YEAR 9 SCIENCE

COURSE OUTLINE 2016

Welcome to Year 9 Science
During the year you will explore units of work which cover aspects of Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Earth Science. You will learn how to investigate, how to be
an effective scientific communicator and be able to make informed decisions on scientific issues. You will further develop the key competencies of thinking;
relating to others; understanding language, symbols and texts; managing self and participating and contributing.
Te rm 1 :
S e e in g th e L ig h t
(P h ysics)
In th is u n it y o u w ill g a in
a n ap p re cia tion for
w ha t lig h t is a n d h o w it
b eh a ve s. A s yo u le a rn
h o w a m icro scop e
w ork s, y ou w ill b e g in to
in v e stig a te life a t th e
ce llu la r le v e l. Th ro u g h
exa m in in g th e stru ctu re
o f th e e y e , y ou w ill
stu d y h o w it w orks a n d
le arn a b o u t p ro b le m s
a sso cia te d w ith th e e y e.
Its A liv e (B io lo g y )
T his un it lo o ks a t th e
b io lo g ica l syste m s of
b oth p la n ts a n d a n im als
a n d ex p lore s th e
ce llu lar le ve l. Yo u w ill
loo k ho w a d a p ta tio n s of
o rg an ism s h e lp th e m to
b o th su rv iv e a nd
rep ro du ce . Yo u w ill also
fo cu s o n th e ro le of
e ff e ctive n u tritio n a n d a
h ea lth y d ig e stive
syste m , w h ich a re
e sse n tia l for su rv iva l.

Te rm 2 :
S e p a ra tin g
Te c h n iq u e s
(C h e m istry )
T h is u n it b u ild o n
co n ce p ts co ve re d in
y e a rs 7 an d 8 an d y ou
w ill un d e rsta n d th a t th e
d iff e re n t p ro p e rtie s o f
sub stan ce s allo w th em
to b e se p a ra te d in
d iff e re n t w a y s p a rticle
size , de n sity,
m a g ne tism e tc.
N e e d fo r S p e e d
(P h y sics)
You w ill ex p lore m o tion
thro u g h inv e stig a tio n ;
fi nd ing o u t ab o u t th e
re la tion sh ip s b e tw e en
d ista n ce , tim e a nd
sp e e d a n d u sin g th is
kn ow le d g e to d o
ca lcu la tion s. Yo u w ill
le arn h ow w e re pre se n t
m o tio n o n g ra p h s a n d
h ow to in te rp re t a n d
exp la in th e m .

Your imaginative and thought provoking learning journey will be assessed by:
Tests at the end of the unit to check your understanding and application of the Science studied.
Skill based assessments, which focus on experimental, investigative and research skills.

Te rm 3 :
C h e m ic a l L e g o
(C h e m istry )
In th is u n it yo u w ill g a in
a n ap p re cia tion fo r th e
a to m ic n a tu re of m a tte r
a n d h o w d iff e re n t typ e s
o f a tom s c a n b e
co m b in e d to fo rm
d iff e re n t su b sta n ce s.
Yo u w ill in ve stig ate th e
p ro p e rtie s o f e le m e n ts
a n d ex p lore th e m o d e rn
Perio d ic Ta b le . Fin a lly ,
yo u w ill d e ve lo p a n
u n d e rsta nd in g of th e
p article an d ato m ic
th e o ry a n d us e it to
co m p a re ch em ica l a n d
p h ys ica l ch a ng e s.
B ird s a n d B e e s
(Bio lo g y )
T h is is a cro ss-c urricu la r
u nit in con ju n ctio n w ith
H e a lth a n d Re lig io u s
S tud ie s in w hich
k n o w le d g e a b o u t
h u m a n d e v e lo p m e n t
a nd re p rod u ctio n is
ex p lo re d as a h u m a n
b od y sy ste m . Yo ur
s tu d y o f re p ro d u ction
w ill foc u s o n th e
m e n stru al cycle a n d
fo e ta l d e v e lop m e n t.

Term 4 :
Exam
T h e exa m in atio n w ill
a sse ss all th e un its
cov e re d in th e las t
thre e te rm s. T h e re w ill
b e fo u r sectio n s:
M ultich o ice , Ph y sics,
C h e m istry a nd B iolog y.
T h e S o la r S y ste m
and Beyond
T his u n it ex p lo re s o ur
so la r sy ste m a n d w ha t
lies b e y o n d . Yo u w ill
re se a rch in fo rm atio n ,
a na ly se a n d e v a lu a te
re so u rce s a n d u se
m od e ls to exp lain y o u r
id e a s. In d oing so y o u
w ill d e v e lo p a fu rth e r
in sig h t in to th e scie n ce
tha t lie s b e yo n d th e
Ea rth .
T h e re w ill b e a n E O TC
trip to th e S ta rd om e
a n d C orn w a ll p a rk trip
on 2 3 /1 1 /2 0 1 6 .

We hope that you have a successful and enjoyable year of Science and look forward to supporting you with your journey of exploration.