SCIENCE
We have had a very busy start to Term 1 with experiments, CATs and Open Night.
Open Night was fantastic fun in Science, the Chemistry Lab was very busy with people watching flame tests and demonstrations with dry ice and getting involved in activities with magnets.
The Biology Lab was also very popular with dissections, specimen jars and microscopes to see as well as many visitors making a slide of their fingerprints to take home.
Specimen jars at Open Night
The turtles were a hit as usual and had many visitors on Open night, as did the stick insects. We are so excited that we now have two different species of stick insect; we still have Spiny Leaf stick insects (Extatosoma tiaratum), but now also have Strong Stick Insects (Anchiale briareus), which are a larger species.
Turtles & Stick Insects
Our Year 7 students have been learning about mixtures and different methods of separation. They have been putting that knowledge to good use to separate Green Gunge, a mixture of 3 substances that were ‘accidentally’ mixed with water by an ‘anonymous student’.
Tanaya, Monique and Zoe
The Year 8 students are also embarking on a journey of applying their knowledge of chemical reactions to the real-world situation of rusting. Students test the effect of various concentrations of salt solution on iron, various metals or test the rust-protecting properties of various household substances.
Year 9 Core students are undertaking a practical investigation into the effect of surface area on reaction rate of antacids. Whilst Innovate Science are deep into their Drone Rescue and Forensics students are continuing to learn a variety of techniques and approaches used by Forensic scientists.
Investigating Antacids
Year 10 Chemistry students are learning about types of chemical reactions and factors that influence the rate of reactions. The Environmental Science students are learning about biodiversity, which will lead them to look at the effect that changes in biodiversity have on ecosystems and Forensic Psychology is the current focus of the Year 10 Psychology class.
Year 11 Chemistry students moving into polymer science and green chemistry in connection with sustainability in real world situations. Whilst the Year 11 Biology classes are delving into functioning systems. The Year 11 Physics students are looking at electricity. Year 11 Psychology students are doing their research investigations. Getting them prepared to wrap up the unit with visual perception.
Yeasty boys
Grains experiment
Year 12 Physics is currently learning about Non-Contact Forces – gravitational, electric and magnetic. The Year 12 Chemistry students have begun looking at Rates of Reaction. The Year 12 Biology class have been studying cellular respiration and photosynthesis through a series of experiments. Whilst the Year 12 Psychology students are learning about learning and they used operant conditioning to train a special visitor (Ms Coghlan’s dog, Sasha) as a special treat.
Sasha and friends
