ScienceScience Department - Introduction
Science in Junior Cycle aims to develop students’ knowledge of and about the world around them. Through practical and team based work, students gain a wide range of skills relevant to Science and applicable to their everyday lives. Science is a core Junior Cycle subject in St. Colmcille's Community School and has three main components, biology, chemistry and physics. The examination for Junior Science (current 3rd years only) is divided into 3 sections:
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Science Mindmaps
Mindmaps can be a great way of studying science. Click on each of the images below for examples of mindmaps our students have made along with a summary of what you need to know for each chapter.
Biology
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Chemistry
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Physics
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Science News
The new Junior Cycle Science course was implemented in St. Colmcilles in September 2015. Junior Cycle Science encourages all students to:
● develop an evidence-based understanding of the natural world
● develop their ability to gather and evaluate evidence
● consolidate and deepen their skills of working scientifically
● become more self-aware as learners and become competent and confident in their ability to use and apply science in their everyday lives
As with all subjects, Science Assessments for the JCPA will have the following components:
• Two Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs), one to be carried out in second year and the second in third year, to be evaluated by the class teacher.
• A written Assessment Task, (AT) based on CBA 2 which will be submitted to the SEC for marking.
• A final exam, of not more than 2 hours, to be taken in June of third year. Classroom Based Assessments
• One Classroom-Based Assessment will take place in second year and a second Classroom-Based Assessment in third year.
● develop an evidence-based understanding of the natural world
● develop their ability to gather and evaluate evidence
● consolidate and deepen their skills of working scientifically
● become more self-aware as learners and become competent and confident in their ability to use and apply science in their everyday lives
As with all subjects, Science Assessments for the JCPA will have the following components:
• Two Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs), one to be carried out in second year and the second in third year, to be evaluated by the class teacher.
• A written Assessment Task, (AT) based on CBA 2 which will be submitted to the SEC for marking.
• A final exam, of not more than 2 hours, to be taken in June of third year. Classroom Based Assessments
• One Classroom-Based Assessment will take place in second year and a second Classroom-Based Assessment in third year.
- ALL ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS ARE AT COMMON LEVEL
2016 - Sci-Fest
Congratulations to TY students Conor Barron, Brittany Muller, Neil Molloy, Aisling Field, Hannah King, Michael Colwell, Dearbhla Treacy and Jodie Sheridan on their project entries into the Sci-fest Science competition which was held in the Institute of Technology in Tallaght this May.
Their projects were the result of a year of scientific research into the following scientific questions:
"Will a sugar tax work with Irish teenagers?", "Can non-Newtonian fluids be used as a novel safety device?", "Is technology giving us tunnel vision?" and "Is there a gender difference between students attitudes to PE in Secondary school?"
Conor and Brittany's project on technology and tunnel vision was also presented at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition at the RDS in January.
Well done to all of the students involved, their research was carried out to a very high standard and they picked up many valuable research skills in the process. It was a very enjoyable experience for all concerned.Many thanks to their Science teachers Dr. Tom Foyle and Dr. Des Murphy for all their help and guidance.
Their projects were the result of a year of scientific research into the following scientific questions:
"Will a sugar tax work with Irish teenagers?", "Can non-Newtonian fluids be used as a novel safety device?", "Is technology giving us tunnel vision?" and "Is there a gender difference between students attitudes to PE in Secondary school?"
Conor and Brittany's project on technology and tunnel vision was also presented at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition at the RDS in January.
Well done to all of the students involved, their research was carried out to a very high standard and they picked up many valuable research skills in the process. It was a very enjoyable experience for all concerned.Many thanks to their Science teachers Dr. Tom Foyle and Dr. Des Murphy for all their help and guidance.
2015 - Sci-Fest
Congratulations to TY students Jena Vickery and Holly Dunne, and to Sarah Buckingham and Ali Beatty, on their project entries into the Sci-fest competition which was held in the Institute of Technology in Tallaght this May. Sarah and Ali based their project Bottled Up on the dangers of re-using and sharing water bottles. Jena and Holly’s project was titled Obesity on the Rise. Their project involved surveying students to find out about their opinions and knowledge about calories and food, and using those results to try to promote healthy eating within the school. The girls hope to develop the project further and enter it into next year’s BT Young Scientist Exhibition. Many thanks to Luke Brennan for his assistance, and to Dr. Tom Foyle and Dr. Des Murphy for all their help and guidance.
2015 - What is the Most Effective Method of Sound Reduction for Traffic Noise?
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Transition year students Catherine Cuddy, Jessica Harris and Helena Bonar carried out a project entitled “What is the Most Effective Method of Sound Reduction for Traffic Noise?” under the supervision of Dr D Murphy and Dr T Foyle. Interest in this project came about because of the close proximity of students homes to the noise pollution created by the M50. The project was accepted into the BT Young Scientist Competition 2015. The project included measuring the sound intensity from the M50 on the “A” bridge and inside the house of a team member. They used a sound generator to replicate the sound from the M50 in the lab. They tested the effectiveness of different barrier materials and insulators at reducing noise levels inside a model house. They presented their findings at the BT Young Scientist exhibition in the RDS in January and were highly commended by the judges.
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2015 - Obesity on the Rise
Transition year students Jena Vickery, Holly Dunne and Lana McKinney carried out a project entitled “Obesity on the Rise” for the BT Young Scientist Competition 2015 under the supervision of Dr Foyle and Dr Murphy. The inspiration for this project came from the awareness that 1 in 4 children are overweight or obese in Ireland and that Europe is projected to be the most obese region of the world by 2030. The project focused on processed snack foods which are a big source of excess dietary calories.
The initial aim established the current dietary knowledge and snacking habits of students in the school. Using this information posters were made to enhance students understandings of calories. Student were also informed about the calorie content of snacks in the canteen. This was achieved by creating colour coded food labels to indicate low, medium and high calorie foods. The same students were resurveyed to see if their snacking habits and attitude towards snacks had changed. 80% of students found the new food labeling system of benefit in helping them make good nutrition choices.
The project generated a lot of interest, with special guest visitors to the stand, including Colm O’ Neill (the CEO of BT Ireland), TD Alex White and Senator Darragh O’Brien.
The initial aim established the current dietary knowledge and snacking habits of students in the school. Using this information posters were made to enhance students understandings of calories. Student were also informed about the calorie content of snacks in the canteen. This was achieved by creating colour coded food labels to indicate low, medium and high calorie foods. The same students were resurveyed to see if their snacking habits and attitude towards snacks had changed. 80% of students found the new food labeling system of benefit in helping them make good nutrition choices.
The project generated a lot of interest, with special guest visitors to the stand, including Colm O’ Neill (the CEO of BT Ireland), TD Alex White and Senator Darragh O’Brien.
2014 - Mediavista - Smartphone controlled TV Media Centre
St. Colmcille’s was represented in 2014 by two 2nd Year students, Ben Nolan and Fionnuala Connelly. Their entrepreneurial technology project was titled Mediavista - Smartphone controlled TV Media Centre. This project was developed with the assistance of their teachers Dr. Tom Foyle and Dr. Des Murphy. The technology allowed the conversion of a standard TV into a smart TV, allowing internet access to sites such a YouTube, and the playback of music and film on a standard TV. This all can be controlled from the comfort of the couch using any smart phone which acts as a remote control.
The project generated great interest, and the students received several orders from attendees at the exhibition to purchase the device. Their picture and project featured in the Irish Times in an article entitled Smart, Easy-to-Market Product puts Technology Centre Stage at the RDS on Friday 10 January. It drew high profile interest, too, from the Chief Technology Officer of RTÉ, Richard Waghorn, who was interested in its potential to be integrated with RTÉ’s Saorview service. The project also drew the attention of the Labour Tánaiste Éamon Gilmore and the BT Ireland CEO, Colm O'Neill.
The project received an excellent Highly Commended award in recognition of the calibre of the work achieved by these young scientists.
The project generated great interest, and the students received several orders from attendees at the exhibition to purchase the device. Their picture and project featured in the Irish Times in an article entitled Smart, Easy-to-Market Product puts Technology Centre Stage at the RDS on Friday 10 January. It drew high profile interest, too, from the Chief Technology Officer of RTÉ, Richard Waghorn, who was interested in its potential to be integrated with RTÉ’s Saorview service. The project also drew the attention of the Labour Tánaiste Éamon Gilmore and the BT Ireland CEO, Colm O'Neill.
The project received an excellent Highly Commended award in recognition of the calibre of the work achieved by these young scientists.
