Grade 12 Physical Sciences: Preparation for the Chemistry Examination (P2)

Dr Angela Stott provides an excellent opportunity for you to prepare for the Chemistry examination. Note that it is free for the first 250 registrations.

Click here to register.

Updated: NSC Timetable 2021 (Amended on 15 Sep)

The updated NSC timetable, due to the elections of 1 November 2021, is available here. DBE circular E28 was released in the meantime with a few amendments.

I cannot find my file...; I have not received that email ...

The Verge (theverge.com) recently published an interesting article about the increasing phenomenon that people cannot find their information on their computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. The concept of a "file structure" apparently become unfamiliar to a large percentage of computer users. It also has a message for teachers. Click here to read the original article, or click here to read a pdf copy.

Quantitative Error Analysis: July 2021 for Grade 12

The responses for the above-mentioned examinations will be available in due course. A permanent link to the data is available under "Pages" on the left of the home page. You can also access the responses by clicking here.

The data is for the provincial common examinations for grade 12 only. Schools have used their own question papers in grades 11 and 10.

There are different tabs in the spreadsheets. Apart from the data itself, which can be filtered, graphs are also available.

Via Afrika: Free Study Guides

Free Via Afrika Study Guides for grade 10 are available here.

WOZA Matrics TV Schedule of August and September

Click here to view/download this schedule for extra support in Physical Sciences and other subjects.

Previous posts about WOZA Matrics are available here (first one) and here for an update on the first post.

Best wishes to our grade 12 learners. Increase the intensity of your preparations.

WOZA Matrics Is Better Than Ever! (Update)

On 18 July, information about WOZA matrics was posted. Click here to go to that post and from there follow further links to resources.

This post is about a circular from the DDG about the monitoring of remote and digital learning. Teachers, learners, parents and other stakeholders in education should familiarise themselves with the contents of the circular Click here to access the circular.

*** Use the opportunity and info to do better! ***

*** There are resources out there! ***

Physical Sciences P2 Gr 12 July 2021: Additions/Corrections/Clarifications to the marking guideline

Free State teachers - the YouTube video with the memo discussion is still available. Use the same link as for the live broadcast. You can still access it.

The following notes may help further. These are aspects for which enquiries were received after the memo discussion or where we want to give a bit more info to you.

Look at this post frequently for the next day or two until your marking is finished. New information will appear at the top.

Q5.2.6(c)

The corrected diagram is:

Physical Sciences P1 Gr 12 July 2021: Additions/Corrections/Clarifications to the marking guideline

Free State teachers - the YouTube video with the memo discussion is still available. Use the same link as for the live broadcast. You can still access it.

The following notes may help further. These are aspects for which enquiries were received after the memo discussion or where we want to give a bit more info to you.

Look at this post frequently for the next day or two until your marking is finished. New information will appear at the top.

****** New Info******

Click here for further info on questions:

2.2.2

4.1.4

4.1.5

6.2.2

7.2.3

7.2.4

******oOo******

Q3.1.1

Some learners write down "9,8" or "-9,8" (unit is optional) without saying upward or downward. Apply the following rule in this case:

• If a learner indicates that he/she is taking down as negative, "-9,8" is worth two marks.
• If a learner indicates that he/she is taking down as positive, "9,8" is worth two marks.
• Without indicating what is taken as negative or positive, "-9,8" or "9,8" is only one mark; referring to the value. The direction mark is then lost.

It is so good this question was asked. It highlights the following important aspects. 

• Learners must know that a positive or negative is meaningless without an indication of what is chosen as the positive or negative direction. 
• Gravitational acceleration (g) is ALWAYS directed to the centre of the earth (we normally say downwards). 
• So, if downwards is chosen as negative, g = -9,8 m.s^-2. On its own, the negative is meaningless.
• The same is valid for choosing positive downward. Then one can say g = +9,8 m.s^-2. Once again, on its own the positive is meaningless.
•  Be careful of textbooks that say, for example, the 9,8 is negative for an object moving upwards, and positive for an object moving downwards, or vice versa. That is simply incorrect and unscientific. It could only be correct if the accompanying choice for direction is also given.

I hope this helps to emphasise a very important aspect.

Q6.1.1

You may accept "move away" as an answer. The question does not require an answer in terms of wavelength specifically.

Nasional Science Week 2021

This year's National Science Week (NSW) will be an online event from 1 to 7 August 2021. 

The Department of Science and Innovation (DTI) organises the NSW, and this year's theme is "Making it possible through science". Webinars, virtual exhibitions, documentaries, radio interviews, social media, etc. will all be carriers of the NSW message.

Click here to download the programme, with the links to the events.

Exam Timetable Grade 12 September

 The timetable for the grade 12 preparatory examination is available here.

WOZA Matrics Is Better Than Ever!

Lots of support for our grade 12 learners to help them to prepare for their examinations.

Click here to download the flyer and follow links from there.

Reflections on the Teaching of Dependent and Independent Variables

Do you plot velocity on the y-axis and time on the x-axis of a graph for a velocity-time relationship or the other way round, and why? What about the relationship between pressure and volume of an enclosed gas? Which one of pressure or volume should be on the y-axis of a graph?

Many learners struggle to distinguish between dependent and independent variables. An interesting article appeared on https://partnersindataliteracy.com/ in 2019 about this question. The discussion about the causal/non-causal relationship between variables is very useful. Click here to read the original article, or click here to read a pdf version.

Content Support for Afrikaans Speaking Learners

On 20 and 22 July, live classes by Die Wolkskool will be available free of charge to our Afrikaans speaking learners. It will focus on electric circuits. This is an opportunity to understand this topic better. 

Learners who are interested must be registered by 19 July. Click this link for more information. Note as well that two Mathematics classes will also be available, as well as access to previous material.

Who still wants to be a teacher?

Recently an interesting article has appeared in the evening newspaper NRC Handelsblad in the Netherlands. Who still wants to be a teacher? is worth reading. It sounds almost like some of the debates in South Africa. 

Click here for the link to the original article, or click here for a pdf copy of the article. In the latter, I have underlined a few crucial phrases. For those of you who cannot read Dutch, don't forget about Google Translate. Read the article!

Easy Way to Draw Graph Paper

Yesterday I was working with a document from somebody in which the person used a substantial amount of time to draw graph paper in MS Word. Remember that there are websites that can produce a sheet of graph paper for you in a few seconds. I have written about this on this website a long time ago. The article is available on "Useful and interesting websites and links" under "Pages", or click here to go there directly. Explore the other useful info as well.

Revised Examination Dates for Physical & Technical Sciences for Grade 12: July 2021

The latest information about this is available in this circular. The dates are also available in this website's calendar. Click here for that.

2021 School Closure Dates and NSC Exam dates

 The latest information about this can be found in this circular.

STEMI Conference 2021

Registration is open for the STEMI Conference of 2021 that will DV be held from 20 to 22 July. This year it will be very easy to attend as it will be a virtual event. Capacitate yourself with some creative and interesting talks, presentations, etc.

Download the following documents for more information:

Stemi Infographic

Stemi Conference with Link to Register

Stemi Conference Programme

Should you seek any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Simon Rametse at simon@saasta.ac.za or Bonolo Lekalakala at Bonolo.Lekalakala@saasta.ac.za. 

More information is also available on the following website: https://www.saasta.ac.za/conferences/stemi-conference/.

Sasol Annual Technical Teachers' Conference

Registration is open for the 5th Sasol Annual Technical Teachers' Conference. See the invitation below and click here to register online and to receive further information. Should you have any queries, please email sasolattc2021@eventoptions.co.za.