3rd Year Weekly Grinds

English (H)

These classes are designed to thoroughly prepare students for the Junior Cycle Higher Level English exam.

Throughout the year students are encouraged to participate, think, practise, and feel comfortable voicing concerns or confusion in a structured and positive atmosphere. The fundamentals of English – spelling, grammar, syntax and punctuation – are emphasised at all times. At no point will any student be encouraged to rote learn. The Junior Cycle English curriculum has a strong and correct focus on skills, and these are the skills around which these classes are built.

All classes aim to develop the skills needed to produce a young writer who understands how to produce structured, purposeful, articulate answers. Students receive model answers that deliberately vary in quality and are encouraged to develop the reflective mindset that is so important to Junior Cycle English.

The curriculum requires students to study particular texts from a list of prescribed material. Comprehensive notes, guidelines and model answers are provided across a range of these texts, specifically including: Studied Drama; Studied Fiction; Studied Film; and Studied Poetry.

French (C)

This course is structured to ensure students achieve the best results possible in their Junior Cycle French exam.

Course Information

All the four competencies necessary for success in the Junior Cycle are covered – Aural, Oral, Reading and Writing. The first half of the year aims to develop the student’s confidence using grammatical structures. The second half of the year seeks to apply the gains made in the first three months to the Junior Cycle syllabus.

Topics From:

• Letter writing
• The Note
• The Postcard
• Reading Comprehensions (method and content)
• Listening comprehensions

Irish (H)

Course Information

This course aims to fully prepare students for all aspects of the Junior Cycle Higher Level Irish exam. Students will cover all major areas of grammar, reading comprehension, the aural exam, composition skills, and texts from all sections of the course to give them the confidence needed to tackle the Junior Cycle Irish exam.

Grammar and Language Skills

• All major grammar topics will be included including sentence structure, verbs, nouns, the copula, prepositions, and adjectives.
• Students will use these skills through weekly exercises and by tackling past-paper grammar questions.

Literature

• Texts from all areas of the literature course will be covered including the novel, drama, short story, poems, and songs.
• Past paper questions and sample answers will be examined to enable students to maximise their result.

Composition

• Students will cover all composition skills needed for the paper including articles, diaries, and letter writing.
• Key vocabulary and useful expressions for common topics will also be covered and sample answers to past paper questions will be provided.

Listening and Reading Comprehension

• Key vocabulary and question phrases will be covered, along with the methodology and exam technique for comprehension questions.
• These skills will be put into use through practice of past papers and sample answers.

Science (C)

Course Information

This course is structured to ensure students achieve the best results possible in their Junior Cycle Science exam. The focus is on exam technique, with constant exam question practice an integral part of every class. Students receive clear and concise notes with sample solutions to exam questions and notes which will include other revision material.

Topics From:

Nature of Science

• Lab safety and apparatus
• Reliability, accuracy, precision, fairness and ethics
• Experimental design
• Analysis of data to identify patterns and relationships
• The role of science in society
• Science and the media

Earth and Space

• Water and carbon cycles
• How Earth processes and human factors influence the Earth’s climate
• Celestial bodies
• Modeling the Earth, Moon and Sun
• The Earth and other planets and moons in the solar system
• Space and the big bang theory
• Space exploration

Physical World

• Measurements and units
• Area, volume and density
• Distance, speed and time
• Energy conservation
• Electricity and static electricity
• Electricity and ethical and sustainability issues

Chemical World

• Periodic table
• Elements, compounds and mixtures
• States of matter
• Separating solutions
• Metals and non-metals
• Atomic structure
• Prediction of the ratio of atoms in compounds of two elements
• Solubilities, conductivity, melting points and boiling points
• Chemical reactions
• Chemical reactions in terms of energy
• Humans contribution to sustainability

Biological World

• The cell & microscope
• Breathing system
• Circulatory system and blood
• Digestive system
• Ecology and habitat study
• Pollution and conservation
• Food and human health
• Photosynthesis and respiration
• Sexual reproduction and genetics
• Plants and asexual reproduction
• Human contribution to ecological biodiversity and global food production.

Spanish (C)

Course Information

In our weekly online Spanish grinds, we will cover all of the core grammar and vocabulary areas to ensure success in the Junior Certificate exams and a solid foundation for Leaving Certificate Spanish.

Topics From:

Grammar

Present, Future and Past tense in detail. We will also study the uses of the Infinitive and the Conditional, Imperfect and Gerund tenses, which often appear in reading and enhance your writing.

Writing

Almost every lesson will contain opportunities for students to produce Spanish, normally in the form of guided, structured translations featuring relevant vocabulary areas. Students may also submit open writing for correction and feedback if they wish. Sample writings used in class can also provide ideas for the CBA oral assessment.

Reading/Listening

These skills are integrated into every lesson, practiced with the thematic vocabulary using a combination of tailor-made texts and exam papers.