................................Bird Flu Fights Back  ... Scientific Report Writing For Junior Science
(article updated wednesdays)
Activities for Students
Science Faculty
2006 has been a busy and exciting year so far in the science faculty. All teachers have been working hard to bring the school in line with new syllabus and maintain the extremely high academic standards of Terrace.
Science Competition:
In May, 935 of our students from Years 5 – 11 participated in the “Australasian Schools Science Competition”, an initiative of the Educational Testing Centre of the University of New South Wales . The skills assessed included observing and measuring, interpreting data, reasoning and problem solving. The results attained by our students indicate that they have outstanding abilities to understand and apply various scientific concepts. Many educational institutions that participated in this competition enter only a small percentage of their more capable students, while all students from Year 5 to 11 who were present at the College on the day of the test sat the paper. Some of the results attained by our students were as follows: -
- 17 Certificates of High Distinction
- 140 Certificates of Distinction
- 244 Certificates of Credit
Overall 43% of Terrace students who participated were placed in the top 30% of students from Queensland who completed the test.
Excursions:
Year 8
Students in this year level attended animal classification workshops at the Queensland Museum where they had ‘hands on’ access to a wide variety of invertebrates and vertebrates. They investigated characteristics, which were common to various phyla and worked in the reference section where the focus of their study was Australian endangered species. “Gecho’s Wildlife” visited the College and set up an interactive display in College Hall. The highlight of this activity was that our students were able to handle a variety of reptiles that can be found among our suburbs.
Year 9
As part of the Ecology unit studied by this year level, our students visited ‘ York ’s Hollow’ in Victoria Park. We are quite fortunate to have such a great example of “Urban Ecology” at our doorstep that is largely ignored by those students who train for cricket and rugby or participate in a wide variety of PE activities adjacent to this environmental haven. As well as studying the organisms that inhabit this area, the boys gained some knowledge of the Aboriginal history associated with this site. This study more than amply prepared our students for their full day excursion to the Mangrove/Mud flat community at Brighton Park situated at the Brisbane end of the Hornibrook Highway and the rocky shore at Woody Point . During the day, students studied the adaptations that various organisms possess which enable them to not only exist in these extreme environments, but also allow them to flourish.
Year 11 Biological Science
In the first of two Ecology excursions, our students journeyed to Brisbane Forest Park where they compared an Open Eucalypt Forrest environment with that of a Sub-Tropical Rainforest. Despite a mildly horrifying run-in with a cane toad, the students enjoyed exercising practical research skills - using high-tech equipment to collect data about light, soil and vegetation.
The second excursion was to Underwater World, in Mooloolaba. This was a lovely, laid back day, the focus being on observation of the reef ecosystem and its many relationships. The boys were also given the task of connecting the reef to other aquatic ecysystems such as billabongs and mangroves.
Year 12 Biological Science
As part of their studies in the field of Cell Biology and Physiology, a group of our Year 12 students were invited to visit the Queensland Institute of Medical Research at the Royal Brisbane Hospital to attend lectures where “cutting edge” discoveries in the areas of diseases and genetics were discussed.
Other students attended a series of lectures conducted by “Bright Minds” (a State Government initiative) at the University of Queensland . A wide range of topics, many relating to genetic research, were presented at these after school presentations.
Middle Schooling
The Year 8 program has undergone considerable changes to bring it into line with the P-10 (‘primary’ to year 10) syllabus. A lot of hard work has been carried out by Mrs Judy Ariotti (Junior Science Co-ordinator) in consultation with Mr Michael Dezuanni so that our students are able to attain critical thinking skills that are vital in Science. Processes such as comparing and experimental techniques are taught using skills the staff of the Science Faculty have gained through their training in ‘Dimensions of Learning’. In thanking Judy for all the effort she has expended on this endeavour, I must also acknowledge the valuable contribution of Mr Luke Gribble and Mr Michael Conley who have acted as ‘Core Teachers’ in this level of the education of the ‘Gentlemen of Terrace’.
Science Faculty Staff 2006
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