2020 School Magazine

YEAR 10 BIOLOGY

Y ear 10 Biology provided a balanced and enjoyable curriculum in which we covered two overarching units. In Semester 1 we covered Reproduction and Genetics . Focussing specifically on anatomical subtopics, students learned about human reproduction, cell division, DNA, allele combinations and mutations. The research investigation and student experiment were apparatuses for the development of communication and experimental skills. Term 3 saw the start of the unit Evolution and Biotechnology , where various types of evidence, including palaeontology and biogeography, were explored to comprehend the truth behind evolution. Looking explicitly at primate evolution, students were able to physically examine structures and extrapolate knowledge from the fossilised skulls of several primates. Biotechnology concepts were preceded by a gel electrophoresis experiment. Though 2020 has presented some obstacles, Year 10 Biology students were able to acquire a great deal of knowledge and develop their skills for senior learning. Madeline Khoo (10E)

A s Year 10 chemists we expanded and built on our knowledge of the basics of chemistry in our first unit The element of surprise . With that solid foundation, we then dove into the factors that affect rate of reaction. If you think of learning chemistry as a reaction, remote learning did not decrease our rate of reaction. We began learning about The Mole in our third unit. This quantity allows chemists to calculate things at an atomic level, which was interesting but hard to visualise because we were working with massive numbers of something as minuscule as an atom. Our next unit on Ocean Chemistry was particularly interesting as the effects of the changing climate was something we were all passionate about. We were able to learn a lot through experiments, which allowed us to translate our newfound knowledge into predictions and then analyse data to make a justified conclusion. It was particularly valuable to see how a deep understanding of the chemical processes made visible reactions much more intriguing. We finished off the year being introduced to Organic Chemistry , in particular looking at the structure of carbon based molecules so that in Year 12 we can link structure to properties and applications of these molecules. Zoe Pearson (10O) YEAR 10 CHEMISTRY

YEAR 10 PHYSICS

I n Year 10 Physics we explored a variety of fascinating topics. In Term 1 we began by investigating the topic ‘This is Rocket Science’, where we learned about Newton’s Laws of motion and the forces that come into play to shape the world around us. This area of learning provoked us to question simple every day scenarios and led us to understand why a hammer and a feather dropped on the moon will hit the ground simultaneously. We built on our knowledge in Term 2 by exploring subject matter surrounding work, energy transfers, energy efficiency and fuel resources–all highly relevant in our society. We finished the term by investigating the claim ‘Electric cars are better’. In Term 3 our focus shifted to solar physics where we examined the electromagnetic spectrum, learned how light is created, and investigated how optics reflect and refract light. We also learned about the lifetime of a star and the creation of the universe. A highlight for the year was employing our knowledge to capture and process images of nebulas using the telescopes at the School’s Dorothy Hill Observatory. Johanna Conomos (10W)

88 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2020