February 8, 2024
An important milestone for every Primary school student in Singapore, the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is a major step in every student’s educational journey. It is a major examination that assesses their proficiency in key subjects before transitioning to Secondary schools.
In the full scheme, the PSLE Science examination paper has a total of 100 marks, which will be a part of the Achievement Levels (AL) score calculation.
The PSLE Science syllabus is the scaffolding ground to build your child’s thinking skills for studies at higher levels. The examination tests the student’s problem-solving skills, and the ability to think and apply scientific concepts which require creativity and language skills to excel in the examination.
The Science Curriculum Framework acknowledges that the modern age demands future thinkers with creativity and an understanding of consequences to solve real-world problems.
In other words, the Science component in PSLE also provides students with foundational scientific concepts to enter the STEM industry, which is a working ground for innovation and creativity.
The PSLE Science paper is a single-paper examination that comprises two sections: multiple-choice questions (MCQ) and open-ended questions. The MCQ section assesses the student’s knowledge and understanding of the syllabus, while the open-ended questions evaluate the students’ use of scientific reasoning and terms.
The weightage of these sections is split into 56% and 44% respectively.
The PSLE themes that are covered throughout the Primary Science syllabus are divided into five major themes: Diversity, Cycles, Systems, Energy, and Interactions.
These themes incorporate basic concepts in both life and physical Sciences, which offer a comprehensive understanding of the environment to establish a strong foundation for future studies.
Previously in 2014, the Science curriculum sought to nurture the student as an inquirer, focusing on fueling the curiosity to explore the natural and physical world. With the teacher as the leader of inquiry, the Science classroom centred around imparting excitement and enthusiasm for Science and inquiry. The curriculum focused on instilling curiosity in the students beyond just scientific facts, but to encourage questioning of their surroundings.
In 2023, the Science Curriculum Framework shifted to acknowledge the diversity of students - whether it be needs, interests, and aptitudes for Science. As such, the syllabus adopts the following twin goals:
According to the MOE, the PSLE Science Syllabus themes make note of the following essential takeaways and key inquiry questions since its progressive implementation in 2023. Here is an image overview of the five content themes, before we break them down further.
There are many types of living and non-living entities. The organisation of this diversity enhances a student’s comprehension of the world. Common threads connect all living things, such as the food chain and ecosystem. This overarching theme emphasises the significance of preserving diversity.
Nature exhibits recurring patterns of change, thus called Cycles. Understanding the concept of these cycles, including life cycles and the water cycle, helps anticipate events and processes. It also aids in recognising Earth as a self-sustaining system that nurtures life.
A system comprises interconnected parts working collectively to carry out specific function(s). Both natural and artificial systems exist, namely plant and human systems, and conversely, electrical systems. The dynamics of these systems are crucial for a student to understand how individual components collaborate to fulfil particular functions.
Interactions involve the relationships in both living and non-living systems within the environment. Grasping these interactions helps discern connections among the variables and factors. Moreover, it allows a student to comprehend the outcomes of their actions and encourages them to contribute to conservation efforts.
Essential for the functioning of everyday activities, energy serves diverse purposes in daily life. From understanding how water droplets turn into water vapour, through concepts such as heat and temperature, this enables students to recognise the significance and applications of energy in everyday things.
If your child can provide accurate answers to the key inquiry questions for each topic, then their revision schedule or process is straightforward.
Students learn via methods such as active learning, visual aids and mind maps, and a learning environment that encourages your child to learn Science.
Active learning will first and foremost engage your child throughout the process. Consider employing active learning techniques during study sessions using the following strategies:
The use of visual aids and mind maps can aid in a child’s learning process to understand complex concepts as well as increase memory retention. Visual aids include diagrams, graphs as well as videos, while mind maps help your child to organise the information into keywords.
Lastly, it is important to maintain a healthy and positive learning environment. Every child has a different need - some children may need more assurance and assistance, while others may be more independent and require a quiet space. At eduSpace, we ensure that our classes are small to reduce as many distractions as possible and increase focus.
Many parents might be wondering what may be useful for PSLE Science students including past papers and workbooks. At eduSpace, we cover previous exam papers and share the thought process that can be performed during MCQ and open-ended questions.
You can see an example of how we went through a P6 Science Prelim MCQ below:
At eduSpace, our experienced and dedicated tutors are well-equipped to build your child’s confidence for the Science exams.
Prepare for the PSLE Science exams with ease: Our proprietary Science materials are written by ex-MOE teachers who know the challenges and common mistakes students make. Help your child succeed and ace this subject! Develop critical skills such as crafting the right answers and identifying key details to correctly answer each question.
We offer comprehensive Science tuition, as well as Mathematics, English and Chinese - all of which are aligned with the MOE’s syllabus.
Join us now to see your child thrive and reach their full potential in Science!
Contact eduSpace Tuition Centre to book a trial lesson today.
