Science

Overview:
The Science Department at Bukit Timah Primary School promotes inquiry-based learning to spark curiosity, develop thinking, and connect science to life. Through hands-on investigations and real-world applications, students learn to ask questions, explore possibilities, and reason scientifically. Our programmes emphasise inventive and adaptive thinking, while fostering a strong sense of responsibility toward the environment and community. Values-based science tasks and sustainability themes provide meaningful opportunities for students to reflect on their impact and make ethical decisions. By engaging in collaborative, reflective, and exploratory learning, our students grow as confident science learners who are prepared to apply scientific knowledge purposefully in everyday life.

Department mission:
To design inquiry-based learning experiences that spark curiosity, develop thinking, and connect science to life.

Objectives:

• Develop students’ curiosity, adaptability and resilience through scientific inquiry and hands-on exploration.

• Strengthen conceptual understanding and thinking skills by constructing their own understanding through inquiry-based learning.

• Cultivate critical thinking, collaboration and responsibility by applying the “Ways of Thinking and Doing in Science” — Investigating, Evaluating, Reasoning and Developing Solutions.

• Nurture appreciation of Science by connecting concepts to daily living, ethical decision-making and real-world relevance.

Our Key Programmes

Science Journaling: Science Around Me (SAM)

The SAM journal makes students’ thinking visible and empowers them to take ownership of learning. It allows for expression in varied forms — such as poster designs, investigations, observation logs, mind maps, and Thinking Routines (TR) — catering to diverse learning styles.

Through TRs, students reflect, question, explain their reasoning, and relate science to their everyday lives. This strengthens their ability to observe, analyse and construct understanding meaningfully. 

SAM journaling deepens conceptual grasp and nurtures critical thinkers who go beyond memorisation. Students learn to apply, innovate, and build new knowledge, growing into confident learners who engage actively and thoughtfully with science.

Science Enrichment: Learning Plots and Work Like a Scientist

1. Learning Plots: Growing Local, Thinking Sustainable
This programme engages Primary 3 and 4 students in hands-on learning through traditional planting and hydroponics. By exploring Singapore’s food sustainability efforts and the “30 by 30” vision, students observe plant growth, investigate farming methods, and understand the challenges of food security in a land-scarce nation. The use of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and Thinking Routines (TR) nurtures curiosity, environmental responsibility, and real-world scientific application.

2. Work Like a Scientist (WLAS)
Targeted at selected Primary 5 students who show interest in scientific inquiry, WLAS provides open inquiry experiences through plant tissue culture (PTC) conducted in the school’s PTC lab. Students learn how new plants are cultivated from tissue samples, mirroring how scientists explore and refine ideas. Through IBL and TR, they apply scientific process skills in authentic contexts while developing perseverance, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of Science beyond the classroom.

Science Exploration Day: (Encouraging Curiosity and Love of Learning)

Science Exploration Day provides a platform for students to choose and showcase Science projects based on their interests. With guidance from teachers, they plan and conduct investigations aligned with good scientific practices, applying what they have learnt in meaningful and creative ways.

Students present their work to peers across different levels, sparking curiosity and dialogue within the wider school community. This experience strengthens their communication and presentation skills while building confidence as young scientific thinkers.

By offering students autonomy in their project topics, the programme promotes ownership of learning, celebrates student voice, and nurtures a love for Science through purposeful exploration.