Contents

Introduction 4

Biology
Unit 1Systems and diseases 12
Unit 2Human reproduction 24
Unit 3Ecosystems 31

Chemistry
Unit 4Reversible and irreversible changes 38

Physics
Unit 5 Forces 54
Unit 6 Electrical circuits 68
Unit 7 Light, reflection and refraction 80

Earth and space

Unit 8Rocks and soils 97
Unit 9Earth and the Solar System 118

Revision Test 127

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Introducti
Introduction

What is this book

about?
This Study Guide will help you
to recall key information and How can this book
ideas help you?
and build your understanding about
the science topics that you have Revision helps you to
been learning in Stage 6. It will help remember facts and to practise
you to make sure that what you different
learn ways of working. It can help you make
stays in your memory for connections between ideas so that the
a long time. knowledge you have and the
understanding you develop is more likely to
stay in your memory for longer. Revision
How can I help can help
myself when using to make it easier for your brain
this book? to retrieve (get back) what you
Be honest, if you do not know know when you need it in the
something, admit it yourself. future, for example, in a new
If topic
or a school test.
you still do not understand an idea
or a word, ask a partner or an adult
to help you understand. Positive It’s OK to make
learners know that asking mistakes
for help is a good When we learn it is fine to
thing to do. make mistakes and errors, especially
when revising. These are great learning
opportunities and should be explored if new
learning is to take place. If you are unsure,
Worked examples do not know or make a mistake, do not
Throughout this Study Guide, worry, look back through your books, ask a
partner or an adult to help
you will find examples of learners’
work which have errors in them called you, that way you will
continue to learn and succeed.
worked examples. Finding and correcting
the errors is a great way to help you
learn.
You will also find examples of ‘good’
answers, to help you understand
how questions and problems
can be answered. Model icon
Shows you are using a mental or
physical model of something in
the real world.

Star icon
This tells you that you need to think and work like a scientist.
 This tells you that content is related to another subject you are learning.

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 Introduction

What approaches (ways) does this Study Guide use to help you revise science?
This Study Guide offers different approaches that you can use to help you decide what you
know and understand and what you are still unsure of, this will enable you to practise and
revise, ensuring that those ideas ‘stick’ in your memory.
There are many different ways of revising what you know in science. To help you
understand how each approach works, the following pages explain each of the different
approaches. Each person learns and remembers their science in different ways, approaches
that you find helpful might be different to what others prefer to use.
A few of the revision approaches are explained so that you know what they are and why they
are used. You might find some of them useful in other subjects to help you remember and
revise facts and ideas for example, in maths, geography and history.

Concept maps
A concept map is a type of thinking map. It is a useful way to help you remember key words
and ideas in a topic and make links between them.
With a concept map you can group words using headings. You can then show how ideas
link by drawing lines between them. You need to write on the lines why you are
connecting the lines together.

liquid, solid, gas

sugar
different
states

can
change Materials

irreversible transparent

opaque

Definitions
Thinking about and writing down definitions for words can help you understand the word better
and give you confidence to use the words when speaking or writing about science.
Being able to use scientific vocabulary correctly is very important, if you are unsure of a word
use a dictionary or thesaurus to check if you are correct. You could make yourself a science
dictionary, write the word, how to say it, a definition and even draw or stick a picture or
sample of something, for example, a material (aluminium foil).
This Study Guide also provides other ways to help you learn words, such as key word cards,
mnemonics and acrostics.

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Introduction

Double bubble
A double bubble is another type of thinking map. A double bubble is a useful way to check
that you have understood ideas. The double bubble helps you look at two different ideas and
compare them for similarities and differences. It is used to compare and contrast objects,
animals, ideas or events.
Living thing

Insect
Amphibian
Reproduces

Frog Butterfly Lays eggs

Lays eggs
on land
Lays eggs
in water

Goes through
metamorphesis
Lives in water Flies
and on land

In the centre of the large circles write the name of, for example, the two ideas you are
thinking about. Down the middle of the double bubble, in the hexagons, you are looking for
similarities. This means you will write one thing in each hexagon that is true for both ideas. In
the outside circles you then consider differences. You will note down things that are different
for each of the ideas you are thinking about.
By drawing out your thinking using this type of thinking map you will make connections and
remember what you have been learning about.
Frayer map
A Frayer map helps you to identify and define unfamiliar concepts and vocabulary in a topic.
Learning vocabulary so that you know how to spell words and understand what they mean is
very important in science. If you can read, spell and explain scientific words and apply them
to everyday life, it means that your learning is secure.
A Frayer map is used to focus on revising and learning about one word at a time.

Definition Characteristics/features/
facts
A Moon that goes around (orbits a
planet or a star). Smaller than the planet
or star it orbits.
A machine that goes
around (orbits) the Earth.

6 Exampl Non-
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The Earth’s Moon The
Titan is a satellite Sun
of Saturn. meteorit
 Introduction

Fishbone organiser
This is another type of thinking map. A fishbone organiser is a useful way of organising
ideas and knowledge linked to the same topic. It is a visual way to link many ideas that
connect
to the same issue and help you record what you know about a problem and how to solve it.
A fishbone organiser is a simple way that you can organise your ideas, make links and solve
problems. You might want to use different colours on your fishbone organiser so you can
pick out ideas that link.

Infographics
The word ‘infographic’ is made up of:
info (information) + graphic (visual)
So, an infographic is made using pictures, charts and graphs so that information can be
read easily.
Using infographics can help your brain remember information, as it draws on the idea of Dual
Coding. ‘Dual Coding’ gives two different ways of showing the information, both visual and
written at the same time. Looking at the information on an infographic and talking about it
with others, can make it easier for your brain to recall (remember) information. You might
find that using infographics made by others or by yourself can help you to learn ideas and
facts.

Whale and human hearts

● Whale heart ● Human heart
– 600 – – 300 g
900 kg ● Human heart
● Whale heart pumps blood
● Whale heart ● Human heart
pumps blood arounds its
beats
aroundper
its beats
body per
minute:
body 4 – 8 minute: 60 –
● Oxygen is
100
● Whale
● Oxygenheart
is pumped
has 4
pumped ● Human heart
around the
around the human body
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Introduction

Key Word Cards

Key word cards can help you remember words and revise scientific vocabulary that you need to
read, spell and know what the word means. You can make key word cards for any topic, on one
side write the word, on the other side write the definition (what the word means). You could
write words in different colours and split words up to help you remember them. This revision
approach will help you by challenging you, making sure that you can read, spell and understand
what the word means.

There must be Contact There must be two Non-contact

objects that
two objects that
touch. These can force interact, these force
change the motion, objects are not
direction and shape touching.
of the object they Examples of non- N S N S

act on. They can contact forces are

be balanced or weight (gravity) S N S N
and magnetism.
unbalanced.
They can be

Fact files
Fact files are really good ways to learn, memorise and help to recall information. They are quick
and easy to make so that you can show key ideas, scientific vocabulary and give examples of
science in action in everyday life.
You can make a set of fact files for a topic or different topics which you can keep and use to
revise learning, and to give a partner and family to use to ‘test’ you on your science.

Fact File

Is it reversible or irreversible?
What is the process?

An explanation of the process. Explanation of what is happening in the picture that has been chos

Condensation on cold can

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 Introduction

Learning flower
A learning flower is a memory aid that can help your brain remember and organise ideas. This
is a visual way of organising your learning, which some learners find really useful when trying
to revise a topic.
This will help you recall important things you have covered in this topic and make links
between the different ideas.
When you use a learning flower, write:
1 the topic title in the centre of the flower
2 key words on the front of the petals
3 definitions of the words on the back of the petals
4 key learning on the stem
5 what you already know on the roots
6 questions or things that you do not fully understand on the leaves.

Memory maps
A memory map is a way of helping you to revise information and ideas. A memory map can
help you group and organise information to help your memory so that you can work out
what you know already and where the gaps are in your understanding.
producers

environments

where animals
and plants live

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Introduction

Mnemonics
Mnemonics often use rhymes or a sentence to help us learn information so that it sticks in our
memory and also makes it easier to retrieve (get back) that information.
For example, you might know all of the names of the planets in our solar system, a mnemonic
could help you to remember not only the name of each planet easily but the order of the
planets as they orbit the Sun.
Mnemonic for the planets
My (Mercury) Very (Venus) Easy (Earth) Method (Mars) Just (Jupiter) Speeds (Saturn) Up
(Uranus) Nothing (Neptune).
Model answer (Worked answer)
A model answer is an ‘ideal’ response to a question. Looking at different answers to questions
and thinking about how they can be improved using your own knowledge is one way of
helping you to revise and remember your science. Thinking about what the strengths and
weaknesses of an answer are is a way of assessing how good an answer is. Re-writing it to
improve the answer can help you later when you have to write an answer yourself.
Prefixes
A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change the meaning of
the word.
For example:
The word ‘microbe’ begins with the root word micro which comes from Greek word mikros
which means ‘small’. Whenever you come across a word where the root word is micro the
word has something to do with being small.
The word ‘microscope’ is made up of the root word ‘micro’ and the word ‘scope’. Micro
means ‘small’, and scope means ‘see’. So the prefix changes the meaning of scope (to see)
to mean ‘to see very small (microscopic) things’.
How can prefixes help you in revision? If you know what some prefixes mean, for example:
micro (small) or therm (heat), then it can help you to use your memory to work out what
certain words mean when you read or hear them.
Rich picture poster
A rich picture is a way of showing an idea, information, a process or for example, a habitat
by using pictures, diagrams and individual words, phrases and colour coding. Using a rich
picture can sometimes be easier to show what you know than, for example, writing
sentences or paragraphs, especially if you are someone who learns and remembers pictures
more easily.
Rich pictures do not have to be created in any order, they can just show the flow of ideas, for
example, how to solve a problem or how to get people to recycle and reuse materials. It is
different to an infographic because it does not have to use graphs, charts and numbers.

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 Introduction

Revision hexagons
Revision hexagons are hexagon shapes that tesselate All objects Wool is
(link together). The ideas and facts that you write in are made a kind of
up of material
them must link to what is written in the hexagons materials
around.
This revision approach helps you to: There
● think about what you know Materials are different
kinds
● recall facts and ideas materials
● make links between learning.

Venn diagram
A Venn diagram is a visual organiser. It helps you to see how you can organise what you
know by helping to show similarities and differences between ideas.
For example, you could use a Venn diagram to organise objects according to the material/s
they are made from. Venn diagrams usually have 2 or 3 circles which overlap in the middle;
where the circles overlap shows similarities, and where they do not overlap shows differences.

Thermal conductors Thermal insulators

Using these different approaches in your learning and revision:

As you work through this Study Guide think about which approaches help you to:
● access your memory and remember ideas and words

● make connections (see links) between learning

● remember the most ideas or information

● organise what you know

● spot gaps in your learning and understanding.

Think about which approaches you enjoy using, if you enjoy using an approach in revision it can
make revising a topic more interesting and easier to learn and remember.
Different approaches suit different learners, work out which ones suit you best, and then
you can make your brain work and grow!

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 Unit 1 Systems and diseases

What will you learn

This unit will help you to revise your learning of:
many vertebrates have similar circulatory systems
how the heart works
the function of the heart
many vertebrates have similar respiratory systems
how the lungs work
the function of the lungs.
This unit will also help you to revise your learning of some diseases and their causes and defence mech
Pages 8–25

The circulatory system

Revision approach
Using memory maps What is a memory map?
A memory map is a useful tool to revise information and ideas. In this unit, you are going to use a memo

Activity 1
Creating a memory map
Youof
1In the middle of a sheet of paper or a page in your notebook, draw a picture will need: that reminds
something
plain paper
coloured pens

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 Unit 1: Systems and diseases

2 Draw two or three lines coming from your picture for key ideas about the circulatory
system. Using different coloured pens, add as many words, phrases or pictures that you
remember about the circulatory system.
3 As you continue adding to your memory map, keep going back and reading what you
have written, it might help you to think of other things that you know. You can add more
lines. Remember you probably know more than you think.
4 When you have finished, share your memory map with someone else. Ask them to
add something that you have left out.
5 Keep your memory map, you are going to add to it throughout this unit.
6 Follow the same instructions to draw a memory map about what you can remember
about the respiratory system and illness and disease.

Activity 2

1 Look at the table below.

2 Add the words from this list to the table and describe what each does in the circulatory
system. One has already been done for you.
arteries blood blood vessels capillaries lungs veins

Word What do they do?

Arteries Tubes that carry blood away from the heart.

3 Check your definitions using a dictionary.

4 Test yourself, or get someone else to test you, to check that you can spell each word correctly.

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 Unit 1: Systems and diseases

Activity 3

Your heart is part of the circulatory system. The diagram below shows the circulatory system.
oxygen rich blood heart rest of body blood low in oxygen lungs
Match the labels to the numbers.
1
1

2
2
3

4 4
3
5

a How many labels did you get correct?

5
b If you got any wrong, which ones? What can you do
to remember all of them correctly?

c Try again, did you get them all correct this time?

d Write a paragraph to explain how the circulatory system works. Use the diagram and
labels to help you explain.

Activity 4

Go back to your memory map of the circulatory system on page 12.

What can be added to the memory map to help you revise the circulatory system?

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 Unit 1: Systems and diseases

Activity 5

Science in context

Christiaan Barnard led the surgical team that performed the first human-to-human heart
transplant on 2 and 3 December 1967. This was the first time that a human heart had been
successfully transplanted into another human. It was carried out because the patient was
critically ill with heart failure and would have died if he had not received a new heart from
a donor.
Unfortunately, the patient who received the transplanted heart died 18 days later. However,
thanks to Christiaan Barnard’s pioneering work, today across the world, around 5000 cardiac
(heart) transplants are carried out each year. Most of the people who have a heart
transplant now live long and healthy lives, thanks to their new heart from a heart donor.
Think about what Christiaan Barnard needed to know about the heart and
the circulatory system.
Write down six things that he and his team needed to know to carry out the heart transplant.

Activity 6

Humans and whales are both vertebrates, they both have a spine (backbone) and a
circulatory system.
The poster on the next page is an infographic about the similarities and differences
between human and whale circulatory systems. The word infographic is made up of:
info (information) + graphic (visual)
So, an infographic is a visual of data and information that can be read easily.
Look at the information presented on the infographic about human and whale hearts.

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