Science

Department Goal

To inculcate the spirit of scientific inquiry and 21st CC skills in students.

• Provide students with experiences which build on their interest and stimulate their curiosity about their environment.

• Provide students with opportunities to develop skills, habits of mind and attitudes necessary for scientific inquiry.

• Enable students to appreciate how Science influences people and the environment around them.

Framework

Key Programmes

Focus for Science Teaching & Learning

Approaches

The Science Department programmes are planned using a 3-pronged approach of ‘Supporting’, ‘Enriching’ and ‘Stretching’ each student in the journey of learning Science. Under each approach, customised programmes are planned, implemented and reviewed to ensure its effectiveness and relevance for different profile of students.

Resources

Science Wall

Our Science wall reflects how the three main human systems in our body, Digestive System, Circulatory System and Respiratory System, work together to ensure our body can function properly with the help of energy. There is a detailed explanation with key concepts of how each human system works. The extensive graphics also provide better understanding of the concepts for visual learners. Each human system is also accompanied by an interactive activity.

Science Garden

For students to have meaningful learning in science, it is important that they be allowed to experience the process of seeking answers to problems. This requires students to physically explore and discover knowledge, be it within their environment or in a laboratory. Besides having two indoor science laboratories, the Science Department has recently created an integrated learning trail weaving through the open spaces in the school.

There are different thematic gardens simulating various natural environments.

Blooms@Energy Hub is a floral garden characterized by an explosion of colours and fragrances. It comprises a flowering and butterfly garden.

Food@ Energy Hub has a herbs and spices garden and a mini vegetable plot with local fruit trees planted around the school.

Desert@Energy Hub located at the back of the school building houses desert flora with a variety of cactus.

Rainforest@Energy Hub showcases a slice of a tropical rainforest complete with a fernery garden and an eco-pond surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. A leaf litter habitat is also set up in the fernery garden for students to have first-hand experience in studying the conditions of a leaf litter habitat.

The Energy Pavilion is an outdoor classroom amid the shrubs and creepers. It is a place where teachers can carry out their lessons or briefing before adjourning to the gardens for practical sessions.

With the launch of the different “Hubs”, students can now just make a short trip down to see the plants that they study about in their books. This hands-on experience allows them to understand their lessons better. It is always good to be near Mother Nature.

Blooms@Energy Hub
Blooming Garden

Food@ Energy Hub
Herbs and Spices Garden

Vegetable Plots

Fruit Trees

Desert@Energy Hub
Cactus Garden

Rainforest@Energy Hub
Fernery Garden

Energy Pavilion
Outdoor Classroom

School Pond

Learning Journey to Singapore Science Centre

P1 to P5 students will go on a learning journey to the Singapore Science Centre every year to attend practical laboratory session or lecture demonstration on the topics that they learn in their primary science education. The Science Centre enrichment programmes complement the school science curriculum with hands-on and inspiring learning experiences. The enrichment programmes aim to:

• provide students with experiences which build on their interest in and stimulate their curiosity about their environment

• provide engaging and meaningful acquisition of scientific knowledge

• inculcate the spirit of scientific inquiry through the application of different process skills such as observing, comparing, classifying, analysing, inferring, evaluating and investigating.

P6: Ecology Learning Journey & Coastal Cleanup

P6 students will go on an Ecology Learning Journey to Pasir Ris Beach. The students will also get to experience a coastal clean-up at the beach after exploring the mudflat and mangrove swamp.

The objectives of the learning journey are to:

• Increase students’ awareness of the ecosystem of the seashore community in Singapore

• Learn about the diversity of life on the seashore and selected animals and plants’ adaptations to life on the seashore

• Relate and extend students’ Science knowledge to real life experiences so as to provide them with a deeper understanding about life around them

• Integrate a meaningful Community Involvement Project (CIP) where students take meaningful actions to protect the environment.

P6: P4 & P5 Science Olympiad Training

P4 and P5 students are selected to participate in Science Olympiad training.

The objectives of the programme are as follows:

• To develop students' interest, creativity, analytical thinking skill, spirit of learning through discovery and challenge in Science

• To expose students’ with secondary science syllabus in attempt to broaden their knowledge of Science

• To prepare selected students for Primary Science Olympiad competitions.

The training sessions are based on the broad science themes in the elementary science curriculum. These lessons focused on introducing Physics, Chemistry and Biology to students as well as to enhance their general knowledge.

Selected P5 students may have the opportunity to participate in the Raffles Science Olympiad Competition (RSO) or the NUS High Singapore Primary Science Olympiad (SPSO).

P4 and P5 Science E2K Programme

P4 and P5 students are selected to participate in the Science E2K programme.

The objectives of the programme are as follows:

• To develop scientific inquiry process skills among primary students in Science

• To acquire habits, attitudes and dispositions of scientists

• To nurture other 21st century competencies such as resilience and resourcefulness, critical and inventive thinking, and effective and communication skills

The E2K Science Programme is a science enrichment programme for upper primary students who demonstrate interest and ability in science. The programme is adapted from Israel’s E2K Programme which is developed by the Israel Centre for Excellence through Education (ICEE).

The lessons are based on the broad science themes in the elementary science curriculum. The students will collect and use evidence to address scientifically oriented questions, formulate explanations from evidence to address the questions and evaluate their explanations.

P6 DNA Science Enrichment Programme

In this programme, selected P6 studdents are provided the opportunity to conduct simulated forensic investigation activities where DNA is analysed as evidence. Through such hands-on activities, students get to extend the learning of scientific investigation skills outside classroom setting for scientific inquiry. In doing so, it is hoped that they are able to relate their Science knowledge to real life experiences so as to provide them with a deeper understanding about life around them.

The objectives of the programme are as follows:

• Introduction to laboratory techniques

• Introduction to chromatography to separate components in an ink mixture

• Using of apparatus in the extraction of solutes

• Analyse blood stains & understand how blood stains are used to solve mystery.

P3 Budding Scientists Programme

The Budding Scientists Programme is a new enrichment programme planned for our P3 students. With the main aim of enabling our beginning Science learners to transit seamlessly into their journey of learning Science, the Department members came together to pool our experiences and resources into planning an in-house enrichment programme for our young charges.

The objectives of the programme are as follows:

• To develop students’ interest and creativity, through discovery and hands-on experiments in Science;

• To learn through inquiry to clarify misconceptions in Science;

• To broaden their knowledge of Science and create awareness of the natural phenomenon in the world.

Our P3s were highly enthused and thoroughly enjoyed the activities planned for them. From the enriching experience, they can have a better grasp of how Scientists conduct experiments, as they learnt how to go about designing and conducting a fair experiment.

Environment Care in PVPS

Park View wants to instill a strong sense of environmental conservation and promote environmental awareness. The school provides opportunities to staff and students to apply knowledge, skills and values of care to protect and improve the environment.

The school adopts the following 5Is Approach to fulfil our Sustainability and Environment Commitment:

Inclusivity – Everyone has a part to play; a whole-school approach involving all staff and students

Improvement – Improve the environmental footprints and leave behind a greener future for the next generation.

Involvement – Engage community partners such as NParks, NEA and parents to develop and support environmentally responsible actions together

Intrinsic – Promote a mind-set where everyone is intrinsically motivated to sustain environmental efforts and caring for the environment becomes a part of us.

Influence – Every PVPS staff / student will become Eco stewards, inspiring sustainability efforts beyond self & school

Recycling Corners

To inculcate the culture of recycling in every student and staff, the school has set up various recycling points to make recycling a stone’s throw away. We have the recycling bins at the Recycling Corner for the different recyclables, reusable cartons in classrooms for paper, carton boxes in the staffroom, staff lounge and photocopying room for paper. A recycling corner was set up in the canteen and also behind the flagpole to encourage students to recycle paper and plastic bottles.