Penrice Academy
Curriculum Statement 2016/2017
Penrice Academy Science │ Year 8
Our Year 8 Students will experience a broad range of different aspects of science,
through a varied and engaging scheme of learning. They will be exposed to a
significant amount of practical and investigative work that has been crafted to fully
prepare them for the GCSE curriculum. Students will develop a range of scientific skills
from; collecting data, applying subject knowledge to explain concepts, analysing data
and planning investigations.
Overview of Learning:
Introduction to Science (week 1)
This module will cover the following;
 Working Safely in a Science Lab
 Scientific Investigative Skills
SMSC
Students will develop the crucial skills of team work and responsibility through the
practical investigative skills they develop. They will learn how to act safely in a
Science laboratory. They will be reminded of hazard symbols which they can then
relate to real life.
Assessment
Teaching staff will assess students understanding of the this topic throughout, with
the effective use of questioning and marking of student work.
Breathing and Digestion (week 2 - week 5)
This module will cover the following:
 Respiratory system
 Factors that affect gas exchange
 Balanced diet
 Digestive system
 Digestive enzymes
Homework Overview
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
SMSC
Students will learn about two important systems in the body; the respiratory system
and the digestive system. During this module students will have the opportunity to
build upon knowledge they gained at Primary School. Students will allows learn
how smoking, drugs and alcohol impact upon the respiratory system and the effects
of an unbalanced diet on health.
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Summative assessment
Students will sit a summative test assessing their understanding of the Breathing
and Digestion module, as well as previous Scientific knowledge. Student will be
given directed improvement time to make improvements after this test.
Periodic Table: (Week 6 – week 7)
This module will cover the following:
 The arrangement of the Periodic Table
 Alkali metals
 Halogens
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
Penrice Academy

Curriculum Statement 2016/2017
Compounds and mixtures
SMSC
Students will analyse how the Periodic Table was developed and the history
surrounding its current arrangement. Students will build upon their practical skills,
investigating the reactivity of different elements. These practicals will allow them to
gain confidence designing practical methods and analysing the results, as well as
crucial teamwork skills.
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Electricity: (week 8 - 11)
This module will cover the following:
 Static Electricity
 Electric circuits
 Current
 Voltage
 Resistance
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
SMSC
Students will learn how to construct working series and parallel electrical circuits.
They will explore how current and voltage vary within these and will build a
Scientific understanding of how electricity actually works. Students will also explore
static electricity which they can easily relate to real life scenarios
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Summative assessment – Students will sit a summative test assessing their
understanding of the Periodic Table and Electricity module, as well as previous
Scientific knowledge. Student will be given directed improvement time to make
improvements after this test.
Inheritance (week 12 – week 14)
This module will cover the following:
 Natural selection
 Extinction
 Biodiversity
 Genes and variation
 Genetic diagrams
 Genetic modifications
SMSC
During this module, students will explore the theory of evolution through natural
selection. Religious theories will not be discussed during this module. Students will
learn about the importance of preserving biodiversity and ways in which this can be
achieved. They will also explore the causes of variation among a population and
learn about an ethically controversial topic, genetic modification.
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
Penrice Academy
Curriculum Statement 2016/2017
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Reactions: (week 15 – week 18)
This module will cover the following:
 Exothermic and endothermic reactions
 Uses of exothermic and endothermic reactions
 Chemical and physical reactions
 Conservation of mass
 Thermal decomposition
 Combustion
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
SMSC
During this module there will be the opportunity for many practicals, allowing
students to develop their organisation and analysing skills. Students will work in
pairs or small groups to test hypothesise. All reactions will be put into relevant
context to show how they happen in real life situations.
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Summative assessment – Students will sit a summative test assessing their
understanding of the Inheritance and Reactions modules and other previous
Scientific knowledge. Student will be given directed improvement time to make
improvements after this test.
Electromagnets: (week 19 – week 20)
This module will cover the following:
 Magnets
 Electromagnets
 Uses of electromagnets
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
SMSC
Students will develop investigatory skills through the practicals of this module. They
will build a compass and learn practical applications of magnets and
electromagnets.
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Bioenergetics: (week 21 – week 23)
This module will cover the following:
 Aerobic respiration
 Anaerobic respiration
 Photosynthesis
 Plant adaptations
 Factors affecting photosynthesis
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
Penrice Academy
Curriculum Statement 2016/2017
SMSC
Students will develop team work skills whilst investigating how the body responds
to exercise. They will critically analyse data and draw conclusions to identify the
limiting factors of photosynthesis. They will develop their understanding of
important processes in their body and determine the importance of plants in our
daily lives.
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Climate and resources: (week 24 – week 27)
This module will cover the following;
 The atmosphere
 The carbon cycle
 Greenhouse effect
 Displacement
 Metal extraction
 Electrolysis
 Recycling
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
SMSC
Students will learn about the effects of burning fossil fuels on the carbon cycle and
how this will increase the greenhouse effect. Students will learn about how
materials, primarily metals, that they use on a daily basis are extracted from their
ores and the importance of recycling materials.
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Summative assessment
Students will sit a summative test assessing their understanding of the
Electromagnets, Bioenergetics and Climate and resources modules, as well as
previous Scientific knowledge. Student will be given directed improvement time to
make improvements after this test.
Practical skills: (week 28 – week 30)
This module will cover the following;
 Planning an investigation
 Analysing results
 Graph drawing
 Concluding from results
 Preparing arguments for and against
 Writing a report
SMSC
Students will continue to develop the crucial skills of team work and responsibility
through the practical investigative skills they develop. They will be given a certain
amount of independence in planning their own investigation, making them consider
lab safety, equipment needed, techniques to use etc. Students will then collect this
data and analyse it. From this students will learn the skills of writing a Scientific
conclusion and can start to evaluate the effectiveness of their original practical
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
Penrice Academy
Curriculum Statement 2016/2017
plan.
Assessment
The students work will be teacher reviewed, identifying highlights and next steps.
Time will be allocated to then work on their next steps. Students will be questioned
throughout the module, ensuring they have a good understanding of the content.
Revision: (week 31 - week 32)
During this section of the year students will be given a broad range of activities
aimed at enhancing their understanding of the topic studied during the year. They
will also study exam technique and how to answer exam style questions, in
preparation for their end of year exam.
End of Year Exam and Directed Improvement Time: (week 33 – week 34)
Students will complete an End of Year Examination on all of the content they have
studied up to this point of the Year. They will then have time in subsequent lessons
to analyse the paper, with the aim of developing
Energy Research Project (Weeks 35 – week 38)
This module will cover the following;
 Types of energy
 Energy transfers
 Energy sources
 Heat loss
Assessment
Teaching staff will assess students understanding of the this topic throughout, with
the effective use of questioning and marking of student work.
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.
Students will complete
a range of homework
that relate to the
topics they have
studied.