Science

Year 9/10 Our Planet Earth

On 9 February, our Year 9/10 Our Planet Earth Science elective class went to Queenscliff to learn the wonders of marine life. At 7:30 am, we all set off for Queenscliff. It was a fun excursion, and we all had a great time. The lovely weather provided us with a delightful experience too. 

We first visited the Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre. They had an aquarium with a wide variety of freshwater and marine species. At the centre, we explored the amazing array of sea creatures in the touch tank and learnt about their habitats and their importance along the Victorian coastlines. 

We then continued on our journey which brought us to Queenscliff Harbour. This is where we boarded our boat. We travelled to Chinaman's Hat, where we saw a lot of Australian Fur Seals relaxing and having fun in Port Phillip Bay. After that, we turned the boat around and headed to Pope's Eye, where we saw numerous Australian Gannets. We discovered a lot about them and their species. Whilst on board, we also had the task of searching for species that lived in the waters of Port Phillip Bay. Many of these sea creatures included sea stars, seahorses, decorator crabs, weedy sea dragons and many other small organisms. Our task was to group them into their respective species. This was fascinating as we learnt so much about them all, and their importance and role they play in the ecosystem. 

We were so grateful that we could go out on this field trip as it allowed us to learn so much about Port Phillip Bay and biodiversity in such a fascinating way. It truly was a fantastic experience. We like to thank Mrs. Matejin, our teacher, and Mrs Carfora, for supervising and caring for our class.

Madhushika Mathiyalgan (Year 9/10)

Curious Minds STEM Camp

Curious Minds STEM Camp (2022/2023)

Last year, while in Year 10, after completing the Big Science Competition and achieving a High Distinction in the competition, I applied and was accepted into the Curious Minds program. The Curious Minds camp held in December 2022, was an immensely rewarding experience for me, and it opened my eyes to all of the possibilities that a career in STEM holds. Over the course of the online camp, we explored different areas of STEM: such as engineering and cybersecurity and used the knowledge that we gained to propose solutions to microplastic pollution. After the three-day online camp, I began the stem coaching program, where I have been exploring my STEM interests with a coach who is a woman currently working in a STEM career. It has been a great opportunity to explore my interest in Biology. Participating in this program has increased my confidence in my abilities and encouraged me to pursue my passion for STEM. The next part of the program entails a trip to Canberra, at the Australian National University in July of this year (9th-14th July). 

Carmela Micallef (VCE Year 11)

Source: Brimbank and Northwest Star Weekly (13th December, 2022)