The Faculty is responsible for Science. Science is compulsory in NSW for all students in Years 7–10. In Years 11 and 12 the School offers courses in Biology, Chemistry, Investigating Science, Physics, and Science Extension. The faculty also offers the opportunity to commence Biology or Investigating Science as an accelerated course in Year 10. Marine and Aquaculture Technology is offered as a Stage 5 elective in Year 9.
The Science facilities consist of six large purpose built laboratories. The Faculty has a highly experienced and committed team of eleven teachers and two laboratory assistants. Many staff members have post graduate qualifications and most have HSC marking experience.
The Faculty strives to make science exciting, relevant, challenging and rewarding for students by including as much practical work as possible, using technology to enhance teaching and learning, treating the syllabus as ‘the floor rather than the ceiling' and by involving students in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. The provision of challenging extension material in class and the opportunity to pursue advanced scientific interests beyond the classroom ensures our High potential and gifted students have every opportunity to excel in science. Science is very popular at Gosford High School and the school often has five classes of Chemistry, five classes of Physics and four classes of Biology in Year 11. Many students from Gosford High School pursue Science and Science related careers and the Faculty often calls on past students who are now professional scientists, engineers and doctors to address current students.
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
In addition to science courses the Faculty offers a range of other activities including:
- Talks by visiting scientists and engineers
- ICAS Science 7-10
- The Science and Engineering Challenge Year 10
- Science Olympiad Exams Year 11 and Junior exams.
- Field Trips Year 11 Biology
- Human Disease Excursion Year 12 Biology
- National Science Youth Forum Year 11
- Senior depth studies are student focussed and flexible so they can pursue their own interests and apply their lerign to real world scenarios.
- Hackathon and Envirothon.
- RACI Schools titration competition.
- Co-curricular incursions including the annual highlight of having a scanning electron microscope in our faculty for students to use.
- BRINC - a girls in stem Initiative where our team works on solving a problem with mentoring from an academic in the field of biomechanics.
What texts are used in Science?
SCIENCE TEXTS
Years 7-10
Core Science 4 for Years 7-8
Core Science 5 for Years 9-10.
Years 11- 12
Biology
Year 11 - Macmillan Biology
Year 12 - Biology in Focus
Chemistry
Year 11 - Pearson Chemistry 11
Year 12 - Chemistry in focus
Investigating Science
Year 11-12 Investigating Science in focus.
Physics
Year 11 Pearson Physics
Year 12 Physics in Focus
What subjects are studied in Science?
YEAR 7
In Year 7 the students study the following one-term contextual units:
1) Being a Scientist
2) Cells and Classification
3) Powering the world
4) The Goldilocks Planet
YEAR 8
In Year 8 the students study the following one-term contextual units:
1) Body systems
2) Atoms Matter
3) Moving the World
4) Limits to growth
YEAR 9
In Year 9 the students study the following one-term contextual units
1) Sensing and responding
2) Chemical trends and patterns
3) Putting on a show
4) Gaia
YEAR 10
1) Me and my genes
2) Chemical reactions
3) Driving to space
4) The Blue planet
YEAR 11-12
Stage 6 Biology, Chemistry , Investigating Science, Physics and Science Extension are being taught. The syllabus for each of these subject can be downloaded from NESA at:
