Science

Science - Lower School Program

Science aims to ensure that students develop:

  • an interest in science as a means of expanding their curiosity and willingness to explore, ask questions about and speculate on the changing world in which they live
  • an understanding of the vision that science provides of the nature of living things, of the Earth and its place in the cosmos, and of the physical and chemical processes that explain the behaviour of all material things
  • an understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry and the ability to use a range of scientific inquiry methods, including questioning; planning and conducting experiments and investigations based on ethical principles; collecting and analysing data; evaluating results; and drawing critical, evidence-based conclusions
  • an ability to communicate scientific understanding and findings to a range of audiences, to justify ideas on the basis of evidence, and to evaluate and debate scientific arguments and claims
  • an ability to solve problems and make informed, evidence-based decisions about current and future applications of science while taking into account ethical and social implications of decisions
  • an understanding of historical and cultural contributions to science as well as contemporary science issues and activities and an understanding of the diversity of careers related to science
  • a solid foundation of knowledge of the Biological, Chemical, Physical, Earth and Space Sciences, including being able to select and integrate the scientific knowledge and methods needed to explain and predict phenomena, to apply that understanding to new situations and events, and to appreciate the dynamic nature of science knowledge.

 

Year 7 Program

SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING

Biological Sciences

Classification helps organise the diverse group of organisms. Interactions between organisms, can be described in terms of food chains and food webs; human activity can affect these interactions.

Physical Sciences

Change to an object’s motion is caused by unbalanced forces, including Earth’s gravitational attraction, acting on the object.

Earth and Space Sciences

Predictable phenomena on Earth, including seasons and eclipses, are caused by the relative positions of the sun, Earth and the moon. Some of Earth’s resources are renewable but others are non-renewable Water is an important resource that cycles through the environment.

Chemical Sciences

Mixtures, including solutions, contain a combination of pure substances that can be separated using a range of techniques.

 

Year 8 Program

SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING

Biological Sciences

Cells are the basic units of living things; they have specialised structures and functionsMulti-cellular organisms contain systems of organs carrying out specialised functions that enable them to survive and reproduce.

Physical Sciences

Energy appears in different forms, including movement (kinetic energy), heat and potential energy, and energy transformations and transfers cause change within systems.

Earth and Space Sciences

Sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks contain minerals and are formed by processes that occur within Earth over a variety of timescales.

Chemical Sciences

Properties of the different states of matter can be explained in terms of the motion and arrangement of particles. Differences between elements, compounds and mixtures can be described at a particle level. Chemical changes involves substances reacting to form new substances.

 

Year 9 Program

SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING         

Biological Sciences

Multi-cellular organisms rely on coordinated and interdependent internal systems to respond to changes to their environment. Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through these systems.

Physical Sciences

Energy transfer through different mediums can be explained using wave and particle models.

Earth and Space Sciences

The theory of plate tectonics explains global patterns of geological activity and continental movement.

Chemical Sciences

All matter is made of atoms that are composed of protons, neutrons and electrons; natural radioactivity arises from the decay of nuclei in atoms; Chemical reactions involve rearranging atoms to form new substances; during a chemical reaction mass is not created or destroyed. Chemical reactions, including combustion and the reactions of acids, are important in both non-living and living systems and involve energy transfer.   

 

Year 10 Program

SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING

Biological Sciences

Transmission of heritable characteristics from one generation to the next involves DNA and genes. The theory of evolution by natural selection explains the diversity of living things and is supported by a range of scientific evidence.

Physical Sciences

Energy conservation in a system can be explained by describing energy transfers and transformations. The motion of objects can be described and predicted using the laws of physics.

Earth and Space Sciences

The universe contains features including galaxies, stars and solar systems, and the Big Bang theory can be used to explain the origin of the universe. Global systems, including the carbon cycle, rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.

Chemical Sciences

The atomic structure and properties of elements are used to organise them in the Periodic Table. Different types of chemical reactions are used to produce a range of products and can occur at different rates.     

 

SCIENCE INQUIRY SKILLS:                       

  • Questioning and Predicting
  • Planning and Conducting
  • Processing and Analysing Data and Information
  • Evaluating
  • Communicating

 

SCIENCE AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOUR:    

  • Nature and Development of Science
  • Use and Influence of Science