Year 9 Science  

Unit 1: Lights, Sound and Action (Term 1 Week 2 - Term 1 Week 11)

Music, scary sounds,  bright lights and explosions, - all part of the experience when you are sitting there watching a movie or enjoying a great concert! 

Science is the reason behind these experiences. Students explore how the different senses such as touch, sight, and hearing function to help the human body respond to the environment and enjoy these experiences. During this unit, students will investigate how the properties of sound, light and electromagnetic waves allow humans to respond to lights, sound and action. Students will also develop an understanding of electricity and the energy used in circuits. By looking at the wiring of series and parallel circuits in set lighting and controlling spot and coloured sequences in stage and film. allow humans to respond to lights, sound and action. In this unit, students will be engaged in first-hand investigations, the use of models, literacy activities involving sequencing of action-reaction to stimuli and writing cause and effect explanations. 

Unit 2: Origins (Term 2 Week 1 - Term 2 Week 9)

In this unit, students explore the scientific theories of the origin of the structure of the Earth and the theory of Plate Tectonics. Students also study the origin of natural events such as earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and cyclones. Students critically examine  the evidence that are put forward in a range of activities such as modelling, graphing, analysing secondary data and correlation. Students also explore the different technologies used in developing these theories, and how they are used to monitor natural events. 

Unit 3: Ecosystems and Change (Term 3 Week 1 - Term 3 Week 10)

In this unit, students explore the changing ideas about how cycles in nature are affected everyday by human activity. The organisms in an ecosystem rely on the natural systems and cycles to return nutrients and energy into the biomass system. The abundance and distribution of species are controlled by abiotic and biotic relationships within their ecosystems and the changes in the ecosystems affect changes to different species, resulting in their evolution over time.

Unit 4: Materials (Term 4 Week 1 - Term 4 Week 9)

We belong to a material world. Just look around at the objects we use. They are a result of the advancement of science. If not for science, we will not have the different types of materials such as metals, alloys, radioisotopes, that have improved everyday living.  

In this unit, students examine how an understanding of the structure of the atom, the development of the Periodic Table and an understanding of chemical reactions have led to the development and use of a range of materials used in everyday life. Students investigate how the properties of these materials relate to their use, and explore the impacts of their use on society and the environment.