Science Faculty
Introduction
Head Teacher:
Mr W Matchett
Teaching Staff:
Mr A Azzopardi
Ms K Bartlett
Ms M Chiew
Ms M Hall
Mr J Kim
Mr M Kos
Ms J Macdermid
Ms K McPhee
Ms B Muraro
Ms J Pousini
Mr S Sandhu
Mr A Sharma
Support Staff: Ms T Marshall
Ms S Mariani
Faculty Aim
The Science Faculty at Westfields Sports High is very
fortunate to be staffed by a large number of experienced dedicated and highly
competent teachers.
For Stages 4 and 5 (Years 7 to 10), science is a compulsory
subject for all students. Our teaching program for these years follows the
mandatory Board of Studies syllabus, but adds to this a range of experiences
designed to extend our students, to enable each to reach their potential. The
course is taught as a series of topics, starting from “Introduction to
Science” as the first topic in Year 7, through to the more complex and
thought provoking topics such as “Evolution” and “Genetics”
in Year 10. In all there are twenty-nine Topics covering the four main strands
of science; physics, biology, chemistry and geology. For those who show a
greater aptitude for scientific studies, we offer advanced sections to our
teaching programs, designed to challenge minds, increase interest and
prepare these students for the more
rigorous courses offered in Years 11 and 12 (Stage 6).
Courses Offered.
Stage 4: Years 7 and 8
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Students are immersed in the following topics in
preparation for their School Certificate years of Stage 5.
Year 7: Introduction to Science, Under the Microscope, The
Animal Kingdom, Chemistry 1, Our Planet, Botany, Forces and Friction, Body
Systems 1.
Year 8:
Energy, Body Systems 2, Chemistry 2, Meteorology, Botany, Earth Science 1,
Ecology.
In each Year, students are assessed across a range of
activities including topic tests, half yearly and yearly exams, assignments
and homework and bookwork
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Stage 5: Years 9 and 10
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This stage represents the students School Certificate
years. Topics in both years are
examinable in the School Certificate.
The topics
studied are:
Year 9: Body
Systems 3, Electricity, Chemistry 3, Waves, Machines, Dinosaurs, Body
Systems 4, Astrophysics.
Year 10: Evolution,
Environmental Science, Chemistry, Genetics, Motion, Biotechnology, Earth Science.
In each Year, students are assessed across a range of
activities including topic tests, half yearly and yearly exams, assignments
and homework and bookwork. In
Year 10 there is the School Certificate exam set by the Board of Studies
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Stage 6: Years 11 and 12
In Stage 6 we offer the following 2 unit courses:
Biology
Chemistry
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Physics
Senior Science
A student who elects to do the Senior Science course in Year
11 cannot enrol in any other science course
Each Stage 6 course is divided into eight modules, seven of which are compulsory for all
students attempting the course, with the eighth being a class option chosen by the class teacher. The modules for each are
shown in the table below as well as the list of possible options
All students must perform satisfactorily in the Preliminary
Course to proceed to the HSC course
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Preliminary Course
(Terms 1 to 3)
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HSC Course
(Terms 4 to 7)
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Biology:
• A Local Ecosystem
• Patterns in Nature
• Life on Earth
• Evolution of Australian Biota
Chemistry:
• The Chemical Earth
• Metals
• Water
• Energy
Earth & Environmental Science:
• Planet Earth and Its Environment – A
Five Thousand Million
Year Journey
• The Local Environment
• Water Issues
• Dynamic Earth
Physics:
• The World Communicates
• Electrical Energy in the Home
• Moving About
• The Cosmic Engine
Senior Science
• Water for Living
• Plants
• Humans at Work
• The Local Environment
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Biology:
Core
• Maintaining
a Balance
• Blueprint
of Life
• The
Search for Better Health
Options (one of)
• Communication
• Biotechnology
• Genetics:
The Code Broken?
• The
Human Story
• Biochemistry
Chemistry:
Core
• Production of Materials
• The Acidic Environment
• Chemical Monitoring and
Management
Options (one of)
• Industrial Chemistry
• Shipwrecks, Corrosion and
Conservation
• The Biochemistry of
Movement
• The Chemistry of Art
• Forensic Chemistry.
Earth & Environmental Science:
Core
• Tectonic Impacts
• Environments Through Time
• Caring for the Country
Options
(one of)
• Introduced Species and the
Australian Environment
• Organic Geology – A
Non-renewable Resource
• Mining and the Australian
Environment
• Oceanography.
Physics:
Core
• Space
• Motors and Generators
• From Ideas to
Implementation
Options
(one of)
• Geophysics
• Medical Physics
• Astrophysics
• From Quanta to Quarks
• The Age of Silicon
Senior Science
Core
• Lifestyle
Chemistry
• Medical
Technology — Bionics
• Information
Systems
Options (one of)
• Polymers
• Preservatives
and Additives
• Pharmaceuticals
• Disasters
• Space
Science.
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Assessment Policy
HSC
2 UNIT BIOLOGY
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Outcomes
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Modules
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Weight %
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Task 1
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Task 2
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Task 3
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Task 4
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Biology
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Practical
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Half
Yearly
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Research/Model
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Trial
HSC
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Date
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7/2/06
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26/3/07
– 5/4/07
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8/6/06
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6/8/07
– 17/8/07
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H2, H4, H6, H7, H8,
H11-H15
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Maintaining
a balance
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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10%
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H1, H3, H6, H9, H11-H15
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Blueprint
of life
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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10%
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10%
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H2, H5, H6, H7, H8,
H10-H15
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Search
for better health
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25%
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7.5%
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15%
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10%
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H3-H15
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Option
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25%
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7.5%
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10%
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100%
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30%
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10%
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20%
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40%
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2 UNIT CHEMISTRY
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Outcomes
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Modules
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Weight %
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Task 1
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Task 2
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Task 3
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Task 4
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Chemistry
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Research
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Half
Yearly
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Practical
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Trial
HSC
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Date
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23/3/06
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26/3/07
– 5/4/07
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27/7/06
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6/8/07
– 17/8/07
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H2, H3, H6, H10-H15
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Identification
& production of materials
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25%
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5%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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H1, H5, H6, H7, H8,
H9-H15
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Acidic
environment
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25%
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5%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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H2, H4, H6-H15
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Chemical
monitoring & management
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25%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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H3, H4, H7-H15
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Option
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25%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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100%
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20%
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10%
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30%
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40%
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2 UNIT PHYSICS
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Outcomes
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Syllabus Components
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Weight %
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Task 1
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Task 2
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Task 3
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Task 4
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Physics
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Practical
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Half
Yearly
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Research
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Trial
HSC
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Date
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21/2/06
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26/3/07
– 5/4/07
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23/6/05
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6/8/07
– 17/8/07
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H2, H3, H5, H7, H8, H15
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Space
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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5%
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10%
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H1, H2, H3, H7, H9,
H11-H15
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Motors
and generators
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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5%
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10%
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H2, H4, H6, H7, H11-H15
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From
ideas to implementation
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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10%
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H1, H4, H5, H6, H7,
H9-H15
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Option
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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10%
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100%
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30%
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10%
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20%
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40%
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2 UNIT SENIOR SCIENCE
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Outcomes
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Modules
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Weight %
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Task 1
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Task 2
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Task 3
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Task 4
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Senior
Science
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Practical
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Half
Yearly
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Research
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Trial
HSC
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Date
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14/2/06
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26/3/07
– 5/4/07
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16/6/06
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6/8/07
– 17/8/07
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H1,H2,H4,H7, H11-14
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Lifestyle
chemistry
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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5%
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10%
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H1, H3-12, H14, H16
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Medical
technology
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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5%
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10%
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H1, H3-12, H14, H15
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Information
systems
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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10%
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H1, H3-11, H15
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Option
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25%
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7.5%
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5%
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10%
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100%
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20%
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10%
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30%
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40%
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SCIENCE TASK SUMMARY
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Task
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Description
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Research
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Half-yearly exam
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Written exam
covering the topics shown. This Task Assesses Knowledge & Prescribed
Focus Area Outcomes
(H11,12,113,14,15)
for all modules
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Practical test
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Test covering
aspects of laboratory work and first-hand investigations
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Trial HSC
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Written exam
covering topics shown and replicating the
style of the HSC
exam.
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Model
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A practical
open-ended exercise in model building research, assessing Research &
Skills Outcomes
(H11 – 15 )
from all modules
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PRELIMINARY
2 Unit Biology
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Outcomes
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Modules
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Weight %
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Task 1
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Task 2
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Task 3
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Task 4
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Biology
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Field
Study/Research
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Half Yearly exam
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Practical
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Yearly exam
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Term
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1
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2
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2
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3
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Week
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9
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1 & 2
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7
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10 & 11
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Date
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7/3/07
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23/4/07 - 4/5/07
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13/6/07
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17/9/07 - 28/9/07
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P2, P4, P6, P7, P8, P11-16.
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A Local
Ecosystem
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25%
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15%
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5%
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5%
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P1, P3, P6, P9, P11-16.
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Patterns in
Nature
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25%
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5%
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5%
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5%
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10
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P2, P5, P6, P7, P8, P10-P15.
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Life on Earth
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25%
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5%
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5%
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15
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P3-P15
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Evolution of
Australian Biota
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25%
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5%
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5%
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15
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100%
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30%
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10%
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20%
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40%
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2 Unit Chemistry
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Outcomes
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Modules
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Weight %
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Task 1
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Task 2
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Task 3
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Task 4
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Chemistry
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Research
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Half-yearly
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Practical
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Yearly
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Term
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1
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2
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2
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3
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Week
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8
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1 & 2
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7
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10 & 11
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Date
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23/3/07
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23/4/07 - 4/5/07
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7/6/07
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17/9/07 - 28/9/07
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P2, P3, P6, P10, P12.
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The Chemical Earth
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25%
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10%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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P1, P5, P8, P11
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Metals
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25%
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10%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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P7, P9, P13, P14
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Water
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25%
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7.5%
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10%
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P4, P7, P15
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Energy
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25%
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7.5%
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10%
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100%
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20%
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10%
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30%
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40%
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2 Unit Physics
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Outcomes
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Syllabus
Components
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Weight %
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Task 1
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Task 2
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Task 3
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Task 4
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Physics
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Research
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Half-yearly
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Practical
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Yearly
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Term
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1
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2
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2
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3
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Week
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9
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1 & 2
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7
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10 & 11
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Date
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30/3/07
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23/4/07 - 4/5/07
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15/6/07
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17/9/07 - 28/9/07
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P2, P3, P5, P7, P8.
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The World Communicates
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25%
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10%
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5%
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10%
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P1, P11, P12, P13, P14
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Electrical Energy in the Home
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40%
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10%
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5%
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15%
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10%
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P4, P6, P15
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Moving About
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25%
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15%
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10%
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P1, P9, P10
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The Cosmic Engine
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10%
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10%
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100%
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20%
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10%
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30%
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40%
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2 Unit Senior Science
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Outcomes
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Modules
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Weight %
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Task 1
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Task 2
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Task 3
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Task 4
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Senior Science
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Research
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Half-yearly
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Practical
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Yearly
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Term
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1
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2
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2
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3
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Week
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8
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1 & 2
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8
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10 & 11
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Date
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22/3/07
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23/4/07 - 4/5/07
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21/6/07
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17/9/07 - 28/9/07
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P1-6, P8, P11, P12, P13, P14,
P15,
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Water for Living
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25%
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5%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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P2, P7, P8,
P13-16
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Plants
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25%
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5%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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P3-5, P7, P9, P13, P15, P16
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Humans at Work
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25%
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5%
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7.5%
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10%
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P5, P7, P10,
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The Local Environment
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25%
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5%
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7.5%
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15%
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100%
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20%
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10%
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30%
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40%
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SCIENCE TASK SUMMARY
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Task
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Description
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Field Study
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Research
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Half-Yearly Exam
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Written exam covering the topics shown. This Task Assesses
Knowledge & Prescribed Focus Area Outcomes from the first two Modules
covered in class (P1 to P10 inclusive)
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Practical test
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Test covering aspects of laboratory work and first-hand investigations.
This Task assesses Skills Outcomes
(P11 to P15) inclusive) for all Modules.
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Yearly Exam
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Written exam covering topics shown. This task assesses
Knowledge & Prescribed Focus Area Outcomes from the first two modules
covered in class (P1 to P10) inclusive.
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SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
Assessment in Year 10 will be based upon:
·
Four
topic tests common to all Year 10 classes. Each test will be up to one hour and will be primarily knowledge based. Individual teachers
may add section to extend higher
classes but the marks from this section will
not count in course ranking. These extra marks may be used for class
ranking.
·
Half-yearly and Yearly examinations. These will
be approximately 50% knowledge, 50% processes. Each exam should be of 75
minutes duration.
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Assignments, practical reports, homework set by
individual teachers.
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Major
Research assignment. This will be set simultaneously for all Year 10
students and will be of approximately ten
weeks duration.
Half Yearly
Assessment
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Components
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Description
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Weight
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1
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Topic Tests
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Evolution
Motion
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40%
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2
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Examination 30/4/07 – 4/5/07
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Half Yearly
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40%
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3
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Assignments/Homework
Practical Reports etc.
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Given by teachers for various topics
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20%
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100%
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Yearly Assessment
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Component
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Description
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Weight
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1
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Topic Tests
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Motion, Evolution, Chemistry,
Genetics
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30%
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2
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Examination 25/9/06
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Half-Yearly (10%)
Yearly (30%)
Composite mark
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40%
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3
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Assignments / Homework/ Practical Reports etc
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Given by teachers for various topics and excursions
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10%
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4
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Major Research Assignment
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Set for all Year 10 students
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20%
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100%
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Students will be informed by teachers:
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When important topic tests, assignments and examinations are due
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Which assignments etc count towards assessment
·
Which knowledge will be tested in exams.
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