Science and Design Technology News
End Of Term 2:
Science Department Update – Semester 1
The Science Department has had a productive and engaging Semester 1, with students across all year levels participating in a wide range of lessons, experiments, and assessment tasks. Exams for Years 8 to 11 have now been marked, and feedback has been provided to students. We encourage all students to take some time to reflect on their progress—celebrating their successes and identifying areas for growth as we look ahead to Semester 2.
Looking ahead, our students will be diving into new and exciting areas of science. Year 7 will begin exploring Ecosystems and Classification, building an understanding of how living things are organised and interact with their environments. Year 8 will investigate Elements and Compounds and distinguish between Chemical and Physical Changes through practical experimentation. Year 9 will focus on Electricity and Magnetism, learning how electric circuits work and how magnetic fields can influence the world around us.
Highlights from Semester 1
Dry Ice Day (Year 7) As part of the States of Matter unit, Year 7 students conducted a range of exciting experiments using dry ice. This hands-on experience helped deepen their understanding of solids, liquids, and gases.
Heart Dissections (Year 8) Year 8 students explored the internal structures of the heart through a practical dissection activity. This engaging lesson supported their learning in the Body Systems topic, helping them understand how the heart functions as a pump in the circulatory system.
Beyond Climate Program (Year 9) All Year 9 students participated in the Beyond Climate incursion—a two-day design thinking challenge focused on climate-related problems. Students learned to use a range of digital technologies to prototype innovative solutions, while also developing their collaboration, creativity, and environmental awareness.
BioEYES (Year 10 Biology) In Biology, students observed the development of zebrafish embryos from single cells to free-swimming larvae. This program gave students the chance to explore genetics, anatomy, and scientific investigation, while also honing their critical thinking and collaborative skills.
What’s in Water? (Year 11 Chemistry) Year 11 Chemistry students visited the University of Melbourne to take part in the What’s in Water? program. Working in university labs, they conducted real-world water analysis and learned about future opportunities in science, engineering, and environmental fields.
Luna Park Physics Excursion (Year 12 Physics) The Year 12 Physics class visited Luna Park to observe Newton’s Laws in action. This fun and memorable experience allowed students to apply their understanding of forces and motion in a real-world setting.
Upcoming Events – Early Term 3
Year 7: SuperProducts at Monash Tech School All Year 7 students will take part in the SuperProducts program at Monash Tech School. This exciting program introduces students to automated manufacturing, sustainable design, collaborative coding, and robotics. More information will be shared with families soon.
Year 12 Biology: University of Melbourne Excursion Year 12 Biology students will visit the University of Melbourne for a hands-on genetics and immunology practical. They will explore fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) genetics and use ELISA techniques to detect influenza antigens—an opportunity to connect classroom learning with advanced laboratory practices.
Rowan Presland
Learning Specialist STEM | Science
Year 9 Beyond Climate Program
On Thursday 26th and Friday 27th June, Year 9 students participated in the Beyond Climate program, facilitated by staff from Monash Tech School in collaboration with Science teachers. Working in small groups, students engaged with a chatbot to explore how various climate challenges might affect people's lives.
Throughout the program, students followed the design thinking process — starting with empathy, identifying a problem, generating ideas and creating prototypes.
They also developed their digital skills using a range of platforms, including TinkerCad (3D modelling software), Figma (app prototyping tool), and DelightEx (a virtual environment creator).
As part of the project, students designed products to help their chatbot adapt to its specific climate challenge. Some of the creative solutions included a floating garden, a fire-extinguishing suit, and a rainwater recycling system connected to a Figma-designed app.
Kinga Suwara
Science Teacher
Here are some reflections shared by the students:
“Beyond Climate was a fun and engaging program. We used a variety of different online programs that enhanced our skills and used the ideate process to create our own products to solve a sustainable issue. We worked collaboratively to solve our sustainable issue by creating our own ideas and prototypes. Overall, the Beyond Climate program was informative and enjoyable.”
Konstance Tsekas
“Over the past 2 days we have participated in many different fun activities including learning how to use software such as Tinkercad, Figma and DelightEx. We have become proficient in all of these. We have also gone through all the stages of the design thinking process. We have become proficient in them and had lots of fun.”
Owen Maisey
Year 10 Food Studies Excursion - Queen Victoria Market and William Angliss Institute
Earlier this term, our Year 10 Food Studies students visited the Queen Victoria Market as part of their unit on Menu Planning. Students participated in the 'Market Discovery Tour', where they explored the food halls that offer a diverse range of fresh and seasonal produce. Following the tour, students investigated the food truck halls to gather inspiration for their assessment task of designing a food truck meal. The day also included a visit to William Angliss Institute, where students toured the campus and explored further study options in Foods, Hospitality, Events, and Tourism. The excursion gave the students a valuable, real-world experience in our wonderful city of Melbourne.
Year 8 visit the Optus Digital Thumbprint Program
Year 8 Students Dive into Digital Intelligence with the Optus Digital Thumbprint Program.
Our Year 8 students participated in an interactive workshop as part of Optus' Digital Thumbprint program, focusing on Generative AI and Online Safety.
Generative AI is a powerful tool that can create its own content—from images to text. Rather than relying on it to "do the work," students were guided on how to harness this technology to boost their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
The session was hands-on and thought-provoking, helping students understand both the potential and the risks of emerging technologies. Through real-life scenarios and engaging class activities, they explored how to use AI responsibly and how to spot and protect themselves from digital threats.
Topics explored included:
-What is Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI?
-Prompt engineering
-Algorithmic bias
-Misinformation
-Deep fakes
-Online scams
-Online safety strategies
We’re proud to see our students becoming more informed and empowered digital citizens—ready to lead with knowledge in the ever-evolving digital world.
Year 10's finish their Hoodies:
In term 2 Year 10 students designed and constructed a personalised hoodie, showcasing their creativity and technical skills. They began by researching current fashion trends and analysing existing hoodie styles to inform their own design ideas. Students responded to a design brief, sketched multiple concepts, and selected their final design based on functionality, aesthetics, and fabric suitability.
Each student created a unique surface design, which was transferred onto their hoodie using professional screen-printing techniques. They learned how to prepare artwork for printing, apply inks to achieve bold, long-lasting prints.
Throughout the construction process, students followed a commercial hoodie pattern, adapted it to suit their design, and applied advanced sewing techniques to assemble and finish the garment to a high standard. This project allowed students to combine design thinking with practical skills, resulting in a stylish and functional hoodie that reflected their individual design style and understanding of the design process.
Well done they look amazing.
