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An article in the Sunday Times, put Parktown’s Science Department amongst the TOP 10 public schools of the country and TOP 3 in Gauteng.
In spite of this achievement, at Parktown we know that excellence is a never-ending process; that is why teachers and staff continue to offer the highest standards in education, which, added to the effort of our pupils, will certainly keep giving the desired results of success and integrity.
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity." - Albert Einstein
ACADEMIC CONTENT
The subject Physical Sciences focuses on investigating physical and chemical phenomena through scientific inquiry. By applying scientific models, theories and laws it seeks to explain and predict events in our physical environment. This subject also deals with society’s desire to understand how the physical environment works, how we benefit from it and how to care for it responsibly.
At Parktown we have three fully stocked Science laboratories each with interactive smart-boards and video-cameras; this allows our staff to the opportunity to use interactive software, PowerPoint presentations and science videos in our science teaching.
The skills and processes which learners use and develop in the study of Physical Sciences are similar to those used by scientists at work. They build on skills already developed in the General Education and Training band. These are the tools that learners need in order to understand the working of the world. The development of these skills and processes allows learners to solve problems, think critically, make decisions, find answers and satisfy their curiosity. These skills are the focus of all science learning and assessment activities in classrooms, but cannot be developed in isolation. They are best developed within the context of an expanding framework of scientific knowledge. In addition, learners must be able to use these skills and processes while working with others to achieve common goals. This will require broadening access to appropriate and sufficient resources (research) and the ability to present them in a structured way, including adequate time and space for effective inquiry-based science teaching and learning.
At Parktown Boys’ High School we strive for the subject Physical Sciences to prepare our learners for future learning, specialist learning, employment, citizenship, holistic development, socio-economic development and environmental management by developing competencies in the following focus areas:
- Scientific inquiry and problem solving in a variety of scientific, technological, socio-economic and environmental contexts
- The construction and application of scientific and technological knowledge; and
- The nature of science and its relationship to technology, society and the environment.
The three Learning Outcomes of the Physical Sciences are aligned to the three focus area above.
Scientific inquiry and problem-solving skills
The skills and processes which learners use and develop in the study of Physical Sciences are similar to those used by scientists at work. They build on skills already developed in the General Education and Training band. These are the tools that learners need in order to understand the working of the world. The development of these skills and processes allows learners to solve problems, think critically, make decisions, find answers and satisfy their curiosity. These skills are the focus of all science learning and assessment activities in classrooms, but cannot be developed in isolation. They are best developed within the context of an expanding framework of scientific knowledge. In addition, learners must be able to use these skills and processes while working with others to achieve common goals. This will require broadening access to appropriate and sufficient resources, including adequate time and space for effective inquiry-based science teaching and learning.
Construction and application of scientific and technological knowledge
Knowledge in Physical Sciences is organized around six core knowledge areas. These core knowledge areas are broad descriptors and ensure proper planning and clustering of concepts, skills and values to support achievement of learning outcomes. They are organized in such a way that they can be used to achieve all the Learning Outcomes of Physical Sciences. This approach allows learners to learn the prescribed core knowledge and concepts by the end of Grade 12, but with increasing depth and breadth.
The six core knowledge areas set out by the Department of Education have the following focus:
- Two with a chemistry focus – Systems and Change;
- Three with a physics focus – Mechanics, Waves and Electromagnetism;
- One with an integrated focus – Matter and Materials.
These six knowledge areas and approximate percentage of annual time in the curriculum to be devoted to them are listed below:
Main topics in the FET phase (which are studied with increasingly level of difficulty and depth every year) are:
PHYSICS
- Waves: Properties and characteristics of waves. Sound and light. Electromagnetic waves. Dual nature of light.
- Mechanics: Vectors, motion, forces, work, energy, power, impulse and momentum. Accelerated systems. Collisions.
- Electromagnetism: Electrostatics. Electric circuits. Magnetism. Electro-magnetic induction: motors & generators. AC current. Principles of electronics.
- Matter and materials: Semiconductors. Lasers. Optical phenomena. Physical properties of matter.
CHEMISTRY
- Matter and materials: Properties and models for atoms and compounds. Acids and bases. Organic compounds. Gases. Stoichiometry and chemical calculations.
- Chemical change: Types of chemical reactions. Organic chemistry. Electrochemistry (redox). Chemical equilibrium. Energy and heat of reactions. Radioactivity and nuclear reactions.
- Chemical systems: Inorganic-chemistry industry. Major cycles (water, nitrogen). Environmental care.
Detailed programmes for each Grade can be downloaded through the followings links:
