Q&A - PSLE Science

[dedi]

So i suppose the new syllabus will take effect in 2010 PSLE?


Aren't P6 students next year be at a disadvantage, since they were not taught the complete new syllabus? Cos they were not aware of the changes made to the current lower block syllabus.

[lizawa]

dedi:

So i suppose the new syllabus will take effect in 2010 PSLE?


Aren't P6 students next year be at a disadvantage, since they were not taught the complete new syllabus? Cos they were not aware of the changes made to the current lower block syllabus.

The syllabus for lower block is about the same as what they learnt in P3. The only difference I see is the way in which the topics are structured according to the themes. Syllabus wise, not much of a difference for P3. They started with the few books for lower block in P4.

[Vanilla Cake]

dedi:

So i suppose the new syllabus will take effect in 2010 PSLE?

Aren't P6 students next year be at a disadvantage, since they were not taught the complete new syllabus? Cos they were not aware of the changes made to the current lower block syllabus.

Accordingly to this MTP session at Tao Nan on 07 Feb 2009, pls refer to http://www.taonan.moe.edu.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=273:school-briefing-february-7-2009&catid=84:parents-downloads&Itemid=140 :

Q – Since this year’s P5 is the first batch of students taking the new syllabus for Science for PSLE next year, will they be doing past year papers as their PSLE preparation? Will it be relevant?

A – P5 2009 will be doing the PSLE booklet as P6 2010. They will also be doing past year questions from other schools. They will still be relevant as the question type and skills tested remain the same, though there is some content reduction.

Q – Any changes for exam topics and format as compared to previous years?

A – In 2010, PSLE will have 30 MCQ questions (unchanged) and 14 open-ended questions (changed from 16).

Hope this helps.

[Vanilla Cake]

The new PSLE Standard & Foundation Science Syllabus and Examination format will take effect in 2010 PSLE.

Pls see http://www.punggolpri.moe.edu.sg/wbn/slot/u1220/Parents/Syllabus_Coverage_&_Exam_Format_for_2010_PSLE_Science.pdf.

[Dharma]

Hi Tianzhu,


Just curious where the diver attains the additional energy to go higher the 2nd and subsequent times he relands on the diving board …does he need to use up additional chemical potential energy in the muscles of his legs to bend the diving board downwards further thus increasing the elastic potential energy of board to soar higher before somersaulting …

Thanks

[tianzhu]

Dharma:

Hi Tianzhu,

Just curious where the diver attains the additional energy to go higher the 2nd and subsequent times he relands on the diving board ....does he need to use up additional chemical potential energy in the muscles of his legs to bend the diving board downwards further thus increasing the elastic potential energy of board to soar higher before somersaulting .....
Thanks

Hi Dharma

I apologise for not being able to satisfy your curiosity as I don’t have the answer. I put up this question hoping to get some meaningful answers, but this had not been successful.

As compared to PSLE Maths, PSLE Science is relatively quiet. I am often wondering why. Whether members’ kids are having fewer problems with Science? Whether members in this forum are more competent in answering Maths questions than Science questions?The same happens in other forum, Maths is more active than Science.

I observe that there are challenges in answering the open ended questions for PSLE Science. The right key words and concepts must be applied to secure good marks. Unnecessary details in answers may lead to waste of precious time, put in brief details and you lose precious marks. It’s not easy for 12 years old kids to come up with answers with the right information. My son is certainly lacking in this aspect. I am considering sending him for some external classes for that last burst of fires before the examination in October.

I hope more interest will be generated in this thread. Thank you for your participation.

[caroline3sg]

Dhama

based on what I think: the gravitational force pulling the diver down (of course the heavier a person’s weight, the greater is the force) and the board’s push (after first jumping on the board) provide the additional energy to go higher

[tweet]

Hi Tianzhu


Agree with you.Science is something that seems general but so difficult to score. Paper 1 MCQ answers given all seem the right one,need analytical mind esp those with experiment.Paper 2 Open ended need to answer to the point. very challenging for a 12 yr old.

Just to share my coaching with DS:
1) ask him which topic does this question comes from
2) get him to give key words from that particular topic(must know by heart/memorise)
3) Use the key words to answer (Applying)
That’s how my DS "survive" his science exam with good grades.

Can watch discovery channel and myth buster too!

PS: Thanks for recommending the maths guide book.

Cheers
Tweet

[Dharma]

Hi Tianzhu,


I must agree with you that the PSLE Science forum is relatively quiet. Maybe parents tend to rely on "model answers’ given by the Top Schools’Papers and treat them as gospel truth.

This can be a disasterous for kids when they do not read the question carefully and in detail and tend to answer the question based on what they think the answer should be (usually answered in general terms) rather than what the question is asking for. Answers must always relate back to the situation given is the question. Every open-ended question must be answered with KEY WORDS and using the relevant CONCEPTS.

Interestingly, on the question about the diver …I did explore Ms Koh’s website and found that part (a) of the Qn leads you to answer part (b).

Part (a) shows an experiment with an eraser placed on a ruler that has been fixed to the edge of a table. It asks for the relationship between the distance the ruler is bent to the height the eraser reaches when the bent ruler is released.

It tells me that the greater the distance ruler is bent, the greater the height the eraser travels. The child has to translate that concept into a graph. This means the greaters the elastic potential of the bent ruler, the greater the gravitational potential energy of the eraser when it reaches its maximum height. Obviously, in terms of energy conversion, the elastic potential energy of the bent ruler is converted to kinetic energy of the moving eraser and finally to gravitational potential energy of the eraser at its maximum height.

Now, coming back to part (b)…when the diver first moves, she uses the chemical potential energy in her body which is converted to kinetic energy of her moving body before it is converted to elastic potential energy of the diving board (ignoring the some energy being converted to sound and heat). This elastic potential energy is then converted to kinetic potential energy when the diver moves up and finally to gravitational potential energy at her heighest point before she moves down to hit the board again. The downward movement will cause change from gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy once again…HERE’S where the problem comes where the diving board to be bent more, for the diver to spring higher. The energy must come from the diver herself, increase chemical potential energy to bent the board more to increase the elastic potential energy of the board to soar higher!!!

Hope I am on the right track…because based on the Law of Conservation of Energy …energy cannot be created or lost…

If the diver does not release her own energy each time she lands on the board, she will either continue bouncing back to the same height provided no energy is converted to heat or sound OR the height of bounce will reduce gradually until the board does not spring up anymore.

You are absolutely, right about how much can a 12 year old can do especially under exam conditions. I have the same problem with my second child who is in P6 this year.

I think, we must make them understand that the question is asking about energy conversion…your website on the trampoline is fantastic…part (a) gives some clue to what is expected in part (b)…the relationship between elastic potential energy and gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. Explaining basic concepts in terms of the energy conversions with the key words above will gain the child, I think at least 1 to 1.5 marks.

[Dharma]

Hi Caroline,


You seem to have an interesting point about the pull of gravity that causes the diver to go higher(greater the weight of the diver the higher he will soar) …you are right.

I was just thinking that if it just the pull of gravity that causes the board to bent more and makes diver to bounce higher and higher …won’t he hit the roof then!!!