Thursday, December 12, 2013

Syllabus for International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO)












Science Skills and Safety:
·         Understanding scientific methods and working in the laboratory.
·         Identify and use basic laboratory equipment
·         Draw scientific diagrams of apparatus
·         Follow instructions in the laboratory
·         Follow safety techniques when using equipment
·         Measure temperature and volume
·         Make observations using the five senses
·         Make inferences based on observations
·         Describe the scientific method
·         Record a science experiment using standard headings
·         Collect, represent and interpret data in tables and graphs
·         Use scientific language


Pushes and Pulls:
·         Understanding of what forces are and what they can do
·         Describe what forces are and what they can do
·         Measure forces using a spring balance
·         Carry out experiments with friction, gravity and density
·         Calculate the density of an object
·         Explain the difference between mass and weight
·         Explain things in terms of the pull of gravity
·         Say what friction is and explain how it can be helpful or a nuisance

Survival in the Environment:
·         Understanding of how physical and behavioral adaptations help animals survive
·         List characteristics that help an organism survive
·         Define the terms habitat and adaptation
·         Distinguish between an animal’s living and physical environment
·         List the physical conditions that affect aquatic animals
·         Classify adaptations as structural or behavioral
·         Make inferences from observations
·         Research, carry out and write up a study of a particular environment

Solid, Liquids & Gases:
·         Understand the differences between solids, liquids and gases
·         Describe the three states of matter
·         Recall the boiling point of water and the melting point of ice
·         Measure the temperature of melting ice
·         Draw simple graphs
·         Measure mass using a balance
·         Calculate the density of materials
·         Use a particle model

Responding:
·         Understanding of how our body senses help us respond to our environment
·         Describe the various senses in our body
·         Define the terms stimulus and respond and how they relate
·         Describe how nerves carry massages
·         Explain how muscles move arms and legs
·         Investigate the senses
·         Investigate how fast our muscles react

Energy:
·         Understand the different types of energy and energy changes.
·         Describe what energy is and where it comes from
·         Indentify and describe the various forms of energy
·         Understand how sound is caused
·         Explain the difference between stored energy in action
·         Explain everyday happenings in terms in energy changes
·         Understand that fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource
·         Conduct an experiment involving energy changes
·         Use different forms of energy to make an object move

How Life Begins:
·         Understand how new life is created in humans
·         Describe the differences between animal and plant cell
·         Describe the sex cell of humans
·         Describe the human reproductive organs
·         Understand the changes that take place in boy’s and girl’s bodies during puberty
·         Observe the development of a baby during pregnancy

Solving Problems in Science:
·         Understand the scientific method
·         Describe the scientific method
·         Write up report of experiments
·         Write hypothesis
·         Design an experiment using the scientific method
·         Test a hypothesis by doing an experiment

Acids and Bases:
·         Understand what are acids and bases
·         Describe the properties of acids and bases
·         Understand pH and its practical uses define neutralization
·         Use and make indicators
·         Use pH paper to check acidity
·         Use acids and bases safely
·         Apply knowledge of acids and bases to everyday situations
·         To be aware of the formation and effect of acid rain

Interdisciplinary “Space” Studying the Universe:
·         Understand our solar system and space exploration.
·         Know the order of the planets
·         Describe key features of each planet
·         Distinguish between comet, asteroids and meteors
·         Describe spiral, elliptical and irregular galaxies
·         Explain the significance of star color
·         Identify major constellations
·         Be aware of the impact of space exploration
·         Make scale model of planets
·         Design and make a space mobile or building from recycled materials
·         Plot positions of stars

Materials from the Earth:
·         Understand natural resources, where they are found and what they are used for.
·         Name useful substances made from natural materials eg glass and concrete
·         Understand what natural resources are
·         Find out whether or not natural resources are renewable
·         Present information on renewable resources
·         Understand how fossil fuels, uranium and water are used to provide energy
·         Understand how materials and rocks are mined and how they are used
·         Map the locations of various mineral resources around the world

Science & Technology:
·         Understand how technology has been used to solve problems
·         Explain the difference between science and technology
·         Find out about some inventors and inventions
·         Be aware of inventions
·         Design a test to solve an everyday problem
·         Carry out a science fair experiment
·         Research to find relevant information

Keeping Healthy:
·         Understand the digestive and circulatory systems.
·         Explain what part of the digestive system work during digestion
·         Use the model to explain how food passes from the small intestine to the bloodstream
·         Describe the importance of fiber in the diet
·         Describe how the blood carries food and oxygen to the body cells
·         Understand the effect of exercise on pulse and breathing rates
·         Investigate the structure and care of teeth
·         Describe the structure of the heart and how to take care of it

Batteries and Bulbs:
·         Understand batteries’ concept and circuits.
·         Make simple circuits
·         Draw circuit diagrams
·         Know the difference between series and parallel circuits
·         Describe the properties of conductors and insulators
·         Understand about resistance and short circuits
·         Explain how electrical safety device works (fuses and earths)
·         Understand the rules for using electrical safely
·         Know the component of electrical plug

Atoms and molecules:
·         Understand atoms, molecules, elements and compounds
·         Describe the practical theory to explain the properties of solids, liquids and gases
·         Explain that matter is made of atoms and molecules
·         Know name of some common molecules
·         Understand the basic structure of the atom
·         Describe elements and compounds
·         Explain the difference between elements and compounds in term of atoms and molecules
·         Know the first twenty elements and their symbol from the periodic table
·         Know about some of the people who discovered different elements
·         Know the formula of some common compounds
·         Write a simple word equation

Cycles in Nature:
·         Understand food chains and webs
·         Use food chains to show the link between animals and plants
·         Describe how bacteria and fungi recycle substances
·         Know the difference between scavengers and decomposers
·         Construct food webs

What are Things made of:
·         Understand the concept of the periodic table and the elements
·         Atoms and Molecules
·         Review particle theory, atoms, molecules, elements and compounds
·         Understand basic patterns of the periodic table
·         Learn the first 20 elements by symbol and name
·         Learn to write simple equation
·         Know the basic structure of the atom, protons, neutrons, electrons
·         Look at where metals and other important materials come from and what they are used for
·         Know about alloy

Disease
·         Understand how infections disease is caused and transmitted
·         Describe the microorganisms that cause disease
·         Know which organism cause common diseases
·         Understand how our body fights disease
·         Understand the history of disease and vaccination
·         Understand about how antibiotics are used to fight disease

Global Consumer Science:
·         Understand scientific testing of consumer product and the impact of consumer
·         Use the steps of scientific testing
·         Understand the difference between objective and subjective testing
·         Calculate the waste from packaging
·         Understand how long different substances take to break down
·         Research recycling
·         Know about the argument surrounding genetically modified foods
·         Understand the impact of consumer products on our environment

Science and the Road:
·         Understand Newton’s First Law (Inertia), Friction, Reaction Time, Acceleration.
·         Understand the main reasons for car accidents
·         Know about car safety features
·         Be aware of road safety
·         Calculate speed and acceleration
·         Measure reaction time
·         List the factors affecting stopping time

Interdisciplinary “The Body” Life Goes On:
·         Understand human reproduction and inheritance
·         Describe the structure and function of the male and female reproductive system
·         Recognize variation in human characteristics
·         Describe the role of genes and chromosomes in human inheritance
·         Use family trees to determine the features of family members
·         Be able to calculate the chance of children being born male or female using model
·         Use grids to predict variation in offspring characteristics
·         Describe genetic engineering and social implications

Light and Color:
·         Understand how light and colour are produced
·         Explain why things are coloured
·         List the colours of spectrum
·         Describe how long and short sightedness can be corrected with lenses
·         Find out how we see colours and why colour blindness occurs
·         Observe how light travels in straight lines
·         Investigate how different colours are made
·         Predict the colour produced when filters are used
·         Investigate how lenses bend light to form images
·         Observe how images from when light reflect from when light reflect from mirror

Forensic Science:
·         Understand how science is used in crime detection
·         Describe the job of a forensic scientist
·         Understand how scientists collect and interpret the physical evidence from a crime
·         Investigate hypothetical crimes
·         Examine fingerprints
·         Use chromatography to examine ink samples
·         Use indicator to detect the presence of certain substances
·         Examine evidence using a microscope
·         Understand about ballistic and genetic evidence
·         Understand about the use of atomic absorption spectrophotometers to examine traces of chemical
·         Construct evidence table and detect patterns
·         Write hypothetical forensic reports

Mathematics Ability:
·         Fraction
·         Statistics
·         Simple Trigonometry
·         Simple Geometry
·         Logarithms
·         Arithmetic and Geometric Array
·         Quadratics Equation
·         Power and square roots


Adapted from International Baccalaureate (IB) Program.

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