Revisions to International GCSE Sciences Specifications for 2017, Lecture notes of Biology

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INTERNATIONAL GCSE SCIENCES

An introduction to our new

specifications

Some revisions to subject content; including a review ofcontent split between Double Award and separate sciences



Removal of equivalent Edexcel Certificate specifications



Slight changes to paper lengths and number of marks



No change to assessment style; or to assessment ofpractical skills



Introduction of Science (Single Award)



Grading moves to new 9 – 1 system

Headline changes

New specifications are designed for first teaching in September 2017

, with first exams in

May/June 2019

Many schools teach over 3 years, the specifications will beavailable to schools to teach from

September 2016

Final specifications and sample question papers are nowavailable on our website

Dates for the new specifications

Dates for the new specifications^5

“LEGACY”Yr 10 / 4

th

Form

continue withspecifications

“LEGACY”Yr 11 / 5

th

Form

continue withspecifications

“LEGACY”Final summerexam series forspecifications

“LEGACY”NO EXAMINATIONSERIES FORSPECIFICATIONS

“NEW”Yr 9 / 3

rd

Form

embark onspecifications

“NEW”All students* nowbeing taughtspecifications* except students beingtaught over 1 year

“NEW”First exam seriesfor specifications

SEPTEMBER 2016

SEPTEMBER 2017

MAY / JUNE 2018

MAY / JUNE 2019

JANUARY 2019 “LEGACY”Final resit series

Biology qualification content summary

Nature andvariety oflivingorganisms ^

Characteristicsof livingorganisms ^

Variety oflivingorganisms

Structuresand functionsin livingorganisms ^

Organisation ^

Cell structure ^

Bio molecules ^

Movement in& out of cells ^

Nutrition ^

Respiration ^

Gas exchange ^

Transport ^

Excretion ^

Coordination& response

Reproductionandinheritance ^

Reproduction ^

Inheritance

Ecologyand theenvironment ^

Organisms inenvironment ^

Feedingrelationships ^

Cycles withinecosystems ^

Humaninfluences onenvironment

Use ofbiologicalresources ^

Foodproduction ^

Selectivebreeding ^

Geneticmodification ^

Cloning

There continue to be five topic areas in the specification:

Overview of changes in Biology Some additions: 

Mitochondria & ribosome function 

Stem cells and specialisation (B) 

Test for protein and lipid 

Risk factors for coronary heart disease 

Hormones and the menstrual cycle (B) 

RNA, protein transcription and translation (B) 

Theory of natural selection 

Concept of biodiversity (B) Some deletions: 

Turgidity of plant cells (B) 

Water cycle (B)

Overview of changes in Biology Moving from Biology into Double Award: 

Role of phloem 

Structure and function of the eye 

Germination 

Embryo and development 

Effects of pollution on water 

Fermenters and production of yoghurt 

Transgenic organisms

Chemistry qualification content summary

PhysicalChemistry

OrganicChemistry

There are now four topic areas in the specification:

^

Crude oil ^

Alkanes andalkenes ^

Alcohols ^

Carboxylic acidsand esters ^

Polymers

^

Energetics ^

Rates of reaction ^

Equilibria

Principles ofChemistry

InorganicChemistry^ 

Groups 1 & 7 ^

Reactivity series ^

Metal extraction ^

Acids and salts ^

Tests for ionsand gases

^

Atomic structure ^

Bonding ^

Periodic Table ^

Electrolysis ^

Moles

Overview of changes in Chemistry Some deletions: 

Avogadro number (C) 

Faraday calculations (C) 

Differences between HCl (g) and HCl (aq) (C) 

Lab preparation of oxygen and carbon dioxide 

Properties of carbon dioxide 

Details of extraction of iron, using a blast furnace

Details of the extraction of aluminium

Haber process 

Contact process (C) 

Electrolysis of sodium chloride solution (C)

General principles are expected, not specific knowledge of individual extractions

Overview of changes in Chemistry Moving from Double Award into Chemistry: 

Titration calculations 

Metallic bonding 

Electrolysis 

Preparation of soluble salts by titration 

Preparation of insoluble salts by precipitation 

Energy level diagrams 

Dynamic equilibria 

Extraction of metals

Physics qualification content summary

There are now eight topic areas in the specification:

Radioactivityand particles

Astrophysics

Solids, liquidsand gases

Magnetismand electro-magnetism

Waves

Energyresources andenergytransfers

Forces andmotion

Electricity

Overview of changes in Physics Some additions: 

Use of v

2 = u

2

• 2as

Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance 

Calculating I, V and R in electrical circuits 

Use of E = QV 

Doppler effect 

Ray diagrams for reflection and refraction 

Radiation emission / absorption related to surface and temp 

Specific heat capacity (P) 

Contamination vs irradiation 

Nuclear fusion 

Stellar evolution &

brightness of stars (P)

Evidence for Big Bang, through CMBR and red shift (P)

Overview of changes in Physics Moving from Double Award into Physics: 

Centre of gravity and moments 

Conductors and insulators 

Frequency range for human hearing 

Speed of sound in air 

Energy transfers in electricity generation

Overview of changes in Physics Moving from Physics into Double Award: 

Vectors and scalars 

Calculating a resultant force 

Definition of voltage 

Concept of diffraction 

Temperature proportional to average kinetic energy 

Use of P

1

/T

1

= P

2

/T

2

for gases