PRIMARY 3

Parents’ Workshop 2017

Objectives

Parents to be familiar with

1. Format of Semestral Assessment

2. Updated Science Syllabus since 2014

3. Five Essential Process skills

4. Answering Techniques

5. Inquiry-based learning (Hands-on

activity)

Format of Semestral Assessment

Format of Exam Paper

Booklet A

(MCQ)

Booklet B

(Open

ended)

Total Duration

24 questions

(48 marks)

10 questions

(32 marks)

80 marks 1h 30 min

Updated Science Syllabus Since

2014

Updated Science Syllabus

Since 20141) Diversity of Living and Non-living things

Classification and characteristics of animals:

- Insects

- Mammals

- Fish

- Birds

- Reptiles (NEW)

- Amphibians (NEW)

Updated Science Syllabus 2014

2) Materials

Properties of materials

- Strength

- Flexibility

- Transparency

- Ability to float or sink in water

- Waterproof

- Hardness (Taken out of syllabus)

Five Essential Process Skills

Process Skills

• Symbolic Representation (SR)

• Observation and Classification (O&C)

• Planning Investigation (PI)

• Interpretation of Information (IOI)

• Application of Concepts (AOC)

Symbolic Representation (SR)

• Read off information from a table

of figures or symbols, bar charts,

line graph, etc.

• Read off information from a

schematic representation of a

process or a series of linked

events.

Symbolic Representation (SR)

Identify F,G and H.

Frangipani : ____________

Staghorn Fern : ___________

Hibiscus : ____________

G

H

F

Observation and Classification (O&C)

• Identify differences between similar objects or events

• Identify similarities between similar objects or events

• Sequence events in the order they take place

• Match a description to an object or a drawing

• Make a drawing of a given object

• Classify objects according to a stated criterion

• Identify criteria used in making classification

Observation and Classification (O & C)

Planning Investigation (PI)

• State or identify variables, give a problem to be

investigated

• State or identify the variables to be changed and

controlled, given a problem to be investigated

• State or identify the variables to be measured in a

given investigation

• Describe how the results of an investigation will be

used in answering the problem posed

• Identify what problem is investigated by a given set

of actions

Planning Investigation (PI)

Variable

to be kept

the same

Interpretation of Information (IOI)• Describe a pattern (regularity) or make a

generalization, given data in the form of a table,

diagram, graph, etc

• Make a prediction based on a pattern or regularity,

given the data as above

• Identify a statement, about an event, that makes the

least degree of inference, or keeps closely to the

information given

• Draw a conclusion from data given

• Decide whether a conclusion is supported by given

data

Interpretation of Information (IOI)

Application of Concepts (AOC)

• Give an explanation in terms of science concepts,

given a set of observations or a description of

events.

• Make a prediction based on given data and science

concepts.

• Propose more than one possible explanation of an

event or situation.

• Decide whether a given hypothesis fits the given

data, or which of several hypotheses fits the data

best.

Application of Concepts (AOC)

TECHNIQUES IN ANSWERING

SCIENCE EXAMINATION

QUESTIONS

How to help your child?

• Pay attention to key concepts when

reading the questions

• Comparison is very important, when

more than one variable is used in the

set-up (words such as greater,

smaller, biggest should be used)

How to help your child?

• Do not answer with general statements, be

specific.

General statement:

Living things need air, food and water.

Specific statement:

Living things need air and air was not provided

in set-up A.

How to help your child?

• Apply concepts and use the

variables/things used in the questions to

answer

Technique in answering open-ended

questions

I• Identify topics

R• Recall key concepts

Q• Question tag

EXAMPLES OF IRQ TECHNIQUES

Recall Key

concepts:

Microorganisms

Fungi

Bacteria

Spores

Mould

Yeast

Dead/ alive

Topic:

Fungi and

Bacteria

Recall Key

concepts :

Microorganisms

Fungi

Bacteria

Spores

Mould

Yeast

Dead/ alive

Topic:

Fungi and

Bacteria

Question type:

Question type:

Let’s try!

Let’s try!2 Jacinta carried out an experiment using two set-ups, A and B,

shown below. She observed the two set-ups after 1 week.

(a) What was she trying to find out?

Let’s try!

(b) What is the changed variable?

(c) What are the variables that must remain the same?

(d) What can she conclude from the experiment?

INQUIRY BASED LEARNING -

HANDS-ON ACTIVITY

Q & A