Year 10 Science

Science Squared

This subject provides a year-long course and has been designed for students who have a keen interest in Science and are looking to continue to explore and deepen their scientific understanding. The course will provide strong foundations and direct pathways for all VCE Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Psychology). It will also cater for students who would like a deeper understanding of the relationship between scientific developments and society.

Semester 1

Students will develop their understanding of how the Universe began and the evidence that supports the Big Bang Theory. They will then examine the role that stars play in the formation of elements and how the elements that exist on Earth were created in stars. Students will examine how the elements are arranged in the Periodic table. Students also look at chemical reactions, with a focus on how the rate of a chemical reaction can be altered. The ideas used to explain why chemical reactions occur, based on the structure of atoms is explored in this subject. Students will learn about how energy can be stored, transformed and used. Students will use rockets as a system to examine how objects move and how this motion can be represented either graphically or with equations. Students will design and undertake scientific investigations, evaluate their results and communicate their findings using scientific conventions.

Semester 2

Students will learn how scientific theories can be used to explain the diversity of life on Earth. These theories are based on evidence and observations and can be used to make predictions and be refined over time. Students will explore the role of DNA and genes in cell division and genetic inheritance. The atomic structure of elements can be used to organise the elements in the Periodic Table. The life-sustaining reactions of photosynthesis and respiration are explored in depth to understand atomic bonding and chemical equations. The factors that control the speed of these reactions is also examined. Students will develop questions and hypotheses that can be investigated. Students design appropriate methods of determining the variables to be investigated and how to accurately collect data. Students analyse trends in data and identify sources of error. Students will also explore the impact that scientific developments have had and will continue to have on society. They will gain a deeper understanding of the issues that they may need to consider as recent technological advances (e.g. cloning, stem cells, personalized medicine) may have on their own lives.

Students will learn:

Biological Sciences

how to describe the role of DNA as the blueprint for controlling the characteristics of organisms
the relationship between DNA, genes and chromosomes
that genetic information is passed to gametes by meiosis
to represent patterns of inheritance through Punnett Squares and Pedigree Charts
how to predict simple ratios of offspring genotypes and phenotypes
how mutations are related to changes in DNA
about the processes involved in natural selection including variation and selection.

Physical Sciences

how to represent motion using graphs
Newton’s Laws of Motion
that energy transformations and exchanges can be described using laws of physics
how energy transformations and exchanges can be described using laws of physics

Chemical Sciences:

how to explain how the structure of an atom determines its position in the periodic table
about factors that can make chemical reactions go faster or slower

Science as a human endeavour:

How scientific understanding, including models and theories, are contestable and are refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community
How advances in scientific understanding often rely on developments in technology and technological advances are often linked to scientific discoveries
How the values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research.

Students will be able to:

formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated scientifically
plan, select and use appropriate investigation methods
consider possible independent and dependent variables and ensuring these are controlled appropriately
analyse patterns and trends in data, including identifying inconsistencies
communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence based arguments and using appropriate scientific language and representations.

Physics and Chemistry in Motion

This subject is recommended for students who may be interested in VCE Chemistry and/or VCE Physics. It aims to prepare students for either VCE subject as well as introduce students to applications of Chemistry and Physics in society.

Students will learn about how energy can be stored, transformed and used. Students will use rockets as a system to examine how objects move and how this motion can be represented either graphically or with equations. Students also look at chemical reactions, with a focus on how the rate of a chemical reaction can be altered. The ideas used to explain why chemical reactions occur, based on the structure of atoms is explored in this subject. Students will design and undertake scientific investigations, evaluate their results and communicate their findings using scientific conventions.

Students will learn:

How to represent motion graphically
Newton’s Laws of Motion
That energy transformations and exchanges can be described using laws of physics.
How products of reaction types can be predicted
About energy conservations and transformations
About factors that can make chemical reactions go faster or slower.

Students will be able to:

Formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated scientifically
Plan, select and use appropriate investigation methods
Consider possible independent and dependent variables and ensuring these are controlled appropriately
Analyse patterns and trends in data, including identifying inconsistencies
Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence based arguments and using appropriate scientific language and representations.

Biology & Chemistry of Life

This subject is recommended for students who may be interested in VCE Chemistry and/or VCE Biology. It aims to prepare students for either VCE subject as well as introduce students to applications of Chemistry and Biology in society.

Students will learn:

How to describe the role of DNA as the blueprint for controlling the characteristics of organisms
the relationship between DNA, genes and chromosomes
that genetic information is passed to gametes by meiosis
to represent patterns of inheritance through Punnett Squares and Pedigree Charts
how to predict simple ratios of offspring genotypes and phenotypes
how mutations are related to changes in DNA
about the processes involved in natural selection including variation and selection.
how to explain how the structure of an atom determines its position in the periodic table
about factors that can make chemical reactions go faster or slower.

Students will be able to:

formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated scientifically
plan, select and use appropriate investigation methods
consider possible independent and dependent variables and ensuring these are controlled appropriately
analyse patterns and trends in data, including identifying inconsistencies
communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence based arguments and using appropriate scientific language and representations.

Psychology

The Year 10 course aims to provide an introductory overview of the study of human thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Topics studied will cover a wide range of psychological fields and related issues. The course has been designed to provide a thought provoking exploration of how we have developed into the individuals that we are today. Practical activities, videos and small-scale research investigations will provide an engaging and accessible introduction to the science of Psychology. Year 10 Psychology is highly recommended to all students considering completing Psychology at VCE level.

Students will learn a selection of:

what psychologists practise in a range of areas and workplaces. They will learn about the different types of Psychologists and their roles in helping the community
about the structure of the brain and nervous system and how it plays a central role in the control of our thoughts, feelings and behaviours
the intricate details of what it is like to be a forensic psychologist – what their role is and with whom they work
how sports psychologists play a large role in the motivation of sporting people
the prevalence of mental health in society and how psychologists can work to reduce the stigmas associated with having a mental illness
how personality and intelligence are enduring traits that cannot be changed and how they influence our behaviour
the manipulation and improvement of memory.

People, Planet & The Future

This multi-domain subject (Humanities and Science) will allow students to focus on the interrelationship that humans have with our environment. The course will provide strong foundations and direct pathways for VCE Environmental Science and VCE Geography. Using case studies including climate change, biodiversity change and health pandemics, students taking this subject will be able to understand how humans can plan for a sustainable future.

It will look at the interrelationships between solid earth (lithosphere), water (hydrosphere), air (atmosphere) and living organisms (including humans) and how these have and are changing over time. On completion of this subject, students will be able to explain sustainability principles, such as the conservation of biodiversity, ecological integrity and intergenerational equity, and how past and present processes and observations can be used to make reliable and scientifically-defensible predictions about the future.  Students will undertake fieldwork as part of this course.

Students will develop an:

interest in environmental science and an appreciation of how this multidisciplinary knowledge can be used to understand contemporary issues.
understanding of environmental worldviews of people and their implications for environmental management
understanding of Earth as a dynamic planet consisting of four interacting systems: the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and living organisms, including humans.
appreciation of the complex interactions, involving multiple parallel processes, that continually change Earth systems over a range of timescales, 
understanding that our knowledge of the environment has developed over time; is used in a variety of contexts; and influences, and is influenced by, social, economic, cultural and ethical considerations
skills to identify, analyse and explain significant interconnections within places and between places over time and at different scales, and evaluate the resulting changes and further consequences
skills to collect and record relevant data and information, using ethical protocols, from reliable and useful primary and secondary sources
skills to select, organise and represent data and information in different forms, including by constructing special purpose maps that conform to cartographic conventions, using digital and spatial technologies as appropriate
skills to analyse and evaluate data, maps and other geographical information using digital and spatial technologies and Geographical Information Systems as appropriate, to develop identifications, descriptions, explanations and conclusions that use geographical terminology

Victorian Curriculum Assessment Areas

Humanities

Geographical Knowledge
Geographical Concepts and Skills

Science

Science Understanding – Biological/Chemical and Physical sciences
Science Understanding – Science as a human endeavour
Science Inquiry Skills

Capabilities

Ethical capability
Critical and Creative Thinking

It can be considered as one Humanities Subject, OR as a Science elective. This is not a Science core class