Astronomy GCSE.

Well, you can do Astrophysics in AS Physics, what I have done and it's very interesting tbh.

Reply 3

Abra

14

teachercol

Got an M.Sc in it, does that count?

That'll be too hard. :p:

Reply 4

-G-a-v-

16

I did Astronomy GCSE.

There's two pieces of coursework, worth 25% and an exam of 2-hours covering A* - G that you take in the summer. I personally found it harder than my other GCSEs, and certainly harder than Science GCSE - but much much more interesting and rewarding. If you've no interest in it, you'll struggle a lot to do well, especially if you're teachng yourself. Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott's 'Astronomy for GCSE' is a good textbook for it. Also another good book for the course is Nigel Marshall's 'GCSE Astronomy: A guide for pupils and teachers'. Good luck and let me know if you want to know anything else :smile:

Reply 5

Epitomessence

OP

12

_-Arctic-Monkey-_

I did Astronomy GCSE.

There's two pieces of coursework, worth 25% and an exam of 2-hours covering A* - G that you take in the summer. I personally found it harder than my other GCSEs, and certainly harder than Science GCSE - but much much more interesting and rewarding. If you've no interest in it, you'll struggle a lot to do well, especially if you're teachng yourself. Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott's 'Astronomy for GCSE' is a good textbook for it. Also another good book for the course is Nigel Marshall's 'GCSE Astronomy: A guide for pupils and teachers'. Good luck and let me know if you want to know anything else :smile:

Thanks very much! I know what I'm letting myself in for now. :biggrin:

Reply 6

-G-a-v-

16

Just be warned - it's not easy :smile:

- some of the GCSE Astro material comes up in Astrophysics/Cosmology modules in A-level Physics and I think it's mostly at A2 that this work comes up.

Reply 7

ElectricOceans

1

I didn't know a gcse was offered in astronomy until recently. I haven't heard of many people doing a gcse in the subject and i don't hear of many schools which offer the subject. I had a look at local colleges to see if they do night classes in the subject and by the looks of it they don't. I'd really like to take the GCSE in it and gain an actual qualification in it but by the looks of it you have to pay at least £150 to gain an actual qualification in the course at home. :frown:

Reply 8

Drummy

have a look at www.astronomygcse.co.uk which i have created for my students

You need to find a centre near you where you can sit the exam and with someone willing to mark the coursework for you.

Reply 9

Ganymede27

Yer I started GCSE astronomy a few months ago (August 08), I am really enjoying it and it is really interesting, although some of it is quite hard (but that might be just because i am really really stupid, cos i am!).

There is course work, it amounts of 25% of the total marks, but i think that is it quite interesting and not too hard. One piece is to do observations and the other to do with some other stuff.

:o:

Reply 10

-G-a-v-

16

Ganymede27

Yer I started GCSE astronomy a few months ago (August 08), I am really enjoying it and it is really interesting, although some of it is quite hard (but that might be just because i am really really stupid, cos i am!).

There is course work, it amounts of 25% of the total marks, but i think that is it quite interesting and not too hard. One piece is to do observations and the other to do with some other stuff.

:o:

Haha way to completely revive an old thread :p:

Reply 11

I am the reviver of all things, but yes, im thinking of taking it in year 10 but with all the 21 gcses im taking already it may be too much,,

How did it go?

Reply 12

Jay99

I am the reviver of all things, but yes, im thinking of taking it in year 10 but with all the 21 gcses im taking already it may be too much,,

How did it go?

Well I'm doing it this June. I am hoping to get an A* as I have tied rather hard.
I am pleased to be able to say that I got 37/38 (39/40) in my coursework. I am proud that I beat my teacher- woohoo! :biggrin:

However, I better get a move on and revise seeing as the exams not too far away!

21 GCSE's? Good luck with that!!

Reply 13

loopy786

Well I'm doing it this June. I am hoping to get an A* as I have tied rather hard.
I am pleased to be able to say that I got 37/38 (39/40) in my coursework. I am proud that I beat my teacher- woohoo! :biggrin:

However, I better get a move on and revise seeing as the exams not too far away!

21 GCSE's? Good luck with that!!

im not taking 21 separate subjects

say like DidA equates to 4 GCSES excetera

Reply 14

Jay99

im not taking 21 separate subjects

say like DidA equates to 4 GCSES excetera

Okay cool. Good luck anyway! :smile:

Reply 15

Exam is over (not allowed to discuss it) but still.... IT'S OVER! :biggrin:

I'm quite upset, actually... the whole experience was fun! :smile:

Reply 16

loopy786

Exam is over (not allowed to discuss it) but still.... IT'S OVER! :biggrin:

I'm quite upset, actually... the whole experience was fun! :smile:

Fun in what way?

Reply 17

loopy786

Exam is over (not allowed to discuss it) but still.... IT'S OVER! :biggrin:

I'm quite upset, actually... the whole experience was fun! :smile:

Fun in what way?
What did you have to do in the exam and the lessons altogether?
Regards

Reply 18

It was fun just going to Astronomy Club every lunch time on a Wednesday, and as strange as this sounds, I really enjoy doing exam papers.. and the coursework was fun to do, even if it required a lot of effort. :smile:

In the lessons, we just generally asked our teacher any questions we had with regards to past papers and coursework. We learnt the whole thing ourselves at home, but asked him for help with things we didn't quite understand.

Reply 19