Year 7
Semester 1
This semester students will develop the skills needed to conduct scientific investigations, focusing on the Chemistry and Earth and Space Science strands of the Australian Curriculum. In Chemistry, students use particle theory to explain the physical properties of substances and develop processes that separate mixtures. Students identify the factors that can influence development of, and lead to changes in scientific knowledge. In Earth and Space Sciences, students will investigate relationships in the Earth-sun-moon system and use models to predict and explain events. They model cyclic changes in the relative positions of the Earth, sun and moon and explain how these cycles cause eclipses and influence predictable phenomena on Earth, including the seasons and tides.
Semester 2
This semester students will be conducting experiments to learn about forces and investigate the effects of applying different forces to familiar objects of the same and different mass. Students will also investigate the effect of forces through the application of simple machines, such as the bow and arrows used by Torres Strait Islander Peoples, or the spear throwers used by First Nations Peoples of Australia. In Term Four, students explain how biological diversity is ordered and organised. They represent flows of matter and energy in ecosystems and predict the effects of environmental changes.
Year 8
Semester 1
During Semester 1, students will focus on the topics of Chemistry and Physics. In Chemistry, the students will investigate the structure and property of elements, compounds and mixtures, as well as the composition, behaviour, structure and properties of matter. They will also explore the changes matter undergoes during chemical and physical reactions. In Physics, students will compare different forms of energy and represent the transfer and transformation of energy in simple systems.
Semester 2
Semester 2 sees students continuing to extend the skills needed to carry out Scientific Investigations. The topics covered in this semester are Biology and Earth and Space Science. In Biology, students will explain the role of specialised cell structures and organelles in cellular function and analyse the relationship between the structure and function at organ and body system levels. In Earth and Space Science, students will apply an understanding of the theory of plate tectonics to explain patterns of change in the geosphere. They explain how the properties of rocks relate to their formation and influence their use
Throughout the year, work involves expanding students ‘Science Inquiry Skills’ which includes developing hypotheses, analysing data, evaluating validity and reliability and constructing evidence-based arguments to communicate scientific purposes.
Year 9
Semester 1
In Semester One, topics covered are Biology and Earth and Space Science. In Biology, students will compare the role of body systems in regulating and coordinating the body’s response to a stimulus and describe the operation of a negative feedback mechanism. They describe how the processes of sexual and asexual reproduction enable survival of the species. In Earth and Space Science, they represent the carbon cycle and examine how key processes including combustion, photosynthesis and respiration rely on interactions between the Earth’s spheres (the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere).
Semester 2
During Semester Two, in Chemistry, students will explain how the model of the atom changed following the discovery of electrons, protons and neutrons and describe how natural radioactive decay results in stable atoms. They model the rearrangement of atoms in chemical reactions using a range of representations, including word and simple balanced chemical equations, and use these to demonstrate the law of conservation of mass. Students will learn that matter can be rearranged through chemical change and that these changes play an important role in many systems. In Physical Science, students will use wave and particle models to describe energy transfer through different mediums and examine the usefulness of each model for explaining phenomena. They apply the law of conservation of energy to analyse system efficiency in terms of energy inputs, outputs, transfers and transformations.
Throughout the year, students plan and conduct safe, reproducible investigations to test or identify relationships and models. They describe how they have addressed any ethical and intercultural considerations when generating or using primary and secondary data.