Science Update 🧪

Edgars Creek Secondary College students had a fantastic term 2. Science was as busy as ever with students attending excursions, completing a range of experiments and learning a range of new science content and inquiry skills.

Year 7

In term 2, Year 7 students focused on their Science Inquiry Skills and learnt all about Mixtures and Separations. 

Year 8

In term 2, Year 8 students started the term learning about physical and chemical change. Students participated in variety of hands on activities that enabled them to apply the theory that they were learning.

Year 9

In term 2, year 9 students started the term learning about Homeostasis, Response and Control. This focuses on how the body maintains stability, how the body sends messages and how the body protects itself from pathogens. Students were able to participate in a range of activities, including growing bacteria on a petri dish from places around the school and a kidney dissection.

Year 10

In term 2, year 10 students learnt all about genetics. Students attended an excursion at EcoLinc, where they were DNA Detectives, and used a variety of genetic information and lab skills to find out who the criminal was!

Year 10 Electives

Year 10 Science Electives have been made a positive impact on our year 10 students in 2023. Students have been exposed to VCE Content and skills, which has allowed them to prepare for their subject choices for 2024.

Biology: Let's Take a Cell-Fie

Students in Biology learnt all about the structure in cells known as the Plasma Membrane, in preparation for Unit 1 Biology.

Students attended an excursion to Whittlesea Tech School where they designed their own experiment to test the effectiveness of different natural antiseptics. 

Theses were then turned into scientific posters! Check out some of students findings below:

Physics: May the Force be with You

In Term 2 the Year 10 Physics elective class studied electrical circuits and laws of thermodynamics. We experimented with the Van der Graaff generator to see how electrostatic charge can build up and release. 

Students attended an excursion to Quantam at Charles Latrobe College where they focused on Electric Circuits to design their own "Bop-It machine", see below for our year 10 students hard at work!

Chemistry: Don't be so Reactive

In term 2, students started to look at different bonding models and Bohr's vs. Schrodinger's electron configuration models. One activity students participated was applying their knowledge of ionic compounds and precipitation reactions.

Psych! It's all in your head

In Term 2, the Year 10 Psychology selective “Psych! It’s all in your Head” students focused on three main units of work – sensation and perception, sleep and forensic psychology.  During the unit on sleep, students studied the stages of sleep as well as sleep phenomena such as sleep walking, sleep paralysis and REM Behaviour Disorder.  As part of this unit students studied various optical illusions and learned how our eyes work to perceive the world as well as how perception can be effect by conditions such as colour blindness. To conclude the term students learned about the role of psychology in the context of criminal offending.  

Year 11

Biology

Term 2 in year 11 Science was jam-packed. Students started by learning about the various body systems and how these are regulated and controlled in humans.

Students then completed their own scientific investigation, where they looked at how a variety of chemicals and natural remedies can be used to inhibit the growth of E.Coli. Check out some of our students findings below:

Chemistry

In term 2, students built models of complex chemical compounds, applied their knowledge of polarity to a variety of solutions and constructed their own cleaning agent using lemons. Students an opportunity to explore key knowledge connect to Area of Study 3 of Unit 1, which required them to complete a research investigation that analysed and evaluated the current state of how the world interacts with various chemicals and how we as a society are moving towards a greener future. The research investigation topics ranged from sustainable uses of oils, fossil fuel usage and other sustainable options to reusable potato glad wrap!!

Physics

In term 2, Year 11 physics students had a chance to explore the atomic and the electric world. They learnt about the impressive energy and power that can be gained from splitting and fusing atoms. Students also looked into the fine details of radioactivity and evaluated its impact on society, environment and the human body; and the “bananas scale” of radioactivity. In their electricity topic, the Year 11s explored the basic electrical theories of voltage, current and resistance. They further explored its creative implementation in voltage dividers that is important in the design and running of many electrical devices. Students also have thorough insight into how our homes are connected electrically and how we keep it safe from harming us

Psychology

In term two, psychology students explored the role the brain plays in shaping our behaviour. Students critiqued ancient beliefs about the brain and early experiments performed to find out the function of different areas. The year 11's took a look inside the brain, mapping out different specialised areas and their functions, as well as what it looks like when these areas are damaged. In the second half of this unit, students drew on the experiences of people that had suffered traumatic brain injuries and the varied impacts on their personal and social lives. They analyzed the long-lasting impacts of dangerous sports and concussions on the brain, reading articles and case studies of the tragic results of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

Year 12

Chemistry

The Year 12 Chemistry class worked on finishing up Unit 3 in Term 2. Students studied rates of reaction, equilibrium reactions and electrolysis. Students investigated the factors that affect reaction rates (concentration, temperature, surface area, pressure and catalysts), reversible and irreversible reactions, and how electrolysis is used to created rechargeable batteries. 

Physics

The Year 12 physics students in term 2 looked at how fields are an influential part of the natural world. From gravitational fields, electrical fields to magnetic fields, students explored the common themes between them and the relevant specific applications it has in the world. Students studied in detail, orbital motion of satellites and planets, how particle accelerators work, and  also something as simple as how electrical generators and motors work. The Year 12s also had a chance to ‘dissect’ a transformer and understand how power and electricity is distributed from the power plant to the home.

Psychology

In term two, the year 12's explored the different ways people learn and remember. They participated in experiments demonstrating Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning, showing them how their behaviour patterns and event their fears and beliefs are formed. They also looked at the negative effects of social learning, through the Bobo Doll experiment and how easily young people can be influenced by adults in their lives. In the second part of the unit, students learned the mental processes involved in memory, allowing them to put into practice ways of improving their ability to store and recall information. Following memory and learning, students began their third unit - Sleep. So far, students have been learning about why people sleep and what occurs over the course of a night's sleep. Students have been analysing sleep cycles using hypnographs and their own experiences, comparing them to people of different ages. 

Well done again on a fantastic term 2 - we look forward to seeing everything our students achieve in semester 2.

Nicole Tamburini and Tiffani Meier

Science Instructional Leader and Science Learning Specialist 🧪🧫🧬