Thinking scientifically Thinking scientifically

! ! AF 1.1
! Using
! Scientific
! ! Models
! AF 1.2 Considering Evidence

in clear understandable steps, you use ideas you’ve decided which parts of an explanation
8 and models describe or explain in detail 8 or argument are important, and included a
something that happens reason
make links between models and what decide which is the most important of
7 7
happens in real life different scientific factors

justify a model by spotting where it’s good spot the evidence that supports or refutes
6 6
and not-so-good scientific ideas

5 explain something using a model 5 explain how scientists use evidence

spot or sort scientific evidence from other

4 describe something using a model 4
types of evidence

3 spot what model is supposed to be showing 3 use evidence to answer questions

Thinking scientifically Thinking scientifically

AF 1.3 How have scientific ideas AF 1.4 How have scientific ideas
become accepted? been challenged by new evidence?
by looking at how new ideas and evidence get
accepted, you can describe how scientific 8
8
theories have developed, now and throughout
history give reasons for how evidence supports a
7
scientific idea, or not
explain how scientific ideas become accepted
7
or rejected
describe some evidence that supports a
6
explain how new evidence can lead to changes scientific idea, or not
6
in scientific ideas
explain why some sorts of questions cannot
spot evidence or creative thinking used to 5
5 easily be answered using science
generate scientific ideas
identify scientific evidence used in scientific
4 use scientific ideas to describe processes 4
ideas

use scientific ideas to answer questions

3 3
! Effects of Society on Science ! Effects of Society on Science

AF 2.1 Appreciate the effects of AF 2.2 How Science leads to

science on society technological developments
describe ways in which the values of a
8 society influence the sort of science 8
developed in that society, or period of history
explain how creative thinking comes up with
use ideas about business, society or culture 7
new ideas for research and development
7 to make a case for scientific or technological
developments
describe how evidence leads to further
6
explain how things that happen in business, investigation
6 in society or in your culture may affect
scientific or technological developments
5
describe different views held about scientific
5
or technological developments
4
4

3 3

! Effects of Society on Science ! Effects of Society on Science

AF 2.3 The effects of technological
developments on society and the AF 2.4 The role of science in
environment industry
evaluate the effects of science or technology
8 8
on society as a whole

explain how scientific discoveries can change

7 7
how we think about the world

explain how societies may be affected by

6 6 explain how people use science in their jobs
scientific and technological developments

explain how scientific and technological

5 5
developments may effect an environment

describe the impact of some scientific and

4 4 spot aspects of science in particular jobs
technological developments

spot some scientific and technological spot aspects of science in people’s lives and
3 3
developments jobs
! Communicating & collaborating ! Communicating & collaborating

AF 3.1 Communicate Scientific AF 3.2 Using scientific words and

Ideas symbols correctly
present well planned explanations,
8 arguments or counter arguments in a 8
variety of ways
use a range of scientific words when
7 7
justify ways of presenting difficult ideas presenting scientific ideas

explain why some ideas are best in plain language explain what scientific
6 6
communicated in different ways words mean when you use them

decide on the best way to present scientific use a range of scientific words correctly to
5 5
data explain ideas

choose ways of presenting information that use range of scientific words correctly in
4 4
are good for the job descriptive writing

3 use scientific words correctly 3 present scientific data appropriately

! Communicating & collaborating in ! Communicating & collaborating in

Science Science
AF 3.4 Scientists working
AF 3.3 How valid is my evidence? together
explain limitations, misrepresentation or suggest the specialisms and skills that would
8 lack of balance in evidence from more than 8 be needed to solve particular scientific
one source problems
spot and explain how information may be
7
biased or misrepresented explain how scientists with different
7
specialisms can work together
in scientific writing, spot when someone is
6 adding or leaving out evidence when they
shouldn’t 6

explain the difference between opinion and

5 5 explain the advantages of working together
evidence

4 4

state any advantages of scientists working

3 3
together
 Scientific Investigations Scientific Investigations

AF 4.1 Plan Investigations AF 4.2 Collecting Data

give good reasons to explain the way you you have chosen a way to keep errors to a
8 have chosen to investigate different kinds of minimum, to get precise and reliable data,
8
scientific questions and you’ve got good reasons for your choices
plan a detailed investigation from a range of that you can explain
7
resources spot and control all the variables in an
7
investigation
give a reason for the range of data needed for
6
the investigation 6 use scientific knowledge to plan an
investigation
explain why the apparatus is suitable for an choose the most suitable variables to
5 5
investigation investigate
say how apparatus will be used in the spot a range of variables to carry out a fair
4 4
investigation test
choose equipment or information to plan an
3 3 spot one control variable in an investigation
investigation

Scientific Investigations Scientific Investigations

AF 4.3 Gathering precise and
reliable data
your way to keep errors to a minimum, and
8 to get precise and reliable data, has some
good reasons that you can explain
when your data is reliable, explain why it is
7
reliable
6 6
AF 4.4 identifying Risk
when you need to, you change your plan to
8 control risk by using suitable resources and
expert advice
7 use sources of information to minimise risk
in an investigation ,show how to make risks
as small as possible

5 write down a repeat set of measurements 5 show you’re aware of specific risks

4 write down a suitable set of data 4 spot risks during an investigation

3 make some accurate observations 3 spot risks when given a hint by your teacher
 Scientific Investigations
AF 5.1 Evaluate Investigations
come up with improvements to experiments,
8 with detailed scientific reasons and suggest a
strategy to take investigations further
suggest how the reliability of the data could
7 be improved
you say something about the quality of your
6
data and explain why you said it
weigh up the good and bad things about what
5 5
you did
give reasons for suggested improvements to
4
what you did
3 suggest improvements to what you did
Scientific Investigations
AF 5.3 Analyse Evidence
you’ve got some data, but before you can look
8 for patterns between variables you process
raw data with multi-step calculations and
fancy maths
say why your conclusion is valid in terms of
7
the evidence
use detailed scientific ideas to explain a valid
6
conclusion
make a conclusion which is supported the
5
evidence (a ‘valid’ conclusion)
spot patterns in graphs and roughly say
4 4
what the relationship is
spot patterns in data, saying what happened
3
and why
Scientific Investigations
AF 5.2 Evaluate Evidence
when you have different evidence for some
idea, and they say different things, can you
8
sort and rate the evidence, and come to your
own conclusion?
say whether there’s enough evidence for
7 your conclusion, and say why you think so
6 explain the quality of the data
if you have differences between repeated
measurements, you suggest a reason for it
4
3
Scientific Investigations
AF 5.4 Explanation of Evidence
you put forward scientific explanations for
8
unexpected observations or measurements
explain why someone else may have another
7
conclusion based on the same evidence
explain what you can and cannot say using
6
the evidence you have
5
identify the evidence that is scientific that is
used to make a conclusion
3