Science

Science

Welcome to Science at Newman Catholic college where we aim to inspire curiosity in young learners through immersive hands-on experiences. Our inquiry-based approach to learning focuses on investigation, problem-solving and building critical and creative thinking skills. This enables students to develop their abilities to ask questions, design investigations, interpret evidence, form explanations and arguments, and communicate findings.

Our experienced science staff come from a broad range of backgrounds and different disciplines of science – each bringing unique knowledge and skills to the team. Together we share a vision that aims to inspire curiosity and get students excited to learn about the world around them. Albert Einstein once said “Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.” At Newman Catholic College move beyond traditional ‘textbook’ science to inspire our students with a variety of practical activities and experiential learning opportunities. These include scientific investigations, field trips, excursions, inviting science experts into the classroom for incursions, and project-based learning.

Our partnership with James Cook University provides our students with unique opportunities to engage with scientific experts in specialized facilities. They are exposed to cutting-edge research projects and can directly witness how science benefits local and global communities.

We aim to create an innovative learning environment that extends beyond the classroom, where students and teachers learn together with families and the wider community.

Electives

Marine Science

Our oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. They provide us with more than 50% of the oxygen we breathe, regulate our climate and provide us with food, entertainment and even medicines. To ensure a sustainable future, we must protect and preserve healthy marine ecosystems.

Our students are uniquely privileged to be situated right next to the Great Barrier Reef, the largest living structure on Earth. This proximity provides them with an unparalleled opportunity to study Marine Science as an elective. This elective combines theoretical and practical knowledge and endeavours to foster respect and awareness for Australia's natural and cultural environment, while also striving to discover and implement regenerative and sustainable models for the future.

Health Science

Advances in Medicine and Health Sciences constitute some of the most important innovations made by humankind. From the germ theory of disease through to gene therapies; exploration of the health sciences has captured the imagination of countless curious minds. Whether you want to further appreciate and care for people and animals or satisfy your curiosity around the wonders of life; the study of health sciences will arm you with the foundational knowledge to move towards better understanding of the world around you.

In Year 7 and 8, Health Science students will begin by learning the foundational knowledge, language and skills around Human Anatomy, Physiology and the study of life sciences. They do this through the comparison of the musculoskeletal, circulatory and respiratory systems of humans and other mammals. To consolidate this learning of mammalian anatomy and physiology, students will complete a series of investigations and dissections, allowing the linking of theoretical and practical knowledge of comparative anatomy. They will also apply their learning of body systems and physiology in the exploration of the history and modern understanding of communicable diseases, non-communicable disease and medical research practices.

In Year 9 and 10 the students will continue developing their understanding of human anatomy, physiology and modern healthcare. They will further explore the history of medicine, linking this knowledge with the complexities of our modern healthcare systems and the technology employed within it. Exploring the myriad of allied health and health professionals within the local healthcare communities, students explore the career pathways, key knowledge and advanced technology that is utilised when professionals are caring for their local communities. These units aim to arm year 10 students with a strong foundation in Biology, Chemistry and Exercise Science, accelerating their understanding and study skills as they move into senior sciences.

Having completed the Health Science electives, students will have practical skills, literacy and scientific knowledge around the fields of Medicine, Veterinary Science, Medical Laboratory Science and Sports/Exercise Science, among others. Armed with this knowledge and technical literacy; the plant, animal and microbial kingdoms will be opened up for further exploration by our students in senior biology, chemistry and other future studies. 

Psychology

Psychology seeks to cultivate students’ interest in the field and their appreciation for how psychological knowledge can be applied to understand contemporary issues. It aims to develop their recognition of the intricate and ongoing interactions that influence human behaviour, as well as their understanding that psychological knowledge has evolved over time, is applied in various contexts, and is shaped by social, cultural, and ethical factors.

Earth and Environmental Science

Earth Science encompasses a wide range of captivating topics, such as geology, meteorology, oceanography, and environmental science, providing an in-depth understanding of our planets dynamic processes. By delving into Earth Science, students gain insights into natural disasters, climate change, the formation of minerals, and the planets delicate ecosystems. Earth Science fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, nurturing a scientifically literate and environmentally conscious generation. Embracing this subject empowers students to explore the wonders of our home planet and become an active participant in shaping a sustainable future for generations to come.

In Year 9 students study the evidence for anthropogenic climate change and explore how that leads to increased severe weather events such as the 2023 cyclone Jasper event and subsequent flooding. We then study rock and mineral identification and journey through a brief history of the formation of Far North Queensland’s geology, emphasising the connections between underlying geology and surface geomorphology. During the second half of the semester students participate in a field excursion to enable the collection of primary data from Atika Creek, this data is used to contrast and compare the geomorphology of three sections of Atika Creek as it passes through the JCU campus.

The Year 10 Earth Science unit aligns with all three core science strands, and also the QCAA Senior Earth and Environmental Science course, reinforcing concepts that are fundamental to each specific science discipline as well as teaching 21st Century skills such as critical thinking and big picture thinking. This elective allows students who enjoy science, but do not yet have a preferred science, to explore the big concepts of biology, chemistry, and physics in an integrated subject.

In the first semester we study tectonic activity and the formation of geological features at divergent, convergent and transform plate boundaries, describing the scientific evidence for the theory of plate tectonics. We then study how these tectonic processes led to the development of the atmosphere and conditions for life on Earth. The course then examines how local mineral deposits have been formed, discovered, and exploited using geochemistry and geophysics. Students complete a practical investigation in Semester Two based on the science of mining and minerals extraction.