SCIENCE

SCIENCE AT KSC: A YEAR OF DISCOVERY, INNOVATION & HANDS-ON LEARNING

It’s been an action-packed year in Science at KSC, with students across all year levels diving into exciting experiments, challenges, and real-world learning.

Our Year 7s sparked their curiosity exploring Forces, including some hair-raising electrostatics fun with the Van de Graaff generator. In Year 8, students saw science in action during their visit to a robotic dairy, discovering how technology and data are transforming modern farming. Year 9 students investigated speed and acceleration, while also sharing their love of science with Grade 1 and 2 students through engaging mini-lessons at Korumburra Primary School.

Year 10s explored electricity and even constructed their own AC generators. They also shone in the University of Newcastle’s Science & Engineering Challenge, working brilliantly as a team and proudly finishing as runners-up. Explosive Chemistry demonstrations and hands-on engineering challenges made the experience unforgettable.

The Like Minds program had a big year, from exploring the human microbiome at GTAC to creating their own Body Systems Museum filled with models, displays, and creativity. Year 11 Psychology students got tactile with learning, building colourful play-doh brains to understand the structures of the mind. Year 12 Biology students took their studies to new heights, using DNA data to build phylogenetic “family trees” of eucalypts in their evolution studies.

Science Week was another highlight, filled with staff costumes, visiting experts, messy and memorable activities, and plenty of community connection — from glitter germs to butter-making, from puzzles to pyrotechnics!

Across the school, curiosity has been thriving. Congratulations to all our students for an inspiring year of investigation, teamwork, and discovery in Science!

YEAR 7

YEAR 8

LIKEMINDS

YEAR 9

YEAR 10

YEAR 11 PSYCHOLOGY

BIOLOGY

CHEMISTRY

This year, our Year 11 and 12 Chemistry students embraced a range of exciting opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Both year levels participated in the International Chemistry Quiz, competing against students from around the world. Their hard work paid off, with several students achieving outstanding results, including a number of distinctions.

Our Year 12 students also enjoyed a hands-on day at Federation University, where they explored a variety of analytical instruments and applied real laboratory techniques to identify unknown organic compounds. It was an invaluable experience that deepened their understanding of chemistry in action and highlighted the real-world applications of their studies.

Ms Deal

Science Coordinator