Sciences

Science News Term 1

Junior Science: Years 7-9

It’s been a busy few weeks in junior science as we have settled into the new year. The 7-9 Science classes will again be using the Education Perfect program to reinforce what we are learning about in classes. This program will be used for pre and post testing as well as homework tasks for each topic. The year 7 classes will be getting an opportunity to login to the program during class time in the next couple of weeks. It is essential that all students bring an appropriate (charged) device to each science class. 

Year 7 Science

In the Classroom, Year 7’s have been settling into classes and learning about how to carry out experiments safely. They have been enjoying learning about methods to separate Mixtures. Students have also completed training and assessment to obtain their Bunsen burner licences. 

Year 8 Science

The Year 8 students have started the year learning about energy and energy transformations. They have conducted STEM activities such as building catapults and water wheels to explore the ways energy is transferred. The year 8’s also explored the energy content of food by ‘burning’ food to observe how much energy they contain.

Year 9 Science

Year 9 students have been learning about the Nervous and Endocrine Systems. Students have explored the role of hormones in the body and the different types of neurons that keep us functioning and responding to changing conditions. They have also completed a brain dissection, to gain a better understanding of the different components of our central nervous system.

Some of the year 9s are also undertaking the new Science elective ‘Earth in our Universe’ where they have been learning about the Big Bang and the origin of our universe.

9G students performing the brain dissection 

Senior Science: Years 10-12

Year 10 Science

The Year 10 students have begun their Science electives which include, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Forensics, Physics and Psychology. Our elective program provides a taster for what these subjects are like at the VCE level and extends students in these subject areas.

Pictured - The Year 10 Physics class investigated forces acting in & on a balloon to demonstrate Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion. They investigated the shape, size and connection method to see which balloon could travel the furthest & fastest along a fishing line. The balloon races were both fun and educational.

VCE Science

The VCE Science students have settled into school well and are enjoying learning about the first areas of study. Some highlights have included:

• In Year 12 chemistry we have investigated the amount of thermal energy released during the combustion of different fuels: ethanol, propanol and butanol. We determined that of the three fuels, butanol had the most similar properties to petrol and produced the greatest heat of combustion. Up next we will be looking into chemical reactions that can produce energy/electricity without producing greenhouse gases (electrochemical cells & batteries).
• In Year 11 Environmental Science, we removed the pigment chlorophyll from leaves and stained them using iodine to detect how light effects the amount of starch present. This is pictured above.
• The Year 12 Environmental Science class have been out and about completing field work such as belt transects and quadrats to practice systematic and random sampling. Pictured below: 

• The Year 11 Biology classes have created cell models and investigated diffusion by carrying out a skittles diffusion experiment. Both are pictured below.

Marnie Sparrow & Tracey Eagle

(Science Team Leaders)