of electrical appliances?

9 What happens to radioactive substances when they decay?

10 What are nuclear fission and nuclear fusion?

Additional Topics for Award of GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics

Biology Unit 3

1 How do dissolved substances get into and out of animals and plants?

2 How are dissolved materials transported around the body?

3 How does exercise affect the exchanges taking place within the body?

4 How do exchanges in the kidney help us to maintain the internal environment in mammals and how has biology helped us to treat kidney disease?

5 How are microorganisms used to make food and drink?

6 What other useful substances can we make using microorganisms?

7 How can we be sure we are using microorganisms safely?

Chemistry Unit 3

1 How was the periodic table developed and how can it help us understand the reactions of elements?

2 What are strong and weak acids and alkalis?

3 How can we find the amounts of acids and alkalis in solutions?
4 What is in the water we drink?

5 How much energy is involved in chemical reactions?

6 How do we identify and analyse substances?

Physics Unit 3

1 How do forces have a turning effect?

2 What keeps bodies moving in a circle?

3 What provides the centripetal force for planets and satellites?

4 What do mirrors and lenses do to light?

5 What is sound?

6 What is ultrasound and how can it be used?

7 How can electricity be used to make things move?

8 How do generators work?

9 How do transformers work?

10 What is the life history of stars?

For more information see http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcses/index.php