Subject Combinations: The Core Sciences - Introducing Chemistry, Physics and Biology
Introducing Biology (BI):
Biology is a rigorous discipline that can be taken up in Year 5. It is one of the three Science disciplines offered in JC.
1. What are the skills involved in understanding the subject?
In order to excel at Biology, it is a tacit expectation that you are able to memorise content well. Having the scientific concepts and keywords at your fingertips is the bare minimum. You also have to be proficient with extracting key information from the preambles given in the papers, and then apply the knowledge you have memorised accordingly.
2. What are the challenges in learning the subject?
One of the most difficult aspects about Biology is learning how to cross-link different topics. During lectures, you are taught the theory of each chapter in isolation. However, during examinations, a single question can force you to make many connections between various topics. As such, blind regurgitation is only enough to get you past the passing mark; you have to internalise the information.
3. Is there a steep learning curve?
Definitely. Like any other subject, the jump from Year 4 to 5 is a huge one. There are definitely more things to memorise, more confusing scientific jargon and more complex concepts.
4. What are the benefits of taking up this subject?
If you have already figured out that you would like to become a doctor or a pharmacist in the future, then taking Biology in JC is the first step towards actualising that goal.
Aside from that, taking up this subject also allows you to explore the science in your daily life. If you have a passion for understanding living organisms through the study of science, e.g. how and why certain physical mutations happen, the structural components that make up the tiniest cell within your body, etc., then you will definitely enjoy Biology classes!
5. How do you improve in this subject?
There are no hard and fast rules to follow to excel in Biology. It takes an insane amount of grit and drive in order to do well. However, some personal pointers I have include:
Create mind maps for yourself at the end of each topic. Make connections that help to dissect big ideas into simpler, more palatable ones.
Conscientiously do practice questions from the Ten Year Series. Test yourself on how well you have grasped the keywords and concepts, see how adept you are at extracting bits and pieces of information here and there to construct your responses.
Pay attention in class! This is extremely helpful because your tutor sometimes brings up valuable nuggets of information during lessons that are potential examinable content!
And lastly, adopt a never-say-die attitude! Biology is arguably one of the most difficult and time-consuming subjects. However, with the right learning attitude, you can overcome any obstacle and get your A!
Introducing Chemistry (CM):
Chemistry is one of the three Science disciplines offered in JC. It is usually taken hand in hand with either Physics or Biology, but there are students who choose to take this subject by itself.
1. What are the skills involved in understanding the subject?
In Chemistry, the syllabus is relatively rigorous and requires you to master a few key skills in order to do well.
Memorisation: Get ready to memorise quite a few definitions and equations for the standard lecture tests. But not to worry, as long as you have thoroughly understood the concepts behind them, memorising them will come as a breeze.
Mathematics: That’s right! Chemistry does utilise a good deal of Mathematics, especially in Stoichiometry calculations.
Versatility: A lot of times during examinations, you will come across chemical formulas and confusing preambles you have never seen before. This type of question assesses your ability to distil the question into its simplest form and then make use of the concept(s) you have learnt before.
2. What are the challenges in learning the subject?
The most crucial and yet hardest part of Chemistry is applying rudimentary concepts in questions you have never encountered before. In lectures, you are presented with a simple and an all-encompassing big idea. In examinations, you are expected to know that concept thoroughly and be able to utilise it to answer questions.
3. Is there a steep learning curve?
Definitely. I would say that Chemistry is one of the hardest subjects to pass. Do not be shocked if you find that more than half your cohort fails the first few lecture tests, because Year 4 and Year 5 Chemistry are worlds apart. It will take some time to ease into the new syllabus.
4. What are the benefits of taking up this subject?
Chemistry will come in handy if you ever decide to become an engineer, doctor or scientist some day. Even if you do not, there is a lot of satisfaction in grasping the concepts well and being able to solve chemical conundrums during examinations.
5. How do you improve in this subject?
Practise. Do all your tutorial questions. And then do them again.
Listen attentively during lectures and ensure you do not miss out on anything. If you do, quickly clarify your doubts with your friends or tutors to ensure that there is no lapse in your content mastery. Otherwise, this could affect you in the later chapters!
Do Ten Year Series to expose yourself to the different types of questions.
Form study groups and help each other better understand each chapter.
Practise!
Introducing Physics (PH):
Physics is the rudimentary Scientific principle behind many of the inventions we enjoy today. From gravity to electricity to planes, this subject deals with a lot of calculations and formulas. Physics is one of the more popular subject choices for many Year 5’s, with almost two thirds of the cohort taking it.
Special thanks to Pan Shu Ting for sharing valuable insight with SEC.
1. What are the skills involved in understanding the subject?
Physics mastery generally relies a lot on applying concepts to different questions and problems. It is somewhat like Mathematics and, in order to do well, one must be adept with applying formulas and be comfortable with numbers and calculations.
2. What are the challenges in learning the subject?
The subject involves a lot of calculation and Mathematics. However, this isn’t really daunting as you can use common sense to help you gauge whether or not your answer is correct. Another challenge would be data analysis as it demands high levels of precision and accuracy.
3. Is there a steep learning curve?
Definitely. The syllabus is more thorough in Year 5 than in Year 4. And the learning curve would be all the more steeper if you do not already have thefundamental concepts at your fingertips.
4. What are the benefits of taking up this subject?
Physics can help us understand a lot of the daily phenomena in life. For instance, in one of the topics, circular motion, we learn about forces acting on objects such as a rollercoaster. The question requiresus to apply formulas and concepts to figure out how high the rollercoaster has to be before it commences motion in order to complete a loop successfully.
5. How do you improve in this subject?
Other than the standard practice of attempting questions and reading notes, it also helps when you try to relate every concept back to a real life situation.