Science

This term the Grade 3-6 students have been working through their unit 'Soils, rocks, minerals and erosion'.  

Over the past fortnight, students have been focusing on the appearance and physical properties of rocks. They have located rocks in the school environment and utilised the scratch test to determine the rocks hardness. They have also used magnifying glasses to identify the colours, lustre and texture of rocks. Students were also introduced to the uses of rocks and minerals and choosing the right one for purpose. 

For the next fortnight, students will be introduced to the profession of a geologist. They will then be focusing on soil composition, weathering and erosion.  

During the next two weeks, students will be engaging in the PAT-Sci test for the first time. This is a standardised assessment that provides students with questions from a variety of areas of the science curriculum for them to demonstrate their knowledge. All students are encouraged to try their best and give every question a go. 

Focus vocabulary for the next fortnight: 

Hardness: The quality of being difficult to bend, cut, or break. 

Mining: Mining extracts useful materials from the Earth. Although mining provides many valuable minerals, it can also harm people and the environment. 

Quarry: An open-pit mine where rock is dug out of the ground.