Your Secondary 1 child is navigating an entirely new academic and social landscape as compared with primary school. Curriculum for this level encompasses foundational skills and exposure to new examinable components. Secondary 1 students will be expected to think and write with greater sophistication across all subjects. Our Secondary 1 Mathematics programme focuses on building an interest in more abstract mathematical concepts through a variety of investigative activities and lesson plans.
Content Mastery
- Students will learn about the classification of numbers based on number properties, and find the highest common factor and lowest common multiple of numbers using prime factorisation.
- Students will explore the concept of variables and learn how the relationship between two variables can be represented in algebraic, tabular and graphical forms.
- Students will be exposed to a variety of real-life contexts, including travel plans, transport schedules, recipes, etc.
- Students will learn terminologies related to personal and household finance, such as interests, installments, utility bills, and exchange rates.
Skills and Techniques
- Students will learn to use algebra and other symbols to represent and convey mathematical ideas.
- Students will be guided on the application of algebraic equations to a variety of problems and on solving the problems using a systematic and logical approach.
- Students will acquire basic manipulative skills, such as Rounding Off, Arithmetic and Algebraic Manipulation and Data Handling.
Programmes across English, Math and Science help Secondary 2 students to build a strong academic foundation in order to help them handle the rigour and complexity of upper secondary school materials. Students are constantly challenged to acquire and retain content knowledge whilst being exposed to lesson materials that pique their interest in each of the three major subjects.
The Secondary 2 Mathematics programme aims to equip your child with the skillset, knowledge and attitude needed to meet the challenges of upper secondary mathematics.
Content Mastery
- Students will be introduced to more complex algebraic concepts, such as cross factorization.
- Students will learn about the properties of similar and congruent figures and how congruency and similarity can be applied in real-world contexts.
- Students will discover how the sides of a right-angled triangle are connected by the trigonometric ratios. They will also be taught how to incorporate algebra in trigonometry to find unknown sides and angles of a right-angled triangle.
- Students will familiarise themselves with the formulae for the volume and surface area of a sphere, a cone, and a pyramid.
- Students will be taught through experiential activities to help them remember the formulae and full derivations of the formulae.
- Students will be exposed to statistical diagrams, such as dot diagrams, stem-and-leaf diagrams, and cumulative frequency curves.
- Students will investigate and discover how the concept of probability can be used in everyday events, including weather forecast and the performance of stocks in the stock market.
Skills and Techniques
- Students will learn to plot, draw and interpret line graphs and parabolic graphs.
- Students will learn to analyze and interpret the different forms of statistical diagrams using mean, mode, and median.
- Students will also learn to analyze problems and explore alternative ways of solving them, developing their metacognitive skills.
Smart Excel’s Secondary 3 programmes aim to expand students’ knowledge and encourage them to pursue personal interests in each of the subjects. At this level, your child will be encouraged to think more deeply about the concepts, topics and texts presented to him or her in class. Being able to assess and solve complex problems whether in English, Mathematics or Science is part of honing their critical thinking skills, which will benefit them as they move into upper secondary and pre-tertiary education.
Your Secondary 3 child will take on Additional Mathematics for the first time. For many, the subject can be incredibly overwhelming with the introduction of longer and more complicated formulae. This programme provides the support and guidance needed to manage this change.
Content Mastery
- Students will cover topics such as Equations and Inequalities, Indices and Surds, Polynomials and Partial fractions, Binomial expansions.
- Students will learn about the amplitudes and periodicities of trigonometric graphs.
- Students will be taught how to use trigonometric identities, addition formula, double-angle formula, and R formula to simplify and solve trigonometric equations.
- Students will discover how the sine and cosine functions relate to sciences, including the propagation of sound waves.
- Students will study how to find the equation of a circle and the area and perimeter of a rectilinear figure in a coordinate plane.
Skills and Techniques
- Students will hone their skills in manipulating symbolic representations of exponential, indicial, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions.
- Students will learn to prove that two trigonometric expressions are identical using identities and formulae.
- Students will extend their abilities to visualize and represent lines to curves and circles defined by algebraic equations on a graph.
- Students will also acquire analytical and communication skills that will enable them to make inferences, draw logical conclusions and evaluate solutions.
For students on the ‘O’ Level track, this crucial examination year is about systematic revision and refinement of exam skills. If your child is from an IP school, the secondary 4 year is a time to prepare well for curriculum at the pre-tertiary level, which will require your child to dive deep into content mastery.
The aim of Secondary 4 Mathematics is to prepare your child for the ‘O’ Level A Math examination.
Content Mastery
- Students will be exposed to different geometric theorems, such as the midpoint theorem. Students will also be taught how to write formal proofs and explain whether a geometrical statement is true.
- Students will be introduced to Calculus, the most advanced concept in Secondary Mathematics.
- Students will learn to model the motion of an object in a straight line using kinematics concepts.
Skills and Techniques
- Students will be taught how to recognize question types, identify important markers and apply effective strategies to solve the questions. They will be guided on how to monitor and evaluate his or her own learning.
- Students will also be taught how to study a real-world problem, formulate it in mathematical terms with suitable assumptions and simplifications, and interpret the mathematical solution in real-world context.
Revision and Reinforcement
- Students will focus on content mastery for all the topics through practice tests and revision handouts that includes questions that test foundational knowledge and examination questions.
- Through practice tests, students will also learn examination skills such as time management and error analysis.
