Year 9 Science
Year 9 Science
In Year 9 Science all students follow the same core course. This course is written to comply with the Australian Curriculum: Science. While the same core curriculum is followed in all classes, different strategies and activities are used to meet the diverse needs of the students in each class. This curriculum is based on the three strands: Science Inquiry Skills, Science as a Human Endeavour and Science Understanding. In practice these three strands are taught together to develop student’s Science understanding and skills within meaningful contexts.
The Science course concentrates on the development of an understanding of Science as a way of thinking critically, applying knowledge and creating explanations for observed phenomena. Today, students must be scientifically literate so they can question and seek evidence to confirm intuition and assess views arising in the popular media. They must develop skills to view change critically in the light of new evidence.
The Year 9 course will expose students to learning within the biological, physical, chemical and Earth and space sciences. Students develop new knowledge and skills within these areas by:
- exploring the ways in which human body systems respond to its external environment
- analysing the interdependencies between the living and non-living components of ecosystems
- investigating the structure of atoms and using this knowledge to understand nuclear decay and the properties of materials
- studying various chemical reactions and describing these in term of the rearrangement of different atoms
- describing in a sophisticated way the movement of energy via waves and particles
- using a knowledge of energy transfer to explain global continental movement
- designing methods of inquiry to systematically collect data
- analysing trends in data to identify relationships between variables and explore sources of error
- evaluating other’s methods and explanations from a scientific perspective
Additional information regarding the Australia Curriculum – Science can be found at
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/Curriculum/F-10
A significant feature of studying Science at Daramalan College involves conducting Science investigations, where students learn how to work like a scientist. Science investigations involve designing methods of inquiry, evaluating information, solving problems, interpreting evidence, and communicating findings.
Additionally, students are given the opportunity to participate in numerous external Science competitions and activities such as ICAS-Science, Big Science Competition, CSIRO CREST Science Investigation Awards, Australian National Chemistry Quiz and many others. These provide opportunities for students to gain experience in external assessment situations, gain additional knowledge and skills, and identify a talent in Science.