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. Science, at secondary one, encompasses elements of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Your child will learn an entirely new range of skills required for scientific inquiry.
Content Mastery
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- Students will be introduced to General Science topics such as Laboratory Safety and Apparatus.
- Students learn more in-depth scientific concepts from topics in Biology such as Cells and Movement of Substances.
- Students learn more in-depth scientific concepts from topics in Chemistry such as Elements, Compounds and Mixtures, and Separation Techniques.
- Students learn more in-depth scientific concepts from topics in Physics such as Physical Quantities, and Mass, Weight and Density.
Skills and Techniques
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- Students acquire question analysis skills to interpret information and the provided data appropriately.
- Students will have greater exposure to questions that involve experimental skills such as identifying constant, changed or measured variables.
- Students will learn how experiments are conducted and how to write and record experiment procedures.
- Students will learn to compare the concepts and identify the similarities and differences between them. For example, students will learn about the similarity between a solution and a suspension, and the differences between a bacterium and a typical plant cell.
- Students will cover biological drawing in greater detail and more precision.
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. Secondary 2 Science curriculum builds on your child’s knowledge in order to help them manage questions that require higher order thinking skills.
Content Mastery
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- Students learn more in-depth scientific concepts based on topics from Biology such as Human Reproduction.
- Students learn more in-depth scientific concepts based on topics from Chemistry such as Acids and Bases.
- Students learn more in-depth scientific concepts based on topics from Physics such as Current of Electricity.
Skills and Techniques
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- Students will learn about answering techniques involving data analysis, experiment-based questions, and application questions.
- Students will be given data, presented in tables, to plot on a graph.
- Students will be given data, presented on graphs, to analyze and explain.
- Students will learn how to explain the relationship(s) for concepts such as solubility of compounds or the effects of an enzyme(s) at different pH levels in terms of the rate of reaction.
- Students will be exposed to questions from interrelated topics to gain competency in integrating scientific concepts.
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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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.
