The Junior Science Support Service (JSSS) has merged with the Second Level Support Service (SLSS). Junior Science, SLSS will continue to support teachers of Junior Science. Contact details are John Hennessy johnhennesy AT slss DOT ie 0861722333 and Brid Finn juniorscience@ AT slss DOT ie 061437999. The aims of the service are:
to promote student centred learning and investigation
to assist teachers to work together effectively in school
to assist non subject specialists
to help teachers to integrate ICT in science teaching and learning
This site will soon move to another location. Contact juniorscience AT slss DOT ie or call 061 437999 for details.
Local Facilitators
Do your educational goals match those set out above? Do you have a special interest in an area of teaching science? Have you experience in helping students use modern ICT effectively? Would you be interested in receiving training and assistance to develop and operate local courses in your area? If so then contact John Hennessy on 0861722333 or johnhennessy AT slss DOT ie
SciFest
SciFest is a one-day festival of science, which includes a competition and exhibition of projects from second-level schools. It encourages investigations by Junior Science students and could be an ideal preparation for coursework B and Junior Science in general. SciFest is held in most of the Institutes of Teachnology around the country with thousands of students participating, Feedback from students and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to the 2010 event in April. Consider entering a whole class group and integrate it into your Junior Science programme.
For more information on Junior Science Coursework A Booklets please call 0879766530
SEC
The examination papers and marking schemes are all available on the SEC website www.examinations.ie
Only Revised Syllabus from 2006/7
From 2009 only the revised syllabus will be assessed. See Circular 0130/2006."...Junior Certificate Science examination in June 2009 and thereafter will be based solely on the revised syllabus. Accordingly, all schools which offer Junior Certificate Science are required to implement the revised syllabus in the 2006/07 school year for new entrants."
Revised Syllabus and Smoking
Smoking cigarettes is not permitted in schools. In the past, some experiments related to respiration may have been performed using cigarettes. It should be noted that no activity involving the use of cigarettes should be undertaken in school.
ITEMS is an EU Leonardo project in which Junior Science is a partner with 4 other groups around the EU. The project provides online modules in science and maths for teachers to use with students. This provides an introduction to inquiry based science AND an introduction to how to use an online course module with students.
The first module now available is electricity. While aimed at Junior level it might be appropriate for TY or even some leaving cert classes.
Participant teachers will be provided with their own online course module exclusive to their class. All technical matters, online hosting and supports are provided by the project. No school ICT infrastructrure is essential beyond a broadband connection.
Modules include automatically graded quizzes plus more interactive elements such as discussion forums. The modules can be tailored to individual requirements. If you are interested in finding out more there will be evening workshops around the country in Spring and Summer term. Details here by February half term. Science teachers in schools with Moodle in use should be espacially interested but this is OPEN TO ALL.
Contact johnhennessy AT slss DOT ie if you are interested.
Online courses
Online courses are offered in: 1 Inquiry based science 2. Safety in science teaching 3. Coordinating science in school. For details and registration see the list here:
Starting dates for this year will be posted here by 31 January 2010
Induction Courses 2009
Induction course in 2010 will be operated on demand: 10 teachers are required to run one of these courses. Supervision and substitution cover available would be available Apply to juniorscience AT slss DOT ie or 061 437999
For some years Junior Science has been developing online supports using Moodle and other tools. A large scale website setup has been running on www.sors.ie since 2006. This has areas for:
- Collaboration among teachers in different schools e.g. the Discover Sensors project - Online courses e.g. Safety and Physics - Online areas for all school science workgroups
Example online courses for students are now being produced in the ITEMS project Is is ESSENTIAL that any teacher using the www.sors.ie site contact johnhennessy AT slss DOT ie as soon as possible.
Use of the site has been recommended by the Inspectorate in the publication "Looking at Junior Science" for example as a way to store shared documents of the sort expected of science work groups in schools. Some teachers are also using the site with students.
If you use www.sors.ie for any purpose please contact johnhennessy AT slss DOT ie. Thank you.
A username and password is needed to access these areas. These were sent to schools in August 2007. For further information phone John Hennessy on 086 1722333. Once logged on there is a general forum for discussion on the front page and help on using the site.
Junior Science Support Service - c/o Sciences, Limerick Education Centre, Limerick
