2017 School Magazine

YEAR 9 SCIENCE So far this year, in Year 9 Science, we have covered topics within chemistry, physics and biology, which have all provided very enjoyable learning experiences. In Term I of this year we studied chemistry. We investigated ions, acids and bases, how to write chemical equations, and continued learning further aspects of the periodic table. The most enjoyable part about learning chemistry was the number of experiments we undertook. Although it is a pain to bring a chunky set of goggles to class, it was all worth it! We would be here for hours explaining to you how much we enjoyed every single experiment, so we will just describe our favourite, which was testing the pH levels of different acids. In this experiment, we taste-tested different edible acids, some being revolting and some being delicious, to try to determine the pH of each. In Term II Physics, we learnt about the types and effects of radiation and how it moves, and explored the safety conditions of a number of scenarios. This was a challenging unit but it was very interesting and relevant as we could apply it to our everyday lives. We are glad we completed it and felt quite accomplished by the end. In Term III our topic was Biology and we learnt about how ecosystems work, studied various diseases (such as malaria), and continued our learning about the body and the functions of the nervous and endocrine systems. We loved learning about the various systems that the body contains and how their combined functions contribute to our health. Overall, Year 9 Science has been a very rigorous and fun-filled experience and we cannot wait to see what Year 10 has in store for us. ANNABELLE WINNING (9G) AND JAIME CLARKE (9G) The interdisciplinary course, Science 21, encourages Year 11 students to develop their opinions on scientific issues prevalent in Australian society. Through practical activities, we applied our knowledge and developed skills to enable us to apply what we learnt to real-life situations such as the way the body works, how organisms interact with the environment, as well as our place in the world. Throughout Term I, we studied the relationship between drugs and Daphnia through a variety of stimuli including phototaxis and chemotaxis. Not only was the task enjoyable but it was also beneficial, as there was great independence gained in designing, creating, and carrying out experiments. We were able to enhance our skills in microscopy and report writing to further our knowledge. The second half of the semester allowed us to develop our opinions on environmental issues, in particular global warming, resulting in great discussions in and outside the classroom. We studied the global energy crisis, alternatives technologies and fossil fuels in order to identify ways to decrease the detrimental effects on the environment. Through an experimental investigation in the third term, we assumed the role of a noted chemical analyst specialising in water quality in order to respond to a threat regarding the environmental health of

YEAR 10 SCIENCE Whether it is exploring Newton’s Laws in Physics, discovering chemical reactions in Chemistry or learning about antibiotic resistance in Biology, Science has been a blast! Our first encounter with Year 10 Science was Chemistry where we learned about elements and bonding. We acquired fascinating knowledge that we applied to the experiment we performed, adding an aspirin tablet to hydrochloric acid. Although a challenge, we learned not to ‘overreact’! Next term was Biology, where we studied reproduction and our DNA, which led up to our assignment on mycobacteria. The assignment focused on how diseases develop and adapt to new antibiotics, providing us with a new outlook on how we overuse medicine. Finally, we investigated the role of force and energy in our world during our Physics term and discovered much about how our world works. We did an experiment using a solar car and investigated the effect that different masses had on the velocity. It was eye-opening to learn about the energy transformations taking place, and how by simply changing the mass by small amounts we could decrease the speed noticeably. Overall, Year 10 Science was a very enjoyable experience with many opportunities to learn about how the universe works. ALEXANDRA NASH (10R) AND VICTORIA HOGAN (10W)

YEAR 11 SCIENCE 21

Moreton Bay. The excursion to Moreton Bay, where we completed many practical activities on a boat (and saw dolphins!) was a highlight of the year. Ultimately, the ever-growing importance of scientific issues was the focus of our studies this year. JESSICA WHITING (11W) AND CAITLIN MACINTYRE (11B)

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