Structuring a Scheme of Work – a suggested approach

This starts with the assumption of a blank canvas, but the issues discussed can
be applied to modifications of existing schemes equally effectively.

The Scene…
The Edith Bagnold Secondary High School science department were in a
quandary, there was an OfSTED inspection due in 8 weeks time and the Head,
having realized that job security was a thing of the past, had invited the LEA to
carry out a pre-inspection audit.

The Science Adviser had not been impressed by the Capstan full strength packet
that was the KS3 scheme of work, the KS4 scheme which said “…follow the text
book, starting with chapter 1..”, nor by the assessment and monitoring system
that identified pupils as good (set 1), bad (set 5) and indifferent (sets 2-4), with
reviews every year if it could be fitted in. The hectic schedule of termly
departmental meetings was felt by the department to be more than adequate to
discuss the key issues that faced them, principally the venue of that terms social
event.

The sudden realization that the science department was part of a much bigger
scheme of things, and that there were changes taking place (some had started
as far back as 1985!) in science education was something of a shock. Following
some INSET sessions on Transition, Progression, Sc1, Assessment and Effective
Lessons the department wanted to know what their soon-to-be shiny new
scheme of work should look like. This is what their KS3 Science Adviser
suggested……….

One Approach…
Starting with the
• Programme of Study
• the QCA scheme of work together with the Teacher’s Guide
• a copy of the science Framework document
• a knowledge from the CPD units on Transition and Progression

plan out what you are going to teach in each term of KS3. A large amount of the
work has been done for you on P27 of the QCA Teacher’s Guide for the
Scheme of Work, where two sequences are suggested. Some points to note:

1. The units in each term can be taught in any order

2. The units in each term include Sc2, 3 and 4 topics
3. Because terms are not of equal length you might fit more or less in to each
one
4. It is often possible to fit something from term 1 in Y8 into e.g. term 3 of Y7,
the same applies to Y9, therefore making it easier to complete the work
before SATs

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 1

Topic planning
So now, having got your topic headings sorted out, you can identify which of the
yearly teaching objectives from the framework document pp 25-30 will be
covered in this unit (we will come back to Sc1 – Scientific Enquiry later). Your
document might look like this:

Topic: Particle Model of Solids, Liquids and Gases

Yearly Teaching Objectives covered:

Describe a simple particle model for matter, recognising: – the size, arrangement, proximity, attractions and motion of
particles in solids, liquids and gases;
• Use the simple particle model to explain: – why solids and liquids are much less compressible than gases;
– why changes of state occur; – why diffusion occurs in liquids and gases; – why heating causes expansion in solids,
liquids and gases; – why air exerts a pressure;

The next step is to decide

1. how long the unit will last
2. what you are going to teach
3. how you are going teach it
4. how you are going to assess the unit

To help achieve this it will be useful to have attended

• the CPD units Assessment and Scientific Enquiry
• the CPD units on Effective lessons and Progression in the Classroom

The suggested time for this unit in the QCA scheme1 is 7.5 hours, but the exact
timing will depend on your lesson times and what you put in or take out – you
don’t have to do everything that is suggested.

The first lesson will include the Topic Starter. There are a range of starter
activities for topics detailed in the QCA scheme of work, these and others can be
put under these headings:
• Concept maps
• ‘Show me’ type activity e.g. Solids, liquids and gases
• Stimulus material
• Focused questioning
• Flow charts
• Associated word lists
• Annotated drawings and posters
• Concept cartoons
• Class discussion on e.g. data, video clip
• Demonstration “you may have seen something like this…….”

1
The QCA scheme has a suggested total time of 94.5hrs, 31.5 weeks at 3 hours teaching per
week

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 2

These are designed to elicit prior knowledge, to reflect on previous work, to
value the previous learning of the students and to provide a bridge to new
work.

Another use for topic starter activities is to identify pupil misconceptions,

particularly if the unit is going to build on a simpler treatment from KS1 or 2.
Techniques for doing this were covered in the Misconceptions CPD unit.
This is worth including in your scheme of work:2

Topic: Particle Model of Solids, Liquids and Gases

Yearly Teaching Objectives covered:

Describe a simple particle model for matter, recognising: – the size, arrangement, proximity, attractions and motion of
particles in solids, liquids and gases;
• Use the simple particle model to explain: – why solids and liquids are much less compressible than gases;
– why changes of state occur; – why diffusion occurs in liquids and gases; – why heating causes expansion in solids,
liquids and gases; – why air exerts a pressure;

Where the unit fits in:

It builds on units 4D ‘Solids, liquids and how they can be separated’, 5C ‘Gases around us’, 5D ‘Changing state’, and 6C
‘More about dissolving’ from KS2
Pupils will have the opportunity too try to explain phenomena in terms of particles in e.g. units 7H ‘Solutions’, 8I ‘Heating
and cooling’, 8A ‘Food and digestion, 8H ‘Rock cycle’, and 9L’Pressure and moments’,
The ideas support understanding across the curriculum

Topic starter:
Quick Q & A session on terms Solid, Liquid and Gas to check familiarity. Remind pupils by questioning and examples of
work done at KS2. Encourage explanations of e.g. changes of state. Practical activity – classify examples in containers
as S, L and G. Explain what the topic is about, what they are going to learn and why it is important.
Move on to main part of Lesson 1 – (why do S, L & G behave differently etc.)

The next decision is how to assess progress in the unit. This might be by way of
an end of topic test based on e.g. past SAT questions from e.g. Test Base. 3
These have the advantage of providing practice at this type of question and
giving an indication of level of performance relating to progress towards the KS3
target but they are only one way in which pupils can show understanding. The
assessment can be improved by the inclusion of specific tasks throughout the
unit, for example the explanation to the crushing can experiment or an
explanation of why cotton wool is classified as a solid. There are lots of other
possibilities!

The ‘Reviewing Work’ section in the QCA scheme is a good source of ideas for
this.

2
Most of this can be copied from the electronic versions of the documents mentioned – you don’t
even have to type it in!
3
A 7 hour topic does not (necessarily) need a 1 hour test!

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 3

 Summative Assessment:
End of unit test - 30 minutes, 35 marks
Classwork lesson 4 – explain, using diagrams and notes how heat travels along the metal rod and why
the paperclips fall off in the order that they do
Homework exercise from lesson 5 – Explain why gases can be compressed much more easily than
solids and liquids.

To be effective assessment must be simple to manage, simple to monitor, simple

to understand and simple to record – this needs working on and agreeing as a
department.

It might be helpful to add a section describing performance expectations for the

unit, together with indications of ‘levelness’. For this unit it might look like this:

By the end of the unit:

Most pupils will: classify materials as S, L & G, explain their classification of some ‘difficult’
materials, describe materials as being made of particles and describe the movement and
arrangement of these, begin to use the particle model to explain phenomena e.g. mixing of liquids,
expansion of a metal bar
Further progress: use the particle model to explain a wider range of phenomena
Less Progress: will classify materials as S, L & G, recognize that materials are made of particles

L5: identify a range of contexts in which changes (e.g. evaporation, condensation, melting,
freezing) take place….
L6: …knowledge and understanding….behaviour of materials…to describe physical changes…
recognize that matter is made up of particles….arrangement and movement of particles in S, L & G.
…..relate changes of state to energy transfers….

Etc.

This would then be easy to exemplify in terms of assessment by looking at

specific questions and by agreeing on sample pieces of work to contribute to a
specimen portfolio.

The final point in this section derives from the Assessment unit – feedback must
be given to pupils on their performance in the formal tasks. A more detailed
discussion of how this may be done is in the unit itself.

The finished topic description might look like that on the next page.

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 4

 Topic: Particle Model of Solids, Liquids and Gases

Timing: 8 lesson unit (inc.review and test session)

Yearly Teaching Objectives covered:
Describe a simple particle model for matter, recognising: – the size, arrangement, proximity, attractions and motion of
particles in solids, liquids and gases;
• Use the simple particle model to explain: – why solids and liquids are much less compressible than gases;
– why changes of state occur; – why diffusion occurs in liquids and gases; – why heating causes expansion in solids,
liquids and gases; – why air exerts a pressure;

Where the unit fits in:

It builds on units 4D ‘Solids, liquids and how they can be separated’, 5C ‘Gases around us’, 5D ‘Changing state’, and 6C
‘More about dissolving’ from KS2
Pupils will have the opportunity too try to explain phenomena in terms of particles in e.g. units 7H ‘Solutions’, 8I ‘Heating
and cooling’, 8A ‘Food and digestion, 8H ‘Rock cycle’, and 9L’Pressure and moments’,
The ideas support understanding across the curriculum

Topic starter:
Quick Q & A session on terms Solid, Liquid and Gas to check familiarity. Remind pupils by questioning and examples of
work done at KS2. Encourage explanations of e.g. changes of state. Practical activity – classify examples in containers
as S, L and G. Explain what the topic is about, what they are going to learn and why it is important.
Move on to main part of Lesson 1 – (why do S, L & G behave differently etc.)

By the end of the unit:

Most pupils will: classify materials as S, L & G, explain their classification of some ‘difficult’ materials, describe
materials as being made of particles and describe the movement and arrangement of these, begin to use the particle
model to explain phenomena e.g. mixing of liquids, expansion of a metal bar
Further progress: use the particle model to explain a wider range of phenomena
Less Progress: will classify materials as S, L & G, recognize that materials are made of particles

L5: identify a range of contexts in which changes (e.g. evaporation, condensation, melting, freezing) take place….
L6: …knowledge and understanding….behaviour of materials…to describe physical changes…recognize that matter is
made up of particles….arrangement and movement of particles in S, L & G. …..relate changes of state to energy
transfers….

Etc.

Summative Assessment:
End of unit test - 30 minutes, 35 marks
Classwork lesson 4 – explain, using diagrams and notes how heat travels along the metal rod and why the paperclips
fall off in the order that they do
Homework exercise from lesson 5 – Explain why gases can be compressed much more easily than solids and liquids.

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 5

Lesson plans
One (of many) ways to tackle this is to start with defining the learning outcomes
for the lesson – what do you want the pupils to take away with them or to have
learned? Learning outcomes are not the same as learning objectives – these
are, in old speak, the lesson objectives, and might include such things as ‘....to
work cooperatively in new groups….’

TOPIC: Particle Model of Solids, Liquids and Gases Lesson 6

Learning Objectives: pupils should learn

• That gas particles are moving all the time
• That gas pressure is caused by particles hitting the walls of a container
• To work together, listening to and evaluating the contributions of others
Learning outcomes: pupils can
• Describe gas particles as moving all the time and pushing against surfaces
• Describe the force produced by this ‘push’ as pressure
• Explain that the can collapses because there are fewer particles on the inside pushing
out than outside pushing in.

Having decided what we want the pupils to learn we need to check that this has
been achieved, in other words what assessment can we do of the learning
outcomes? If you consider this as part of the scheme of work and plan it from the
outset there is a much greater chance of achieving consistency across the
department.

Formative assessment checks prior knowledge and checks progress during a

topic or skill development. Summative assessment checks knowledge and
progress at the end of topics.

Possible formative assessment activities include

• ‘Show me’ type activity e.g. Solids, liquids and gases cards
• Annotated drawings and posters
• Concept cartoons
• Class discussion on e.g. data, video clip
• ‘Quiz’ activities e.g. SAT question on the OHP, 10 quick questions
• Observation of Sc1 process e.g. can read a thermometer
• Specific questions (preferably high demand) for e.g. homework, class etc.

Formative assessment does not have to be formal, a ‘show me’ activity can very
quickly establish any weak areas or misunderstandings, but it should be used to
inform what is taught to the group next lesson, or which pupils will need
intervention if they are to progress.

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 6

 Therefore we could add to the lesson plan:
Possible assessment:
• Formative opportunity – observe responses to lesson tasks
• Formal assessment exercise (all pupils): Explain, using diagrams and words, how
gases are moving, what causes pressure and why the can collapsed when the air
was pumped out of it.

You now need to suggest some teaching activities that will help achieve the
learning outcomes described. It is worth remembering some of the points about
effective lessons:

• They contain challenge

• They begin with a starter activity to engage the class
• They have pace
• They have a plenary activity to summarise and consolidate the learning

The teaching activities are the bit most of us are really good at! The source for
your planning can include: experience, flashes of inspiration, the QCA scheme,
the Programme of Study and any other resources (e.g. text books) you have
available. This is your chance to be creative!

Starter activities
These are designed to
• Engage pupils
• State the purpose of the lesson – show where it fits in to what they have
been doing, what they will be doing and why they are learning these new
ideas
• Be quick
• Clarify objectives – how long tasks will last e.g. listening, practical activity,
group work etc.

Examples of starter activities

• 5 things important about
• 2 things you learned last lesson
• Loop card games
• ‘Continuum’
• Sequencing tasks
• Show me cards
• Traffic lights
• Demo followed by open question – e.g. collapsing can
• Video clip
• Data

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 7

 There are lots of others, this is another opportunity to be very creative!4

Plenary Activities
These need to be built into the lesson planning and should not be omitted in
order to ‘get the practical finished’. The features of successful plenaries are
that they:

• Draw together the whole group

• Take stock of the learning so far
• Direct pupils to the next phase of learning
• Occur at strategic moments in the teaching sequence
• Highlight not only what the pupils learn, but also how they learn
• Provide information for the teacher to make formative assessments

Their purpose can be further defined as:

• To help pupils to understand and remember what has been learned

• To refer back to lesson objectives
• To create a sense of gain, completion and satisfaction
• To take stock of where the class is in the task or sequence
• To take learning further and deeper
• To recognise the achievement of individuals and the whole class
• To allow the teacher the opportunity to assess and to plan accordingly
• To stimulate anticipation of the next phase of learning
• To instil a habit of reflection about learning

There are lots of possible plenary activities, this is a small list: 5

‘Hot seating’
Round the room questions
Snowball
Evidence for a question posed at the start of the lesson
Key words and definitions
Card matching or sorting
Pupil reporters

4
a CD-ROM of resources will be available to schools in Norfolk
5
a CD-ROM of resources will be available to schools in Norfolk

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 8

It is also useful to identify any

• Possible misconceptions

• aspects of Sc1 that can be covered in this lesson – this may be as simple
as pointing out to pupils that they are carrying out processes of scientific
enquiry or a more formal teaching of aspects of Sc1.

An extra sheet for additional notes encourages development of the scheme of

work.

A couple of examples are on the next two pages.

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 9

TOPIC: Particle Model of Solids, Liquids and Gases Lesson 6

Learning Objectives: pupils should learn

• That gas particles are moving all the time
• That gas pressure is caused by particles hitting the walls of a container
• To work together, listening to and evaluating the contributions of others

Learning outcomes: pupils can

• Describe gas particles as moving all the time and pushing against surfaces
• Describe the force produced by this ‘push’ as pressure
• Explain that the can collapses because there are fewer particles on the inside pushing out
than outside pushing in.

Possible assessment:
• Formative opportunity – observe responses to lesson tasks
• Formal assessment exercise (all pupils): Explain, using diagrams and words, how gases
are moving, what causes pressure and why the can collapsed when the air was pumped
out of it.

Possible lesson starters: Time

• ‘Show me’ cards for S, L & G, questions to highlight particle arrangement and motion
• Recap using Multimedia Science module on changes of state
• Use mini white boards, pupils work in pairs, then fours, draw, show and explain particle 10
arrangement and movement in S, L & G
Possible teaching activities:
• If necessary (see starter) revise particles in S, L & G
• Show pupils can you are going to use, water in the bottom, outline on the board, get
pupils to draw (books, mini white boards) the particles that are present. Circulate and
observe/guide pupils in task. Discuss some examples, get pupils to explain what they 10(20)
have drawn.
• Heat water in can (safety), get pupils to draw/explain what the particles will look like now.
When boiling well remove heat and put top on. Discuss what might be happening now in
terms of particles. The can should collapse, hopefully unexpectedly! Discussion focus 10(30)
on why did this happen?
• Some questions for pupils to consider might be:
Was it pulled in or was it pushed?
What happened to the particles inside and outside the can?
Draw the particles when it was hot and after it had cooled
• Highlight responses to reach explanation of pressure. Consolidate by discussion, 15(45)
Plenary activity:
• Demonstrate the crushing can again with a vacuum pump (safety), get pupils to explain
what is happening (possible misconception is that can is now pulled in) and set up
assessment task for homework:
“Explain, using diagrams and words, how gases are moving, what causes pressure and why the
can collapsed when the air was pumped out of it.” 15(60)
Resources:
(as necessary)

Scientific enquiry:
Making predictions, developing hypotheses, observing events, present and interpret
experimental results, describe and explain what results show, relate conclusions to scientific
knowledge and understanding
Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 10
TOPIC: Acids and Alkalis Lesson ?

Learning Objectives: pupils should learn

• To devise a table to show results effectively and to identify patterns in these
• That acids and alkalis can change the colours of some dyes and that this can be used to classify them
• The names of some common laboratory acids and alkalis

Learning outcomes: pupils can

• Present results in a way to help them identify patterns
• Recognize that dyes that show one colour in acids and one in alkalis are called indicators
• Recall the name of some common lab. Acids and alkalis
• Use their record to identify which solutions are acid and alkaline

Possible assessment:
• Observe pupil performance in tasks
• Clwk/hwk: Describe how you would find out if a liquid was acid or alkaline
• Production of suitable table for results

Possible lesson starters: Time

• Recap safety – spills, goggles etc. by Q & A
• Domestic acids/alkalis (follow on from hwk survey of kitchen etc.) 5-10
• Outline learning outcomes using WALT and WILF
Possible teaching activities:
First part of the lesson deals with indicators and design of suitable table for recording results –
• Introduce hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide soln. and demo use of droppers and
spotting tiles
• Add litmus to drop of each – discuss findings with class – bring out different colours, idea
of an indicator, what they might need to know if they were going to use an indicator
(colour in acid/alkali). What they need to record, design table with group on board. Test 15(25)
the other indicators on offer (red cabbage, food colouring, beetroot, blackcurrant) and
record results.
• Review findings, evaluate the results and decide on which is/are the best indicators and
15(40)
why. Write a sentence explaining what an indicator is. Explain which indicator you would
choose (and why) to test an unknown substance.
• Review information they need to get. Set Hwk: Describe how you would find out if a liquid 15(55)
was acid or alkaline. Design a method and table (mini white boards would be good for
this) to test 5 of the samples that are round the room. Check tables, pupils test samples,
record results, clear away. 5(60)
• Review findings and any problem substances. Remind about hwk.
Plenary activity: these are included in the teaching activities above.
• Review findings, evaluate the results and decide on which is/are the best indicators and
why. Write a sentence explaining what an indicator is. Explain which indicator you would
choose (and why) to test an unknown substance.
• Review findings and any problem substances. Remind about hwk

Resources:
(As required)

Scientific enquiry:
Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 11
Presentation and interpretation experimental results, describe and explain what the results show
when drawing conclusions. Evaluate the materials and technique.
 TOPIC: Lesson

Learning Objectives: pupils should learn

•

Learning outcomes: pupils can

•

Possible assessment:
•

Possible lesson starters: Time

•

Possible teaching activities:

•

Plenary activity:

Resources:

Scientific enquiry:

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 12

TOPIC:

Additional notes:

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 13

Appendix A
Some possible lesson structures are illustrated below:

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 14

Adrian Tebbutt Feb. 2003 15
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