Science

Sujata Symons

Science Week

National Science Week will be held from August 10-18.

The theme this year is “SPECIES SURVIVAL More than just sustainability” and investigates some of the challenges that affect life on Earth. This is very relevant for Australian habitats and species survival.

Students will undertake a variety of lessons related to this year’s theme with their classroom teachers. For further details about National Science Week, please visit the following websites:

https://www.scienceweek.net.au/ 

https://museumsvictoria.com.au/national-science-week/ 

https://festival.science.unimelb.edu.au/ 

Term 3 Science News

This semester, the Years 3 and 4 students will have a 2 hour weekly science lesson. The focus for Term 3 is Earth and Space Science and during Term 4, students will complete a unit of work focused on Physical Science.

During the beginning of this term, the students have looked at the Earth, Moon and Sun and the roles they play in our solar system. We have listened to stories about each and compared our knowledge with Indigenous People and their early perspectives of the Sun and Moon. 

Students were able to draw their interpretation of day and night and how it is created by the Earth rotating on its axis every 24 hours. They explored the Moon, its different lunar phases and types of Moons we can view in the night sky. We also investigated the Sun and its importance in our solar system as well as time telling methods. Students made a sundial and saw the connection with modern day analogue clocks.

More recently, our focus on how seasons are formed was explored through STEAM kits – Ozo Goes to the Sun, Earth and Moon. There were 4 inquiry cards which students had to follow to position the Earth and Sun in order to determine which seasons were shown in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. 

We have now moved onto our Earth Science unit and students were asked to bring in soil and rock samples. They have enjoyed analyising their soil samples and seeing the variations brought in amongst the grade. The next lesson will focus on drawing a labelled diagram based on what is contained in their soil as well as exploring rocks and their features before moving onto fossils and how landscapes can change.

3BS and their sundials and season tasks

Studying soil samples