Changes to the AQA GCSE Science Specifications

2 Changes to content of Specifications Many topics have been removed from ‘Double Science’ (Science + Additional) to allow more time for teaching ‘How Science Works’ Some of these topics have been moved into Separate Sciences To accommodate these topics, several topics have been removed from Separate Sciences There are a limited number of new topics, mainly due to changes to the National Curriculum

3 Specification Layout e.g. Section 11.8 Question – How do humans affect the environment? Introduction – Humans often upset the balance of different populations in natural ecosystems, or change the environment so that some species find it difficult to survive. With so many people in the world, there is a serious danger of causing permanent damage not just to local environments but also to the global environment.

4 Specification Layout Procedural Content Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding of how science works: – to analyse and interpret scientific data concerning environmental issues; – to weigh evidence and form balanced judgements about some of the major environmental issues facing society, including the importance of sustainable development; – to evaluate methods used to collect environmental data and consider their validity and reliability as evidence for environmental change.

5 Specification Layout Substantive content Their skills, knowledge and understanding of how science works should be set in these substantive contexts: – Rapid growth in the human population and an increase in the standard of living means that: raw materials, including non-renewable energy resources, are rapidly being used up; increasingly more waste is produced; unless waste is properly handled more pollution will be caused……………………

6 Specification Symbols Identifies content which lends itself to investigative work of the type needed to explore Sections 10.2 – 10.6 of the procedural content. About obtaining valid and reliable scientific evidence May form contexts for ISAs Identifies content which lends itself to activities which allow Sections 10.1 and of the procedural content to be considered These sections are about using scientific evidence e.g. how scientific evidence can contribute to decision making. Identifies content that provides opportunities for using IT

7 Changes to content of Specifications Many topics have been removed from ‘Double Science’ (Science + Additional) to allow more time for teaching ‘How Science Works’ Some of these topics have been moved into Separate Sciences To accommodate these topics, several topics have been removed from Separate Sciences There are a limited number of new topics, mainly due to changes to the National Curriculum

8 What has gone from ‘Double Science’ (Science + Additional)? Biology B1 and B2 – Human Biology Eye Digestive system (except enzymes) Ventilation Anaerobic respiration  B3 Blood system  B3 (but content reduced) Kidney  B3 – Exchange surfaces and active transport  B3 – Plant hormones – Transport in plants  B3 – Eutrophication – Nitrogen cycle

9 What has gone from ‘Double Science’ (Science + Additional)? (2) Chemistry C1 and C2 – Detail of industrial processes (blast furnace and aluminium extraction) – The rock record – Periodic table (History and some detail)  C3 – Enzymes  B2 – Reacting volumes – Empirical formula – Energy diagrams and calculations  C3

10 What has gone from ‘Double Science’ (Science + Additional)? (3) Physics P1 and P2 – Electromagnetic forces  P3 – Electromagnetic induction  P3 – Sound and ultrasound  P3 – Seismic waves – Tectonics  C1 – Solar system – Satellites  P3 – Life history of a star  P3

11 What has gone from Additional Content in Separate Sciences Biology – Moving and feeding – Controlling disease (except kidney) – Blood grouping Chemistry – Alcohols and Carboxylic acids – Industrial Physics – Electronics – Momentum  P2

12 New topics Biology – B1 Diet including obesity, cholesterol Testing and using of drugs Infection control Indicator species – B2 Enzymes (from Chemistry) Stem cells – B3 Biogenesis

13 New topics (2) Chemistry – C1 Alloys Plant oils Some tectonics (from Physics) – C2 Nanotechnology Quantitative chemistry include mole and atom economy – C3 Measuring energy changes

14 New topics (3) Physics – P1 Advantages and disadvantages of different types of telescope – P2 Momentum (from Separate Physics) – P3 Mirrors and prisms