KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

Hi,

1)Anyone has any idea where to get the syllabus for science IP programme?

2)Just looking thru the textbooks which I just bought for ds, I realise the things they cover sometime didn't quite match what they learn at P6 (PSLE).

Eg

Biology - when they classify 'living organisms' into one with many cells, like anthropods, it was classified as either hard exoskeleton or a few other types. For the hard exoskeleton, it's mentioned that insects like having characteristics such as follows:

a) 3 body segments - head, thorax, abdomen (ok, this is like what they learn in psle)
b) 3 pairs of legs (ok, like psle)
c) antennae (ok they learn that at psle)
d) 2 pairs of wings (??????? - what they learn at psle is not necessarily so - like ants have no wings)

3) Also, textbook also list 'characteristics of living things such as
R - respire (similar to need air learned in primary sch)
I - Show irritability (= respond to changes in Primary sch)
N - Nourish themselves (= need food, water in primary sch)
G - Grow (exactly what is learnt in primary sch - they grow)
E - Excrete (not mentioned in primary sch under characteristics)
R - reproduce (exactly what is learnt in primary sch)

So, it's not quite the same.

May I ask what text-books are you using and which sec school?

Belle2011 wrote:May I ask what text-books are you using and which sec school?

Complete Biology for Cambridge IGCSE 2nd edition (Ron Pickering).
DS is starting school in RI (2012).

I too was going thru DS's text books today. First surprise no text book for biology. I'm talking about O level though. Not sure if biology is only offered from Sec 3 onwards. That doesn't make much sense to me as they already had been introduced to bio in primary, why set it aside for 2 years and then suddenly pick it up in Sec 3.
Second surprise no such topic called Solar System(SS) in Physics. The text book used for physics is Physics Matters for GCE 'O' Level (*) Marshall Cavendish. It is quite comprehensive. But Solar System is missing. A few years back I guess there used to be SS in upper primary. Then it was removed from the updated syllabus. Now to my surprise it is not even taught in secondary. Mind the Physics book is for the 4 yrs of sec. So does that mean that our kids will pass out of formal education without ever understanding the basic concepts of planets, satellites, eclipse, meteors, astriods, comets, rotation, revolution etc etc? I'm really confused
P.S: Sorry, I'm discussing 'O' science. Pls let me know if you want me move the discussion to a seperate thread.

I am surprised that three O level textbooks are listed in the sec 1 booklist. I am kiasu but not to this stage of buying O level stuff now.

tisha wrote: P.S: Sorry, I'm discussing 'O' science. Pls let me know if you want me move the discussion to a seperate thread.

No prob...Tisha, no need to move discussion to another thread. I suppose there will be some overlap between O levels and IP prog. We can share and discuss.

As for the solar system, I suppose it's more like general knowledge. Not quite sure why it was taken out of the syllabus @ psle though. I remember when I was in secondary sch, solar system was taught in Geography, not science.

As for biology, maybe they are using notes, not text bk. For RI, I didn't see any History text book either.

By the way, which sch is your ds going to ?

Belle2011 wrote:I am surprised that three O level textbooks are listed in the sec 1 booklist. I am kiasu but not to this stage of buying O level stuff now.

I am also shocked to see O level texts and for Geog, they actually start from sec 3. Now I'm getting nervous.... dont know whether ds can survive or not.

But it's comforting to know he's reading up not just the texts but search the web as well on related topics.

Verysuperkiasu wrote:

tisha wrote: P.S: Sorry, I'm discussing 'O' science. Pls let me know if you want me move the discussion to a seperate thread.

No prob...Tisha, no need to move discussion to another thread. I suppose there will be some overlap between O levels and IP prog. We can share and discuss.

Thanks verysuperkiasu.

As for the solar system, I suppose it's more like general knowledge. Not quite sure why it was taken out of the syllabus @ psle though. I remember when I was in secondary sch, solar system was taught in Geography, not science.

You are right, it is indeed in the geography book 'EARTH our home. Thanks for pointing out.

As for biology, maybe they are using notes, not text bk. For RI, I didn't see any History text book either.

Yeah, maybe.
We do have a book for history as well. Singapore : A settlement to nation.

By the way, which sch is your ds going to ?

DS is going to SJI.

Belle2011 wrote:I am surprised that three O level textbooks are listed in the sec 1 booklist. I am kiasu but not to this stage of buying O level stuff now.

O level text book need not mean all Sec4 stuff will be taught in sec 1. I think it is more like reference guide for the secondary years. Just like lower block upper block text books for primary. Certain topics will be selected for each year/semester.

[quote="tisha"]
You are right, it is indeed in the geography book 'EARTH our home.
[quote]

That's the same text book RI is using for Geog.
How about Chemistry and Physics @ SJI... is it Chemistry Insights and Physics Insight (Pearson Longman) as well?