Science Education
“Human health is really the bottom line integrator of all the other environmental and social impacts that climate change will have, and if human health begins to decline on a broad front, it’s a clear signal that we are weakening the planet’s life support systems."
Professor Tony McMichael (3 October 1942 – 26 September 2014), presenting the 2014 Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank on ‘Climate change and health: challenges and opportunities’.
Environmental scientist
Environmental scientists measure and record features of the environment and study, assess and develop methods of controlling or minimising the harmful effects of human activity on the environment.
All students are welcome to come along and enjoy all things STEM in the St Raphael's Sustainability Garden and Laudato Si Shed, every Wednesday and Thursday from 11:10 am to 11:35 am.
Students can participate in many activities:
🌼 Planting seeds
🌼 Garden games
🌼 Caring for the chickens - feeding, and cuddles
🌼 Picking vegetables
🌼 Litter management
🌼 Igloo preparations
🌼 Watering the garden
In 1993 we celebrated the first World Water Day. we have been celebrating World Water Day ever since on March 22 every year. World Water Day is an annual United Nations Observance focusing on the importance of freshwater, coordinated by UN-Water and led by one or more UN-Water Members and Partners with a related mandate.
World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. Every year, UN-Water sets the annual theme. In 2021, the theme is valuing water. To learn more about the value of water, the year 5/6 students at St Raphael's will be treated to a 1-hour incursion during scheduled science classes, led by Melbourne Water (Thursday 18 March).
For more information about World Water Day, please see the website below:
Physical Sciences Unit: On the move!
Learning Intention: Students will be able to explore their initial understanding of science, be introduced to the Mars Rover, and investigate science resources and equipment. | Success Criteria: Students can create a front cover for their science journals highlighting their understanding of science. |
Physical Sciences Unit: Look! Listen!
Learning Intention: Students will be able to identify light as a source of energy. | Success Criteria: Students can work scientifically by participating in a guided investigation to see how light travels in a straight line. |
Learning Intention: Students will be able to identify sound as a source of energy. | Success Criteria: Students can produce and describe different sounds by investigating various percussion instruments and how they can be played. |
Chemical Sciences Unit: Melting Moments
Learning Intention: Students will be able to engage and question how to change the shape of objects by adding or removing heat. | Success Criteria: Students can work in teams to observe what happens when different materials are heated and record their observations using line drawings and descriptive words. |
Learning Intention: Students will be able to work in teams to observe what happens when things are cooled. | Success Criteria: Students can create a storyboard to explain what has been happening to their materials. |
| Please support your child to enter the 2021 3/4 Science Classroom, code: 353ea5x |
🚰 Run, Run, Runny Home Project
This term, Years 3/4 are learning how a change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat. Please support your students at home to complete the Run, Run, Runny Home Science Project (information and results sheet is attached below).
Student presentations due: Wednesday, March 24
Physical Sciences Unit: Seeing the light
Learning Intention: Students will be able to understand that shadows form when the path of light is blocked.
| Success Criteria: Students can follow the steps of the scientific process to help them plan an investigation to explore size of shadows. They will create an aim, a hypothesis, follow an experimental procedure, record results, and form a conclusion. |
| Please support your child to enter the 2021 5/6 Science Classroom, code: sm47vvf |
This year we will continue to collect bread tags for 'Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs' and we will also begin collecting plastic bottle tops. Last year, the students were moved to action when they discovered that many young shearwater birds hatching on Lord Howe Island were dying because of the plastic they were consuming which includes plastic bottle tops. There are collection tubs in the Science Room, so please encourage and support your children to collect bread tags and plastic bottle tops to care for Our Common Home.
Patty Luna: pluna@srprestonwest.catholic.edu.au
Please note, I will respond to emails Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm.
