Science Faculty

Our Philosophy

Students are provided with an environment in which they can:

• Gain the necessary knowledge and understanding of Science
• Apply scientific skills to their everyday lives
• Appreciate the importance of Scientific techniques in problem solving
• Communicate their knowledge and understanding scientifically
• Develop the skills to work individually and as part of a team
• Actively engage in their own learning

General Course Overview

Stage 4. Students in year 7 and 8 are introduced to Science and how it affects their lives. They learn about safety and develop the practical skills needed in a Science laboratory. Students learn to work individually and as part of a team to carry out tasks and solve problems. There is plenty of opportunity to communicate their learning through various text types and presentations both oral and visual. One major assignment is an independent investigation on plants carried out at home. A variety of excursions form part of our stage 4 program including Forensic Science visits, Snakes alive and field trips.

Stage 5.
Building on the work from stage 4, in years 9 and 10 the emphasis is on a deeper understanding and greater application of Science in the real world. Students are also required to plan many of their own investigations, justify their techniques and procedures and analyse their results. Modern technologies including Geiger counters, data loggers, probes, oscilloscopes, microscopes, telescopes and computers are used to increase students’ observations and understanding of the world around them. A major component of this stage is effective communication of the findings of their own research and independent investigations.

Stage 6. Students are able to choose which combination of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Earth and Environmental Science, they wish to study in depth or they may continue to study science as a general subject in the subject Senior Science. In this stage students become independent learners taking increasing responsibility for their own learning. They are often required to explain relationships between scientific events or knowledge as well as justify techniques and evaluate results and conclusions.

After school tutorials are available for students who are struggling or fall behind in their senior work. Students are prepared for both their assessment at the HSC level and a life long appreciation of Scientific thinking.

Streamwatch

The Killarney Heights High School Science Department also participates in the Streamwatch program. The school is responsible for monitoring Bate Creek, at the bottom of Starkey St.

For more information about the Streamwatch program, visit the link below:
https://www.streamwatch.org.au/streamwatch/connect/Streamwatch