Science Department
Science is part of our daily human experience and has relevance for everyone.
A knowledge of Science enables people to value the systems and processes that
support life on our planet, and to take a responsible role in using Science
and technology in its applications in their daily lives.
The Science curriculum at Frederick Irwin is designed
to develop students´ ability to do the following with creativity,
responsibility, confidence and competence:
- Uphold attitudes and values such as openness to new ideas,
intellectual honesty, commitment to scientific reasoning and to
striving for objectivity, respect for evidence and for the tenacious
pursuit of evidence to confirm or challenge current interpretations.
- Use the skills of scientific investigation, reflection and analysis
to generate or refine knowledge, find solutions and pose more questions.
- Apply scientific knowledge and understanding of some of the key scientific
theories, principles, concepts, models and ideas to explain and predict events
in their everyday endeavours and in the physical and biological world.
- Use scientific language to communicate effectively.
- Apply and evaluate scientific knowledge and understanding across
a range of contexts and to construct and modify their understanding of
the natural and technological world.
- Understand and appreciate the evolutionary nature of scientific
knowledge and the nature of Science as a human endeavour, its history,
its relationship with other human endeavours and its contribution to society.
- Appreciate the role of Science in society as an activity that can be carried
out by all people as a part of their everyday lives in ways that contribute to their
personal, social, environmental, cultural and economic well-being.
- Make decisions that include ethical consideration of the impact on people
and the environment of the processes and likely products of Science.
Students are taught Science in a traditional way, using text books,
practical experiences in the laboratory and other standard methodologies.
Some classes in the lower Secondary years are streamed to cater for individual
differences and courses are designed to extend and enrich each student.
In Lower Secondary Science various concepts from different areas
are integrated to present discrete units of work called topics.
The content of a topic can vary, and be as specific as "Light" or
as broad as "Chemistry".
In Upper Secondary Science students may select from the subjects of
Biology, Chemistry, Human Biology, Physics and Senior Science.
Sally Vermeulen
Head of Science