Science

Your science teachers would like to extend a warm welcome to all returning and new students, to Term 1, 2025! 

This year, Science will once again be taught by Andrew Park and Arthur Chronopoulos, who immensely enjoy the collaboration when planning, developing and continually refining their approach to student learning.

Below is a brief summary of the units being taught this term.

Foundation - Observation

Years 1 & 2 - Water

Years 3 & 4 - Optical Illusions 

Years 5 & 6 - Physical and Chemical Changes

Foundation: Observation

This term the children are being introduced to Science and the Science Centre. We are getting used to routines in the Science Centre, putting on our lab coats and learning how to be a scientist at school. We are learning what scientists do and how we are all scientists exploring and observing our world. We are focusing on observation this term; learning the difference between looking and observing, taking a closer look and discussing what we see. We are using all our senses to observe things around the school, going on walks, using magnifying glasses and mirrors to help us.

Years 1 & 2: Water

This term in during our water unit, the children will be learning about the properties of water. Taking a scientific perspective, this will involve using experimentation and careful observation to describe the features and characteristics of water as a compound. Such characteristics include its weight distribution and displacement, its physical characteristics and how it interacts with other compounds, and how energy and heat effects its state. We also link our understanding of the features of water to water in the natural environment, including the water cycle, and our place within it. All of this is achieved through a variety of experiments, and individual and group work. 

Years 3 & 4: Optical Illusions

This term during our Optical Illusions unit, the children will be learning about the eye, and how visual stimuli are processed by our brain. As such, children will be introduced to a variety of optical illusions, and via experimentation, attempt to describe their cognitive experience of the illusion. Children will be learning about the biological parts of the eye and how light interacts with each part. Children will also learn how visual information is processed by the brain, and how the brain accommodates for discrepancies in visual stimuli, via experimentation and careful observation. Learning will be conducted via collaboration and individual tasks, where children will have opportunities to record their work. 

Years 5 & 6: Physical and Chemical Changes

This term in Years 5 and 6, we will be studying chemistry. The two major pathways of learning in chemistry are physical and chemical changes, that describe the ways in which a compound changes its state, and how compounds interact to produce something new, respectively. Children will be investigating the physical and chemical properties of a variety of compounds using experimentation, careful observation, and recording. Children will also learn what it means to form a hypothesis, and test an assumption, towards answering a research question.