{"id":101425,"date":"2026-07-03T15:26:54","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T13:26:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/?page_id=101425"},"modified":"2026-07-03T16:05:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T14:05:38","slug":"key-concepts-in-science","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/key-concepts-in-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Concepts in Science"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"101425\" class=\"elementor elementor-101425\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-89f74c4 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-content-top elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"89f74c4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6b4e3a8\" data-id=\"6b4e3a8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a363ec6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a363ec6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Faculty-of-Education-Subpage-Banner-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-61970\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Faculty-of-Education-Subpage-Banner-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Faculty-of-Education-Subpage-Banner-300x67.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Faculty-of-Education-Subpage-Banner-1024x228.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Faculty-of-Education-Subpage-Banner-768x171.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Faculty-of-Education-Subpage-Banner-1536x342.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Faculty-of-Education-Subpage-Banner-2048x456.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Faculty-of-Education-Subpage-Banner-360x80.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3efda90 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-content-top elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3efda90\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9a1d1c7\" data-id=\"9a1d1c7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fe9f95f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fe9f95f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-313499a\" data-id=\"313499a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e426042 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e426042\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #d23443;\"><strong>Key Concepts in Science<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be91e48 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"be91e48\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Purpose of the Programme<\/strong><\/p><p>The Key Concept in science is a programme developed in collaboration with the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ufs.ac.za\/\">University of Free State\u00a0<\/a>for Natural sciences in grade 8 and 9 since 2021 to build a solid foundation in ensuring success in physical sciences in 10 \u2013 12. The workshop is covers the grade 8 and 9 Sciences CAPS Curriculum, underpinned by social constructivist philosophy that engages hands-on, minds-on activities as well as activity material to go with the worksheets.<\/p><p>The professional development objectives of the Key Concepts in Science programme are to:<\/p><ul><li>Train and empower Senior Phase teachers (especially Grade 8 &amp; 9) and subject advisors from local schools in the constructivist and hands-on methodology of the Key Concepts in Science programme during term training sessions;<\/li><li>Resource the teachers from the participating schools with activity material, laboratory apparatus and worksheets to be utilised in the science classroom;<\/li><li>Monitor the progress of the programme strategy on a continuous basis via progress report and feedback opportunities like meetings etc.;<\/li><li>Render support to the teachers from participating schools in the region to enable them to successfully integrate the programme into the curriculum.<\/li><\/ul><p>The aim of the Science Concepts programme is to orientate Natural Science teachers on how a practical science teaching approach can be followed in their teaching, in order to stimulate a more meaningful Natural Science learning experience for learners. To realise this aim, the Department of Mathematics, Natural Science and Technology teaching in the School of Education at the Sol Plaatje University is conducting a series of \u201cKey Concepts in Science\u201d workshops that is attended by several teachers from local Kimberley Schools. During these workshops, teachers are provided with an in-depth and hands-on presentation on how practical science learning activities can be organised and carried out in a manner that aligns to constructivist \u201clearner-centred\u201d teaching methodologies.<\/p><p>Every year four workshops are conducted, one per term. Through cooperative and collaborative learning during the different sessions of the project throughout the year, it enables the teachers, including the novice teachers to feel confident and competent in teaching the different concepts in physics and chemistry. Following the workshops, each teacher that forms part of the programme receives concrete and practical Natural Science teaching materials that are relevant to the strands \u201cmatters and materials\u201d and \u201cenergy and change\u201d and \u201cplanet earth and beyond\u201d that form part of the Natural Science school syllabus to teach at their respective schools.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-74796e1\" data-id=\"74796e1\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a9af65a elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"a9af65a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-08b2f13 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"08b2f13\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2062120\" data-id=\"2062120\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2db0b2b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2db0b2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Concepts in Science Purpose of the Programme The Key Concept in science is a programme developed in collaboration with the\u00a0University of Free State\u00a0for Natural sciences in grade 8 and 9 since 2021 to build a solid foundation in ensuring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spu.ac.za\/index.php\/key-concepts-in-science\/\" class=\"read-more\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"folder":[],"coauthors":[192],"class_list":["post-101425","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Key Concepts in Science | Sol Plaatje University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Welcome to the Key Concepts in Science at Sol Plaatje University.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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