Introduction

Overview of the course

The Cambridge Checkpoint 7 Coursebook and Workbook provide complete coverage of the requirements of stage 7 of the
Cambridge Secondary 1 Science course. The materials on this CD-ROM provide guidance in the use of the Cambridge
Checkpoint 7 Coursebook and Workbook. In addition, there are further resources that can be used in teaching the course.
Cambridge Checkpoint provides a rm base from which students can build their knowledge and skills as they work towards
the progression tests at the end of stages 7 and 8, and eventually the Checkpoint examination at the end of stage 9.
The materials are divided into eleven units, each corresponding to one or more main areas of the Cambridge
Secondary 1 Science curriculum framework. Each unit is then split into topics. Most topics cover a two-page
spread in the Coursebook, with a few covering three pages. As well as the material in the Coursebook, there are
more support materials in the form of exercises in the Workbook, and worksheets and animations on this Teachers
Resource CD-ROM.
The teaching ideas sections on this CD-ROM provide suggestions about how you might use the materials to cover
the complete set of learning objectives in the Cambridge Secondary 1 Science curriculum framework. The number
of lessons you spend on each topic will depend very much on the situation in your school for example, the previous
experience of your students, the constraints of the timetable and the availability of laboratories. You may choose to
condense some topics into a smaller number of lessons than suggested in the teaching ideas, or to extend others
particularly where you wish to spend time on the development of scientic enquiry skills (see below).
Active learning
A key feature of the Cambridge Secondary 1 Science course is the active involvement of students in their learning.
The materials in the Coursebook, Workbook and worksheets provide numerous opportunities for students to do
practical work, take part in discussions, ask questions, research and present information, and assess their own work
and that of their peers against a set of criteria. Research shows that such involvement signicantly improves both
knowledge and understanding.

Scientic enquiry skills

The Cambridge Secondary 1 Science course places a strong emphasis on the development of scientic enquiry skills.
These are addressed throughout the Coursebook, Workbook and worksheets. Activities in the Coursebook that help
students to develop their scientic enquiry skills are marked with the symbol SE .
The table below summarises components of the course where each of the skills listed in the Cambridge Secondary 1
Science curriculum framework are addressed.

Framework statement Coursebook Workbook Teachers Resource

Ideas and evidence
Be able to talk about the Activities 5.1, 5.4, 6.3, 6.4, Exercise 3.5, Worksheets 3.7B,
importance of questions, evidence 7.5, 7.6A, 7.6B, 8.5, 8.9, 4.3A, 7.6A, 7.6B, 8.10,
and explanations. 9.6 10.2
Make predictions and review them Activities 9.4, 10.4A, 11.4A Exercise 3.5 Worksheets 7.6A,
against evidence. Topic 7.5 7.6B, 10.4A
Plan investigative work
Suggest ideas that may be tested. Activities 7.6B, 9.4 Worksheets 3.7B,
4.3A, 7.6B, 10.2
Outline plans to carry out Activities 1.3, 2.3, 7.5, 7.6B, Exercise 7.6 Worksheets 2.2, 2.3,
investigations, considering the 8.2B, 8.2C, 8.4, 9.4, 10.4B 3.7B, 4.3A, 7.4A, 7.4B,
variables to control, change or End of unit questions 1.3a, 7.6A, 7.6B, 8.6C, 10.4B
observe. 2.2a, 3.2c Topic 7.5
Make predictions referring to Activities 9.4, 9.6, 10.4A Exercise 8.6 Worksheets 3.7B, 10.2,
previous scientific knowledge and End of unit questions 2.2c, 10.4A
understanding. 2.2d, 9.3
Identify appropriate evidence to Activities 2.3, 3.4, 6.3, 8.5, Exercises 2.2, Worksheets 2.1, 2.2,
collect and suitable methods of 9.4, 10.5A 2.3, 5.1, 7.6 3.4B, 4.3A, 7.4A, 7.4B,
collection. 7.6A, 7.6B, 10.2
Continued

Copyright Cambridge University Press 2012 Cambridge Checkpoint Science 7 1

 Introduction

Framework statement Coursebook Workbook Teachers Resource

Choose appropriate apparatus and Activities 1.3, 2.3, 2.7, 3.4, Exercises 7.2, Worksheets 2.6A,
use it correctly. 5.3, 7.6B, 9.2A, 9.2B, 9.5, 7.4 3.7B, 7.4A, 7.4B, 7.6A,
10.5A 7.6B, 9.2
End of unit question 3.2a
Obtain and present evidence
Make careful observations and Activities 1.3, 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, Exercises 1.1, 7.4 Worksheets 2.1, 2.7,
measurements. 2.4A, 2.4B, 2.7, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 3.2, 3.4A, 4.3A, 7.4A,
5.3, 6.1, 6.3, 6.4, 8.1, 8.2A, 7.4B, 7.6A, 8.4, 8.6A,
8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.8, 9.2A, 9.2B, 9.2, 9.3, 10.4A, 10.4B
9.5, 10.4A, 10.4B, 11.1
Topic 5.3
End of unit questions 1.3b,
2.2d, 3.2b
Present results in the form of Activities 1.3, 2.3, 4.2, 4.3, Exercises 1.1, Worksheets 2.1, 3.2,
tables, bar charts and line graphs. 5.1, 5.3, 6.1, 6.3, 6.4, 7.2, 3.5, 4.2, 4.3, 3.4A, 3.7B, 4.3A, 5.3A,
7.3, 7.6B, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.6, 9.4 7.2, 7.4A, 7.6B, 8.4,
9.3, 10.1, 10.2, 10.4B 8.5, 8.6B, 8.6C, 8.12,
End of unit questions 1.3c, 9.3, 10.2, 10.4B
4.1b, 4.1c, 5.4, 6.2b
Use information from secondary Activities 8.9, 8.10, 8.11 Exercises 1.3, Worksheets 2.3, 2.4,
sources. Topic 4.2, Questions 3, 4 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.4B, 5.3A, 6.1, 7.6A,
and 5 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 7.6B, 8.10
6.4, 7.6, 9.4
End of unit question 4.1
Consider evidence and approach
Make conclusions from collected Activities 1.3, 2.3, 2.4B, Exercises 2.3, Worksheets 2.3, 3.2,
data, including those presented in 2.3, 6.4, 7.6B, 8.2B, 8.2C, 2.5, 3.4, 4.3, 3.4A, 4.3A, 7.4A, 7.6B,
a graph, chart or spreadsheet. 9.6, 10.2, 10.4B, 11.6 5.1, 6.4, 7.6, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6A, 8.12,
End of unit questions 1.3d, 8.6, 9.4 10.4B, 11.3A, 11.3B
3.2d
Recognise results and Activities 7.6B, 9.4 Exercise 2.3
observations that do not fit into a
pattern, including those presented
in a graph, chart or spreadsheet.
Consider explanations for Activities 2.4B, 9.4, 9.6, Exercises 2.2, Worksheets 8.3, 10.4A
predictions using scientific 10.2, 10.4A, 11.6 2.3, 8.6, 8.10
knowledge and understanding and End of unit questions 2.2c,
communicate these. 2.2d
Present conclusions using different Activities 8.9, 8.10, 10.4B Exercise 9.4 Worksheet 10.4B
methods.

Knowledge and understanding, and application and implication

As well as scientic enquiry skills, the Progression tests and Checkpoint examination test students knowledge and
understanding and their ability to apply this knowledge in unfamiliar situations. Students therefore need to develop
the condence and ability to think through answers to questions, rather than always relying on simply recalling
information. Using knowledge in this way is a higher level skill than simply remembering facts, and students need
regular practice if they are to improve. Questions in the Coursebook that help students to develop application and
implication skills are marked with the symbol A+I . Many of the exercises in the Workbook are also designed to
help students to improve their skills in this area.

Copyright Cambridge University Press 2012 Cambridge Checkpoint Science 7 2

 Introduction

Teaching sequence
The materials in the Coursebook and Workbook are arranged in the same sequence as in the Cambridge Secondary
1 Science curriculum framework. All of the biology comes rst, followed by chemistry, and nally physics. This may
be how you choose to cover the material in the stage 7 course. However, there are many other possible routes through
it, and you can use the materials in different orders to follow your own scheme of work. The choice of route through
these materials will largely be determined by the way in which the Secondary 1 Science course is timetabled. This
could be either:
teaching biology, chemistry and physics each week throughout the year:

Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4

Unit 5 Unit 6 Unit 7 Unit 8
Unit 9 Unit 10 Unit 11
or teaching rst one, then the second and then the third subject during the year, in whichever order you choose,
for example:

U1 U2 U3 U4 U5 U6 U7 U8 U9 U10 U11
or

U5 U6 U7 U8 U9 U10 U11 U1 U2 U3 U4
or

U9 U10 U11 U1 U2 U3 U4 U5 U6 U7 U8
Any of these arrangements can be accommodated using these materials. However, it is recommended that you follow
the units in each subject area in numerical order, as the materials have been designed to provide steady progression in
skills throughout each subject.
Whichever route is chosen, it will be important to consider how the scientic enquiry strand is dealt with. These
materials provide for progression through this strand within each subject area. Decisions will need to be made about
how time is allocated for activities that develop scientic enquiry skills within each subject area, as this will affect the
number of lessons that are required to cover each unit.
Animations
There is a selection of animations available on this CD-ROM. A few of these are directly related to the content of
the individual topics, and can be found alongside all other resources for those topics. Their content is described in the
teaching ideas where appropriate. There is also a selection of more general animations that can be used to develop
scientic enquiry skills, which can be found in a separate section of the CD-ROM. Some of these use examples
that are related to either biology, chemistry or physics, so you may want to use them in these contexts. The full list,
with brief descriptions, is given below. Some of these animations contain material that goes beyond the content of
the Coursebook. This can be a way of bringing extension into your lessons, but it is also straightforward to skip this
content if you do not consider it appropriate.
Available scientic enquiry animations
Safety
G1 Hazard symbols
This animation tests knowledge of the ve main hazard symbols and asks students to think about chemicals that are
examples of each hazard. These examples might need some introduction.
G2 Dealing with accidents
This asks students to think about how they should deal with different types of accident that may happen in a
laboratory. The examples are mainly related to chemistry.
G3 Identifying safety problems
Students are shown a picture of a class in a laboratory and asked to nd safety problems.
Planning and carrying out investigations
G4 Asking research questions 1

Copyright Cambridge University Press 2012 Cambridge Checkpoint Science 7 3

 Introduction

This exercise asks students to determine whether examples of research questions are suitable and can be tested by
doing a scientic investigation.
G5 Asking research questions 2
Students are asked to make careful observations and use these to frame research questions.
G6 Making the test fair 1
Two examples of biological investigations are used to introduce the idea of controlling variables to make a test fair.
G7 Making the test fair 2
Examples from chemistry help to extend students understanding of making tests fair. Students have to think of ways
to make sure the investigations are fair.
G8 Making the test fair 3
This is a memory-style exercise in which students have to match variables that need to be controlled to keep the test
fair with ways to adapt the method to do so.
G9 Thinking about variables
Two examples of physics investigations are used to get students thinking about which variables will affect the outcome.
G10 Recognising laboratory equipment
A drag-and-drop exercise helps students recognise different items of laboratory apparatus.
G11 Using laboratory equipment
Students are shown pieces of equipment and asked to name a use for that type of equipment, and are also given
extra questions to answer. Some of the equipment shown is not mentioned in the Coursebook, so this could be used
as extension material or simply skipped at this stage.
G12 Writing a clear method
Students are asked to construct sensible methods for given experiments.
G13 Using secondary sources
This introduces different sources of secondary data and the type of investigation they might be used for.
G14 Using time-lapse photography
The example of limestone weathering illustrates how time-lapse photography can be used in investigations.

Interpreting and presenting results

G15 Presenting your results
Students are asked what is the best way to present the results from a number of different investigations. The examples
used are related to biology.
G16 Bar chart or line graph
Students must decide whether a bar chart or a line graph is more appropriate to display the results from a number of
investigations.
G17 Constructing line graphs
Students have to identify mistakes in four line graphs.
G18 Drawing line graphs
Students are shown three sets of results and have to draw a suitable graph for each.
G19 Drawing a line of best fit
Students must select the most appropriate line of best t for a number of graphs.
G20 Constructing results tables
Students must complete results tables for a number of investigations by lling in appropriate headings.
G21 Explaining conclusions using scientific ideas
This exercise gives students examples of investigations and their results. Students must think what conclusion they can
draw from the results and use their scientic knowledge to explain the results. Some of the ideas in the animation are
not explained in the Coursebook, and so may need further introduction.

Copyright Cambridge University Press 2012 Cambridge Checkpoint Science 7 4