Science!
Edwin Powell Hubble
We would like to welcome back students and parents to the new school year. 2018 was a busy year where we saw students engaged in learning and the exploration of the world through the lens of Chemistry, Physics and Biology. This year will be no different!!
The Science Faculty would like to welcome to Magdalene Catholic College, Mr Kip Veness who has joined the team. Mr Veness has hit the ground running and very quickly establishing key relationships with the students. With some sadness we, however, have to wish all the best to Ms Samantha Gray who is leaving the Science Faculty to teach Mathematics fulltime, but luckily for us still at Magdalene.
We have been impressed by how the Year 7 students have demonstrated their enthusiasm to get started. In Term One, we will focus on the development of the fundamental Science Skills that will support them as they journey through Science 7-10 course at High School. These skills focus on how to conduct experiments safely, creatively and follow the science method.
Year 8 continue their journey by spending this term exploring the basic building blocks of life, cells. Students look at how cell work and how from the simple cell complex organisms like ourselves are made and function. The students’ dissection skills will also be developed and tested this term!
One of the biggest challenges that faces the world today, Global Warming. Students in Year 9 will investigate the fact and the fiction of Global Warming so that they can develop, and express, their point of view on how we can solve this challenge.
Students in Year 10 will don their lab coats and safety glasses in Term One to study the bubbling and frizzing of Chemistry. They will learn about the language of chemistry, write chemical equations and try to explain why their solution went purple instead of green!
For Year 11 we have a cohort of excited students ready to increase their depth of knowledge in their chosen field of expertise, now each with a new syllabus. This year we have two classes of Biology, one class of Chemistry and Physics, as well as introducing the exciting new course Investigating Science. This course provides an in-depth study of the Scientific Process and its’ application in today’s world.
After their Christmas break Year 12 Science students should be full of knowledge and understanding relating to the concepts covered in their first module of work. Their holiday homework and rigorous revision would have assisted in this process. With only three terms left before the Higher School Certificate Examination begins it is vital that school work now becomes their main priority. Surviving the HSC and the lead up to it is a little like a four-legged table. Each leg being; family, friends/relaxing, study and work. If one of the legs of a table is weak then the table will collapse or fall over so to assist your son or daughter through this stressful time, guide them to have a balanced approach.
2019 should be another exciting year full of new and exciting activities and experiments. Welcome back.
Regards
Science Department