Consultation on Senior Cycle Science Anna Walshe Brendan Duane ncca.ie/consultations

1. Consultation on Senior Cycle ScienceAnna WalsheBrendan Duanewww.ncca.ie/consultations

2. Key skills

3. Elements and learning outcomes

4. Evaluation: Judging the validity and usefulness of hypotheses, theories, statements, reports, solutions, or relationships using criteria evidence and logic Learning outcomes Synthesis: Creating new hypotheses, plans, patterns, solutions, structures, communications or abstract relationships Critically evaluate the measures being employed in Ireland to reduce atmospheric pollution and critically compare these measures with those adopted elsewhere Analysis: Examining and breaking information into components to identify facts and hypotheses, distinguish relevant from irrelevant, and understand relationships, structure and organisational principle Design and make a four note musical instrument Application: Using facts, techniques, rules, methods, concepts, principles theories and laws to solve or resolve problems or issues Apply Le Chatelier’s principle to a variety of processes to predict disturbances to the equilibrium and to predict conditions for optimising / minimising yields Comprehension: Demonstrating understanding by translation, interpretation (explaining, summarizing) and extrapolation(making inferences, predicting consequences) Carry out titrimetric calculations …..where all necessary equations and data are supplied Knowledge: Remembering and recalling specifics (terminology, facts, figures), ways and means(trends, classification, criteria, methodology), and abstractions (principles, generalisations, theories) Interpret I-V graphs based on primary and secondary data……… State Boyle’s and Charles’ laws

5. Describe/explain/discuss Describe involves identifying, naming, drawing, giving characteristics of, giving an account of, defining, and/or carrying out simple calculations. Explain involves describing as well as giving reasons for, making links between chemical concepts and/or observations, or carrying out calculations. Discuss involves showing understanding by analysing, interpreting, justifying, relating, evaluating, comparing and contrasting, and/or calculating.

6. Scientific process

7. Five units • Scientific method • Properties, structure and bonding • Controlling and using chemical change • Organic chemistry • Environmental Chemistry

8. Practical activities Practical activities are integral to the draft revised science syllabuses. As well as reinforcing the concepts, principles, laws and theories of science, practical activities develop procedural understanding in students – understanding of concepts such as data collection, reliability and validity, measurement and uncertainty, and the ability to interpret evidence.

9. Practical Activities Closed activities conduct an activity to prepare a standard solution of sodium carbonate and use this solution to determine the concentration of a solution of hydrochloric acid Open ended activities ….investigate the temperature loss during evaporation of a range of organic liquids Research activities Discuss the importance of a compromise between equilibrium position and reaction rate in the chemical industry Discuss the use of alcohols and biofuels as alternatives to petrol and diesel

10. Open ended activity • Can be assessed in the written exam • planning and designing an experiment • evaluating experimental procedures • selecting information from texts, tables, charts, graphs and diagrams • presenting information in a variety of forms • processing information • drawing conclusions and making predictions based on evidence provided.

11. Research activity • gather and process data • discuss views and form opinions about issues in science • relate learning to the applications and implications of science for society and the environment, or current research and developments in science.

12. Assessment • Written examination • knowledge and understanding—application of science principles and concepts • problem solving based on integration, analysis and evaluation of qualitative and quantitative information and data • capacity to form reasonable and logical argument based on evidence —clarity and coherence in argument, management of ideas. • Second component examination • abilities to conduct first- hand investigations and communicate information and understandings based on these investigations.

13. Proposed weighting

14. Second component assessment the thinking behind the doing • Aseries of short set tasks over a period of 90 minutes. • the knowledge and theory of experimental procedure are drawn from the syllabus • the contexts for the setting of tasks are not bound by the syllabus content • students are required to follow instructions to collect data and make observations • students use these data and observations to analyse, evaluate and make deductions • students record their data, observations and deductions on a task sheet which is marked externally.

15. We want to hear your views www.ncca.ie/consultations