Years 11 and 12
The Faculty follows the board developed curriculum for all Stage 6 courses providing ample opportunity for students to develop the practical and other skills required to succeed in the HSC. Senior classes are timetabled to enable student to select all 3 disciplines currently offered at the school should they choose (Chemistry, Physics, Biology). It is hoped that Earth and Environmental Science will be available from 2013. Students with an interest in Science but not in a specific discipline are able to select Senior Science. Student learning is enhanced by field work excursions such as the Maritime Museum for Chemistry and Sydney Olympic Park mangroves for Biology. The Science Faculty has experience marking HSC Chemistry and Biology at present.
Biology
Preliminary
120 indicative hours
The Preliminary course incorporates the study of:
• A Local Ecosystem (20 indicative hours)
• Patterns in Nature (40 indicative hours)
• Life on Earth (30 indicative hours)
• Evolution of Australian Biota (30 indicative hours)
HSC
120 indicative hours
The HSC course builds upon the Preliminary course. The Preliminary course contains content that is considered assumed knowledge for the HSC course. The HSC course incorporates the
study of:
a) the core, which constitutes 90 indicative hours and includes:
• Maintaining a Balance (30 indicative hours)
• Blueprint of Life (30 indicative hours)
• The Search for Better Health (30 indicative hours)
b) ONE option, which constitutes 30 indicative hours and may comprise any one of the following:
• Communication
• Biotechnology
• Genetics: The Code Broken?
• The Human Story
• Biochemistry
Chemistry
Preliminary
120 indicative hours
The Preliminary course incorporates the study of :
• The Chemical Earth (30 indicative hours)
• Metals (30 indicative hours)
• Water (30 indicative hours)
• Energy (30 indicative hours)
HSC
120 hours indicative time
The HSC course builds upon the Preliminary course. The Preliminary course contains content that is considered assumed knowledge for the HSC course.The HSC course incorporates the
study of:
a) the core which constitutes 90 indicative hours and includes:
• Production of Materials (30 indicative hours)
• The Acidic Environment (30 indicative hours)
• Chemical Monitoring and Management (30 indicative hours)
b) ONE option, which constitutes 30 indicative hours and may comprise any one of the following:
• Industrial Chemistry
• Shipwrecks, Corrosion and Conservation
• The Biochemistry of Movement
• The Chemistry of Art
• Forensic Chemistry.
Physics
Preliminary
120 indicative hours
The Preliminary course incorporates the study of:
• The World Communicates (30 indicative hours)
• Electrical Energy in the Home (30 indicative hours)
• Moving About (30 indicative hours)
• The Cosmic Engine (30 indicative hours)
HSC
120 indicative hours
The HSC course builds upon the Preliminary course. The Preliminary course content is a prerequisite for the HSC course. The HSC course incorporates the study of:
a) The core, which includes:
• Space (30 indicative hours)
• Motors and Generators (30 indicative hours)
• From Ideas to Implementation (30 indicative hours)
b) One option, which constitute 30 indicative hours and include any one of the following:
• Geophysics
• Medical Physics
• Astrophysics
• From Quanta to Quarks
• The Age of Silicon
Senior Science
Preliminary
120 indicative hours
• Water for Living (30 indicative hours)
• Plants (30 indicative hours)
• Humans at Work (30 indicative hours)
• The Local Environment (30 indicative hours).
HSC
120 indicative hours
The HSC course builds upon the Preliminary course. The Preliminary course contains content that is considered assumed knowledge for the HSC course
a) the core, which constitutes 90 indicative hours and includes:
• Lifestyle Chemistry (30 indicative hours)
• Medical Technology – Bionics (30 indicative hours)
• Information Systems (30 indicative hours)
b) the option constitutes 30 indicative hours and may comprise any ONE of the following:
• Polymers
• Preservatives and Additives
• Pharmaceuticals
• Disasters
• Space Science.