Cambridge Lower Secondary

Transition to Stage 8 Science

We have updated the learning objectives in the Cambridge Lower Secondary curriculum and have restructured
the content introduced at each stage of learning. Learners who are transitioning from the current Cambridge
curriculum to the new curriculum may have gaps in their prior knowledge or experience repetition of learning.
This document highlights the key differences in learning due to these curriculum changes and offers guidance
on how to support learners in their transition.

At a glance:
 We have added a new strand, Earth and Space, which covers content about the planet Earth, the wider
Solar System and beyond.
 We have retained the strands Biology, Chemistry and Physics, but reorganised, removed, added and
edited the content.
 We have replaced Scientific Enquiry with a new skills strand, Thinking and Working Scientifically. This
provides a broader range of skills learners are expected to develop, including a new focus on
developing and understanding scientific models.
 We have added a new strand, Science in Context, which provides a framework for how context can be
incorporated into the teaching of science and help learners see how science connects to their everyday
lives.

The following table lists the learning objectives that are new to Stage 8 Science and whether these were
previously in a different stage in the current curriculum or are new to the new curriculum.

Thinking and Working Scientifically

8TWSm.01 Describe what an analogy is and how it can be used as New to the Cambridge
a model. curriculum.
8TWSm.02 Use an existing analogy for a purpose. New to the Cambridge
curriculum.
8TWSc.01 Sort, group and classify phenomena, objects, materials Previously featured in Stages 6,
and organisms through testing, observation, using secondary 7 and 9.
information, and making and using keys.
8TWSc.03 Evaluate whether measurements and observations have Previously featured in Stage 9.
been repeated sufficiently to be reliable.
8TWSc.06 Evaluate a range of secondary information sources for Previously featured in Stage 8.
their relevance and know that some sources may be biased.
8TWSc.07 Collect and record sufficient observations and/or Previously featured in Stage 7.
measurements in an appropriate form.
Biology
8Bs.01 Identify ball-and-socket and hinge joints, and explain how Previously featured in Stage 4.
antagonistic muscles move the bones at a hinge joint.
8Be.01 Identify different ecosystems on the Earth, recognising the New to the Cambridge
variety of habitats that exist within an ecosystem. curriculum.
8Be.02 Describe the impact of the bioaccumulation of toxic New to the Cambridge
substances on an ecosystem. curriculum.
8Be.03 Describe how a new and/or invasive species can affect other New to the Cambridge
organisms and an ecosystem. curriculum.
 Chemistry
8Cm.02 Know that electrons have negative charge, protons have Previously featured in Stage 9.
positive charge and neutrons have no charge.
8Cm.03 Know that the electrostatic attraction between positive and Previously featured in Stage 9.
negative charge is what holds together individual atoms.
8Cm.04 Know that purity is a way to describe how much of a specific New to the Cambridge
chemical is in a mixture. curriculum.
8Cp.01 Understand that the concentration of a solution relates to Previously featured in Stage 9.
how many particles of the solute are present in a volume of the
solvent.
8Cp.02 Describe how paper chromatography can be used to New to the Cambridge
separate and identify substances in a sample. curriculum.
8Cc.02 Know that some processes and reactions are endothermic or Previously featured in Stage 9.
exothermic, and this can be identified by temperature change.
8Cc.03 Describe the reactivity of metals (limited to sodium, Previously featured in Stage 9.
potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, gold and silver)
with oxygen, water and dilute acids.
8Cc.04 Know that reactions do not always lead to a single pure New to the Cambridge
product and that sometimes a reaction will produce an impure curriculum.
mixture of products.
8Cc.05 Describe how the solubility of different salts varies with New to the Cambridge
temperature. curriculum.
8Cc.06 Understand that some substances are generally unreactive Previously featured in Stage 9.
and can be described as inert.
Physics
8Pf.03 Describe the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on New to the Cambridge
motion. curriculum.
8Pf.04 Identify and calculate turning forces (moment = force x Previously featured in Stage 9.
distance).
8Pf.05 Explain that pressure is caused by the action of a force, Previously featured in Stage 9.
exerted by a substance, on an area (pressure = force / area).
8Pf.06 Use particle theory to explain pressures in gases and liquids Previously featured in Stage 9.
(qualitative only).
8Pe.03 Investigate factors that change the strength of an New to the Cambridge
electromagnet. curriculum
Earth and Space
8ESp.01 Know that the reason the Earth has a magnetic field is that New to the Cambridge
the core acts as a magnet. curriculum.

8ESp.02 Identify renewable resources (including wind, tidal and Previously featured in Stages 7
solar power, and bioplastics) and non-renewable resources and 9.
(including fossil fuels), and describe how humans use them.
8ESc.01 Understand that there is evidence that the Earth's climate New to the Cambridge
exists in a cycle between warm periods and ice ages, and the cycle curriculum.
takes place over long time periods.
8ESc.02 Understand that the Earth's climate can change due to New to the Cambridge
atmospheric change. curriculum.
8ESs.01 Describe a galaxy in terms of stellar dust and gas, stars New to the Cambridge
and planetary systems. curriculum.
8ESs.02 Describe asteroids as rocks, smaller than planets, and New to the Cambridge

Transition to Stage 8 Science 2

 describe their formation from rocks left over from the formation of a curriculum.
planetary system.
Science in Context
8SIC.01 Discuss how scientific knowledge is developed through New to the Cambridge
collective understanding and scrutiny over time. curriculum.
8SIC.02 Describe how science is applied across societies and New to the Cambridge
industries, and in research. curriculum.
8SIC.03 Evaluate issues which involve and/or require scientific New to the Cambridge
understanding. curriculum.
8SIC.04 Describe how people develop and use scientific New to the Cambridge
understanding as individuals and through collaboration, e.g. through curriculum.
peer-review.
8SIC.05 Discuss how the uses of science can have a global New to the Cambridge
environmental impact. curriculum.

Gaps in understanding:
The table below lists the significant gaps in knowledge, skills and understanding that learners transitioning to
the new Stage 8 Cambridge curriculum are likely to have and the key areas that should be covered to help to
ensure a successful transition. For each gap there is at least one relevant learning objective code, in bold and
in brackets, has been provided so you can identify the learning in the Schemes of Work to help address the
gap.

Thinking and Working Scientifically

8TWSm.01 Describe what an analogy
is and how it can be used as a model.
8TWSm.02 Use an existing analogy for
a purpose.
Biology
8Be.02 Describe the impact of the
bioaccumulation of toxic substances on
an ecosystem.
Chemistry
8Cm.01 Describe the Rutherford model
of the structure of an atom.
8Cm.02 Know that electrons have
negative charge, protons have positive
charge and neutrons have no charge.
8Cm.03 Know that the electrostatic
attraction between positive and
negative charge is what holds together
individual atoms.
While there are many models and analogies that are used
when teaching science at any age, the explicit knowledge
that scientific models and analogies are a feature of scientific
thinking could be a gap in learning. When using any models
and analogies in Stage 8, learners should be prompted to
think of the model or analogy in these terms. (6TWSm.01,
6TWSm.02, 7TWSm.01)
Before teaching this learning objective, learners should be
taught that some substances can be toxic and damage living
things, and that these substances can move through a food
chain/web. (6Be.02)
Before teaching these learning objectives, learners should be
taught that all matter is made of atoms, with each different
type of atom being a different element. (7Cm.01)

Transition to Stage 8 Science 3

 8Cc.02 Know that some processes and Before teaching these learning objectives, learners should to
reactions are endothermic or be taught how to identify whether a chemical reaction has
exothermic, and this can be identified taken place through observations of the reactants and/or the
by temperature change. products. (7Cc.01)
8Cc.03 Describe the reactivity of metals
(limited to sodium, potassium, calcium,
magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, gold
and silver) with oxygen, water and
dilute acids.
8Cc.04 Know that reactions do not
always lead to a single pure product
and that sometimes a reaction will
produce an impure mixture of products.
8Cc.06 Understand that some
substances are generally unreactive
and can be described as inert.
Physics
8Pf.03 Describe the effects of balanced Before teaching these learning objectives, learners should be
and unbalanced forces on motion. taught that an object may have multiple forces acting upon it,
8Pf.04 Identify and calculate turning even when at rest. (5Pf.02)
forces (moment = force x distance).

8Pe.03 Investigate factors that change Before teaching this learning objective, learners should be
the strength of an electromagnet. taught that magnets can have different magnetic strengths.
(5Pe.03)

Earth and Space

8ESp.01 Know that the reason the
Earth has a magnetic field is that the
core acts as a magnet.
8ESc.02 Understand that the Earth's
climate can change due to atmospheric
change.
Before teaching this learning objective, learners should be
taught about the overall structure of the Earth which includes
a core, a mantle and a crust. (4ESp.01)
Before teaching this learning objective, learners should to be
taught that the Earth is surrounded by a layer of air called the
atmosphere, which is a mixture of different gases, and that
that clean, dry air contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and
small amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases. (5ESp.01,
7ESp.03)

Repetition of learning:
The table below lists the Stage 8 learning objectives that learners transitioning from the current curriculum to
the new curriculum are likely to have already covered, in whole or in part, and how to approach this in teaching
to help to ensure a successful transition.

Thinking and Working Scientifically

8TWSm.03 Use symbols and formulae By the end of Stage 7 learners have been taught to represent
to represent scientific ideas. series circuits with drawings and conventional symbols. This
learning can be consolidated in Stage 8 through more
examples.

Transition to Stage 8 Science 4

 8TWSp.01 Identify whether a given
hypothesis is testable.
8TWSp.02 Describe how scientific
hypotheses can be supported or
contradicted by evidence from an
enquiry.
8TWSc.01 Sort, group and classify
phenomena, objects, materials and
organisms through testing, observation,
using secondary information, and
making and using keys.
8TWSc.02 Decide what equipment is
required to carry out an investigation or
experiment and use it appropriately.
8TWSc.07 Collect and record sufficient
observations and/or measurements in
an appropriate form.
Biology
8Bs.01 Identify ball-and-socket and
hinge joints, and explain how
antagonistic muscles move the bones
at a hinge joint.
Earth and Space
8ESp.02 Identify renewable resources
(including wind, tidal and solar power,
and bioplastics) and non-renewable
resources (including fossil fuels), and
describe how humans use them.
8ESc.03 Describe the difference
between climate and weather.
Transition to Stage 8 Science
By the end of Stage 7 learners have been taught to suggest
ideas that may be tested and choose what evidence to
collect to investigate a question, ensuring that the evidence is
sufficient. Focus teaching on consolidating this previous
learning and extend it to include the general idea that all
scientific hypotheses are subject to scrutiny using evidence.
By the end of Stage 7 learners have been collecting evidence
and data to test ideas including predictions, making relevant
observations, comparisons and measurements using simple
apparatus.
By the end of Stage 7 learners have been choosing which
equipment to use and making relevant observations,
comparisons and measurements using simple apparatus.
By the end of Stage 7 learners have been making
observations and measurements and presenting results in
the form of tables, bar charts and line graphs.
By the end of Cambridge Primary Science learners are
taught that animals with skeletons have muscles attached to
the bones, and that a muscle has to contract (shorten) to
make a bone move and muscles act in pairs. Focus teaching
on consolidating this previous learning and ensure learners
now use the specific scientific ideas and vocabulary involved,
such as ball-and-socket and hinge joints, and antagonistic
muscles.
In Stage 7 learners are taught to distinguish between
renewable and non-renewable resources. Focus teaching on
consolidating this previous learning and ensure learners can
describe specific examples of the various resources in both
groups.
By the end of Cambridge Primary Science learners talk about
their observation of the weather and record reports of
weather data. Focus teaching here on the difference between
climate and weather in terms of the scales and timescales
involved in either.
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