Download Plean ScoileEolaiocht

Scoil Mhuire, An Chúil, Co. na hÍarmhí
Plean Scoile – Eolaíocht
According to the Primary School Curriculum(Government of Ireland, 1999), the aims of
the Science curriculum are as follows:
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To develop knowledge and understanding of scientific and technological
concepts through the exploration of human, natural and physical aspects
of the environment
To develop a scientific approach to problem-solving which emphasizes
understanding and constructive thinking
To encourage the child to explore, develop and apply scientific ideas
and concepts through designing and making activities
To foster the child’s natural curiosity, so encouraging independent
enquiry and creative action
To help the child to appreciate the contribution of science and
technology to the social, economic, cultural and other dimensions of
society
To cultivate an appreciation ande respect for the diversity of living and
non-living things, their interdependence and interactions
To encourage the child to behave responsibly to protect, improve and
cherish the environment and to become involved in the identification,
discussion, resolution and avoidance of environmental problems and to
promote sustainable development
To enable the child to communicate ideas, present work and report
findings using a variety of media
Keeping these aims in mind, the staff of Scoil Mhuire revised and updated this school
policy in November-December 2008. An inventory of the scientific equipment in the
school was taken.
Resources
(i)Myself
10 one-metre measuring tapes
10 liquid crystal thermometers
1 weighing scales
10 mirrors
(ii)Animals and Plants
10 pooters (bug collectors)
1 aquarium
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Scoil Mhuire, An Chúil, Co. na hÍarmhí
1 large magnifier
10 small magnifiers
10 collection boxes (with magnifiers)
10 plastic spiders (!)
I microscope
microscope slides
(iii)Forces and Measurement
1 stopwatch
5 beakers (50-1000 ml)
1 steel 100g weight
1 one-minute sand timer
6 spring balances
10 ten-ml syringes
10 twenty-ml syringes
10 five-ml syringes
5 rain gauges (50-1000 ml
5 measuring spoons
10 pulleys
(iv)Electricity
10 4.5 v flat batteries
10 1.5 v C batteries
20 C size battery holders
20 1.5 v bulbs
20 3.5 v bulbs
10 2.5 v flashing bulbs
20 bulb holders
1 ten-m clear flex
20 crocodile leads
1 wire-stripper
5 3 v buzzers
10 motors
10 motor mounting clips
5 bell pushes
1 knife switch
5 push switches
(v)Magnetism
6 wand magnets
10 plastic-cased magnets
2 bar magnets
5 horseshoe magnets
20 compasses
1 iron filings shaker
5 iron filings bubbles
(vi)Light and Sound
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Scoil Mhuire, An Chúil, Co. na hÍarmhí
6 torches
10 flat plastic mirrors
10 convex/concave mirrors
15 colour paddles
1 prism
1 glass block
1 large tuning fork
5 small tuning forks
5 sheets coloured acetates
(vii)Machines
1 Tech-Card Build-It Kit
(viii)Heat
5 spirit thermometers
5 numeric thermometers
5 descriptive thermometers
1 wall thermometer
Curriculum Implementation
In general, it was agreed that each class teacher would select suitable units of work from
the Primary School Curriculum to cover with their classes. As all teachers in Scoil
Mhuire teach multi-class groupings, a wide selection of content is required to expose the
students to as many scientific experiences as possible, and to prevent boredom. In
keeping with the spirit of the curriculum “hands-on”, experimental and project work will
be central to the teaching of Science at Scoil Mhuire. The following is a suggested list of
areas which the class teachers will cover.
(i) Skills Development
The follwing skills will be developed in all students from Junior Infants to Sixth Class.
Appropriate methodologies will be outlined in individual teachers’ Sceim na Bliana/an
Téarma
Working scientifically
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Questioning
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Observing
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Predicting
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Investigating and experimenting
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Estimating and measuring
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Scoil Mhuire, An Chúil, Co. na hÍarmhí
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Analysing (sorting and classifying)
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Recording and communicating
Designing and making
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Exploring
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Planning
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Making
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Evaluating
(ii) Strands
Naíonáin – Rang 1
Strand: Living Things
Myself, parts of the body, physical similarities and differences, changes, needs for
growth, the five senses
Strand: Energy and Forces
Light: colours, dark and bright, shades, formation of shadows
Heat: hot and cold (weather, food etc.)
Sound: recognition of variety of sounds, high and low, loud and soft, making sounds
Magnetism: guided play with magnets, magnets attract certain materials
Electricity: awareness of uses of electricity, household and school electrical equipment,
danger awareness of electricity
Rang I – Rang III
Strand: Materials
Waterproofing, materials used in house-building, volcanoes, experimenting with oil
(marbling), mixing colours, plastics
Strand: Living Things
Garden Habitat, study of swallows, study of zebras, study of reindeer and yaks, seasonal change, identifying
trees, changes in trees, parts of the tree, migration of birds, identification of living and non-living things,
introduction to and naming of bones, study of deer, study of robins, life cycle of plants, germination, healthy
eating, study of the frog, the Earth and the planets, the Moon, studying wild flowers, studying bats, food
chains, care of teeth, seashore habitats, fish and other marine life
Strand: Energy and Forces
Sounds, keeping a sound diary
Light: sorting transparent and opaque materials, forming shadows
Magnetism: prediction of magnetic materials
Floating and Sinking
Electricity, working with batteries, studying electrical equipment, power cuts
Strand: Environmental awareness and care
Recycling at home and at school, caring for the locality
Rang IV – Rang VI
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Scoil Mhuire, An Chúil, Co. na hÍarmhí
Strand: Materials
Rocks, states of matter, air and gases, food preservation, exploring technological advances
Strand: Living Things
The digestive system, the food pyramid, structure and funoction of the eye and ear, animal classification,
invertebrates and vertebrates, parts of a flower, plant reproduction, how animals see, bogland habitats, the
heart and vascular system, the skeleton, the nervous system, germination and growing seeds, growing a
bottle garden,seashore habitat, food chains
Strand: Energy and Forces
Heat: convection, conduction and radiation, how a vacuum flask operates, how heat is created by friction,
conductors and insulators
Gravity and Weight: how gravity affects us
Simple Machines and Forces, exploring and designing simple machines
Sound: Making sounds, exploring frequency and wavelength
Magnetism: exploring attraction, repulsion, lines of forces, creating an electromagnet
Electricity: Electricity at home and at school, safety rules, building and drawing circuits, exploring switches,
batteries and bulbs, studying the electron and how electricity is made, static electricity
Floating and sinking, density of materials
Strand: Environmental awareness and care
Polar ice-sheets and habitats, climate change, the ozone layer, global warming, respect for habitats,
exploring an eco-holiday
Assessment
Assessment shall be in line with the school’s Assessment Policy. Because of the practical nature of many of
the activities in Science, particular attention will be paid to how the children
(a) formulate hypotheses
(b) design and set up experiments
(c) cooperate in setting up experiments
(d) record results and discuss findings
Formal Science testing will take place in the senior classroom
Review
This policy will be reviewed informally on an annual basis and formally in 2011
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