Edexcel 2011 science GCSEs

Edexcel expects students of GCSE Science, GCSE Additional Science, and GCSE Physics to learn about physics concepts, the nature and methods of science, as well as how science impacts on society & everyday lives.

Written exams may assess students’ ability to:
• understand how scientific ideas develop
• use models to explain ideas and processes
• communicate scientific information using diagrammatic conventions and symbols
• consider how decisions about science and technology are informed by scientific evidence

Controlled assessment tasks address investigative skills, knowledge and understanding. Each task consists of three parts: planning, observations and conclusions.

Edexcel provides schemes of work for each of its specifications, as well as training and support for internal assessments. Follow this link. With GCSE Additional Science and GCSE Physics, candidates are expected to develop a hypothesis for investigation. GCSE Science candidates are given a scientific question or hypothesis to investigate.

Case Studies and Experiments linked below could support the development of ‘How Science Works’ aspects of Edexcel’s specifications.

The development of scientific ideas

• Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment
• The magnetic Earth
• Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity
• William Herschel and the discovery of infra-red radiation

Planning

• Radiation from black and shiny surfaces
• Simple electromagnet
• Heating and cooling curves
• Measuring the radius of a marble

Observations

• Investigating simple steel springs
• Measuring the radius of a marble
• Measuring the thickness of a coin
• Stretchy sweets

Conclusions

• Measuring paper
• I/V characteristic of a carbon resistor
• Radiation from black and shiny surfaces

Related Guidance

• A language for measurements
• Variables