MYP: Connecting to Science
Years 7, 8 & 9
What if I did it this way?
For those who have been anywhere near the science laboratories this term, you have probably seen our science teachers and awesome laboratory technician (Tim) dashing back and forth collecting equipment. Why this hive of activity? Well, it’s Term 4 and the time for our students in Years 7, 8 and 9 to show off the skills they have learned throughout the year.
This term has been all about our students creating and investigating their own research questions through a series of structured steps:
Step 1 – Pick an experimental subject in science that you are interested in: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science or Physics
Step 2 – Identify a personal interest and a global concept that will help you create a general question in your chosen subject
Step 3 – Write your Research Question, a hypothesis and a method
Step 4 – Go crazy and experiment
Step 5 – Evaluate the collected data.
If you took a peek in the science laboratories this week you would have seen some busy students, all in stage 4 ‘go crazy and experiment’ with a lot of, “Oh I think I should have included this piece of equipment” or “Could you show me how to do this” and even “What if I did it this way?”. Ultimately, what you would see and hear are students reflecting, problem solving and developing new science skills. However, the best part of these classes is seeing our students assisting each other and sharing their skills - the beautiful Preshilian culture at work!
As the term comes to an end, our Years 7 and 8 students will present their investigations at the Science Fair on 30 November. For Year 9, this work will be completed as a mini Internal Assessment report, structured in a similar form to that of the Internal Assessments that our Year 12s undertake.
Year 10
Statement of Inquiry: Models help us to understand the movement of objects and the laws that govern the systems in which these objects are found. This understanding leads to modernisation and changes in engineering.
This term has focused on understanding how the physics of motion affects us every day. We have studied aspects of distance, time, speed, velocity and acceleration. In applying skills, we have taken a look at the safety aspects of the family car and even caught out speeding drivers along Sackville Street, with one driver exceeding the speed limit by 13 km/h, give or take a bit for human error.
At the time of publishing this newsletter, our Year 10 students will have commenced their Year 11 studies and we wish them all the best in their DP Science choices.
Felicity Robinson, Simon Gooding
and Deena Kaltmann
teachers of MYP Science
felicity.robinson@preshil.vic.edu.au