Science

The Periodic Report – Term 1

The year has begun with energy and enthusiasm across the Science faculty, as students have embraced new challenges, developed practical skills and engaged in hands-on scientific inquiry.

Year 5: A Taste of Secondary School Science

We were delighted to welcome Year 5 students into the Science labs this term for an exciting hands-on experience. Students explored adaptation by modelling different types of bird beaks and testing how effectively they could pick up a variety of “food” sources. This engaging activity gave them a glimpse into Secondary School Science while introducing key ideas about evolution and survival.

Picking up ‘furry prey’ with different ‘beaks’.

Year 7: Building Foundations in the Lab

Year 7 students have made an exciting start to the year, learning how to safely and confidently use a wide range of scientific equipment. A major milestone was earning their Bunsen burner licences, with students demonstrating excellent skill and responsibility in the laboratory. They then moved on to learn all about the solar system and the movement of the Earth and moon. Their enthusiasm for practical science has set a strong foundation for the year ahead.

Moon phases being modelled using Oreos

Year 11 HSC Physics: Bottle Rocket Racers

Year 11 HSC Physics students launched into their first depth study by designing and building bottle rocket racers. Through testing and modifying their designs, students investigated how different variables affected motion. This project encouraged creativity, problem-solving and analytical thinking, as students evaluated performance and refined their models.

Year 11 ESS and IB Science: The Lincoln Index in Action

Students explored population ecology through a hands-on capture–mark–recapture investigation using beans and sand to model wildlife populations. Applying the Lincoln Index, they estimated population sizes and analysed the reliability of their results. One group even achieved an estimate that exactly matched the true population- an exciting demonstration of how scientific models can reflect real systems. This activity strengthened students’ understanding of ecological monitoring and data analysis in a practical and engaging way.

Year 12 IB Group 4: Real World Science Connections

Year 12 IB Group 4 students had the opportunity to visit the Macquarie DeepTech Incubator, reconnecting with the laboratories and companies they collaborated with during last year’s Collaborative Sciences Project. This visit provided valuable insight into cutting-edge scientific research and innovation, highlighting the real-world applications of their studies.

Ruth Apple
Head of Department (7-12) – Science
rapple@redlands.nsw.edu.au