Science Key Stage 3
Key knowledge is defined for Key Stage 3; we know exactly what our pupils need to know at the end of each topic, and how it will be further developed in future learning. Pupils by the end of year 9 have a broad and deep understanding of key ideas in all three science disciplines and are well-prepared to progress into Key Stage 4 successfully.
Knowledge is sequenced carefully from Year 7 through to Year 9, with practice and recap at the start of each topic, to ensure thorough foundations before more complex concepts are acquired.
Key Stage 3 is full of knowledge, but also skills: learning skills, practical skills, deep thinking skills and exam skills. Students get plenty of ‘hands-on’ experience with practical investigations across the three sciences, and immediately start considering the impact they, and science, have on our global and local context.
The Key Knowledge that we deliver is as follows:
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Reading for Pleasure
| Book Title | Publishing Information | What's it about? |
| The Horrible Science of You – Nick Arnold | Scholastic 1407116894 | This book isn't just about any body, it's about YOUR body and what it does all day. Meet the shrinking scientists who are staying with the Normal family - a perfectly normal family - and studying how their bodies work. |
| Marie Curie (Little People – Big Dreams) – Isabel Vegara | Lincoln Children’s Books 1847809618 | The book follows Marie Curie, whose love of learning helped her to revolutionise the fight against cancer with her discovery of radium and polonium. This inspiring and informative little biography comes with extra facts about Marie's life at the back. |
| Pig Heart Boy – Malorie Blackman | Corgi Childrens 0552559792 | You're thirteen. All you want is a normal life. But most normal kids don't need heart transplants. So there's this doctor. He says there's a chance for you. But he also says it's experimental, controversial and risky. And it's never been done before. |
| 50 Ideas You Really Need to Know – Chemistry – Hayley Birch | Greenfinch 9781848666672 | Chemistry is at the cutting edge of our lives. How does a silicon chip work? How can we harness natural products to combat human disease? And is it possible to create artificial muscles? Providing answers to these questions and many more, 50 Chemistry Ideas You Really Need to Know is an engaging guide to the world of chemistry. From the molecules that kick-started life itself to nanotechnology, chemistry offers some fascinating insights into our origins, as well as continuing to revolutionise life as we know it. |
| A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness | Walker Books 1406361801 | ‘Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.’ |
| No one is too small to make a difference – Greta Thunberg | Penguin 0141992719 | Everything needs to change. And it has to start today' In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day. Her actions ended up sparking a global movement for action against the climate crisis, inspiring millions of pupils to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. |
Text Books
| Title | Publisher | ISBN |
| Key Stage Three Knowledge Organiser - Science | CGP | N/A |
| AQA Key Stage 3 Science Pupil Book 1 -Neil Dixon | Hodder Education | 9781471899928 |
| AQA KS3 Science Student Book Part 1 - Ed Walsh | Collins | 0008215286 |
Websites
| Website Address | Description of what is offered | Password |
| Youtube; Cognito | A fantastic youtube channel with clearly animated and described videos. It is aimed at GCSE students, but a lot of the content at the start of each video is relevant to KS3 pupils | n/a |
| Senecalearning.com | Topics are broken down into bitesized chunks with lots of quick quizzes and practice. You can set up your own account and track your progress on different topics. | Set your own |
| YouTube – TED-Ed | Here there are lots of interesting and beautifully animated videos about a wide variety of science topics | n/a |
Enrichment
We encourage all of our pupils to engage in enrichment and extra curricular activities in school. We are currently offering the following enrichment in KS3 but for up to date information, please consult the latest edition of the Parent Newsletter.
| Club or Activity | When & Where | Who can I ask for more information? |
| Engineering Club | Monday 3-3:30 - B204 | Mr Hurst |
| Zoology Club | Tuesday 3-3:30 - B206 | Miss Harper / Mrs Hazelden |
| STEM Club | Tuesday 3-3:30 - S206 | Mr Pownell / Mr Sharman |
| Japanese Club | Tuesday 3-3:30 - B202 | Mr Hitchen |
| Space Club | Wednesday 3-3:30 - B208 | Miss Chandler |
| Gardening & Growing Club | Wednesday 3-3:30 - B203 | Miss Robinson |