Science (Mandatory)

Course Description

Science is a mandatory subject for stage 5 (years 9 and 10). The course will facilitate students in recognising and choosing Science subjects they may wish to pursue in senior school (stage 6) and/ or areas they may be interested in gaining more knowledge of post school. Students study 200 hours of Science over the 2 years.

What will students learn about?

The course is designed to increase students' understanding, and appreciation of the world around them so they can become informed contributors to the values and needs of contemporary society. Students will be encouraged to develop their own opinions about scientific research and technological development into a variety of areas such as efficiency and use of electricity and non renewable energy sources, the development of new materials, biotechnology and plant, animal and human health.

Individually and collaboratively they will plan and undertake a range of types of first hand investigations, and analyse this data to form conclusions and communicate scientific ideas.

Students look at:

The Physics concepts of energy conservation, energy transfers, motion and energy transformations within systems.
Changing ideas about the structure of the Earth and the origins of the universe.
The Chemistry regarding the organisation of the periodic table, chemical reactions and natural radioactivity in terms of atoms, they also study a range of chemical reactions in the production of substances.
Biology is studied as students learn how traits are inherited, the mechanism for evolution and how new species form is discussed. Students also analyse the human biological systems that respond to change in our environment, and the role of medical science in addressing disease.