A journey through Science!

Dear Parents & Students,

Term 2 has been a term full of learning and productivity. So many new ideas, topics and concepts were explored, studied and experimented by our junior scientists.

Year 7 had a very busy term learning about the Earth and its resources. How do we get energy? What are the different types of resources? Are they renewable or non-renewable? All these questions were explored, and students developed some critical thinking skills on what choices we can make to better our environment and to reduce our carbon footprint. In the second part of the term, students learnt about different types of mixtures and the different methods that they can use to separate them. They examined which substances are heavier than others and created a density tower, talk about mixing it up!

Year 8 took a journey and explored the human body systems including the respiratory, skeletal, reproductive, digestive and muscular systems. They examined how all these systems work together to ensure our survival. They then took a further look by dissecting a kidney and examining how it works. They even met the skeleton model and learnt about the major bones and joints in the body and how they work with the muscular system to help us walk, run and move. We then studied about growth and life cycles and how we move through these stages in our life. This included learning about flowers and pollination and how important these are for the survival of everything in our ecosystem.

Year 9 took a magnifying glass to investigate our invisible world, about atoms, molecules, compounds and mixtures and how they make up everything that we know. They went back in time when they created a poster about the history of the atomic theory. They also studied the history of the periodic table and how it was developed. Using this knowledge, they then endeavored to learn about different reactions, how they occur and what they can create. This included learning and conducting different types of experiments and hands on activities to create different substances and mixtures.

Year 10 have had a very busy term exploring the major wonders of the universe including the stars, planets and galaxies. They learnt how truly vast the universe was through calculating and measuring distances between planets through creating a scaled model of our solar system. They even completed a scavenger hunt in the lab to learn different facts about our planets and stars. They also researched about the scientists that contributed to the technological developments which have helped us explore our universe further.

In the second half of the term, students delved into the study of global systems, how the spheres of our planet interact and how earthquakes, volcanoes and other natural disasters affect these interactions, especially focusing on the Japanese Tsunami of 2011. The impact of humans on the environment was also explored and students had the opportunity to critically think about how their actions impact the wider ecosystem.

Although it was very busy term, with many new things to learn, students were up to the task and Inshallah they will keep learning.  Have a great holiday everyone!

Miss May