Learning
Science
Science is mandatory for all students from Year 7 to Year 10.
In Years 11 and 12, students can choose from different science disciplines, including:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
Science is a great adventure, challenging us to expand our skills in critical and creative thinking.
Over the centuries, science has developed from the Natural Philosophy of Newton’s time to a rigorous future focused process and an evolving body of knowledge, that provides explanations and a framework to understand the world.
At St Paul’s Catholic College students engage with scientific concepts and processes to develop skills as future global citizens.
Year 7-10
All students engage in effective, future focused teaching and authentic learning tasks to:
- Foster students’ sense of wonder and expand their natural curiosity about the world around them.
- Enhance students’ confidence in making evidence-based decisions about the influence of science in their lives.
- Enable students to confidently respond to needs and opportunities when designing solutions relevant to science in their lives.
Year 11-12
Biology
The Year 11 course investigates cellular structure and provides a basis for understanding the way in which multicellular organisms transport and absorb nutrients and carry out gas exchange. Exploring variations in the structures and functions of organisms provides an understanding of the effects of the environment on living things and on biodiversity.
The Year 12 course investigates reproduction, inheritance patterns and the causes of genetic variation in both plants and animals. Applications of this knowledge in biotechnology and various genetic technologies are explored in the light of their uses in the treatment, prevention and control of infectious and non-infectious diseases.
Students who have shown an achievement in, and/or aptitude for, any of the Stage 6 Science courses: Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Investigating Science or Physics, in Year 11 may choose to study Science Extension in Year 12.
Chemistry
The Year 11 course develops the knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to the properties and structures of matter, the types and drivers of chemical reactions and how we measure the quantities involved in these processes.
The Year 12 course builds on the concepts introduced in Year 11 by examining particular classes of chemicals, processes and a variety of chemical reactions which incorporate organic compounds and acid/base equilibrium reactions. The course challenges students to apply this knowledge to the investigation of a range of methods used in identifying and measuring quantities of chemicals, which leads to an understanding of the structure, properties and trends of and between classes of chemicals.
Students who have shown an achievement in, and/or aptitude for, any of the Stage 6 Science courses: Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Investigating Science or Physics in Year 11 may choose to study Science Extension in Year 12.
Physics
The Year 11 course develops students’ knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to the study of motion, how we describe it and what causes it. The course also examines energy in its different forms, and how we describe and measure electricity and magnetism and their interrelated effects.
The Year 12 course provides avenues for students to apply the concepts introduced in Year 11 and to motion in two dimensions, electromagnetism, the nature of light, and the atomic properties of matter.
