This term in Science, Stage 2 have been exploring the Living World and have investigated a range of life cycles, including frogs, butterflies, cicadas, the life of a tomato and the importance of bees in helping fruit and flowers to grow through the process of pollination. To deepen their understanding of how pollination works, we [...]
Yesterday, our Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students spent the day at the Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) Education Centre. The first part of the day was spent learning about the classification of insects. Students then created their own insects from clay and forest floor debris. After lunch the group went on a hike to [...]
Author: Dr Darryl Nelson, Head of Curriculum, Head of Faculty (Science) The Academies of Excellence Program at SMGS provides many opportunities to students, in multiple areas. Last year, through the Science Academy, two of our Year 11 students accepted the opportunity to work in a laboratory with some old colleagues of mine from my [...]
Our Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 classes have been learning about living things in their science classes this term. Yesterday they started preparing the vegetable garden, getting it ready for planting!
Earlier this year, SMGS students were recognised for their achievements in the ICAS Mathematics, ICAS English and RACI Chemistry Quiz. Our students’ impressive results are a testament to their hard work and the strong academic standards we promote at SMGS. According to the Educational Assessment Australia (EAA) website, over one million student entries are accepted [...]
At SMGS, we are preparing our students for current and future global communities, where emerging 21st century skills and thinking will be essential to thrive. It is no longer enough to pass on information to students; we must be teaching and inspiring students with what they can do with the information, equipped with advanced thinking [...]
Senior students accepting their Distinctions from outgoing Academic Captain Aaron Pottage. The ICAS Science results are in, and it proves yet again that academic standards at SMGS are strong. We administer the competition to all students in each cohort. This year, 34% of those students received a Merit or higher and it is [...]
Last week our Year 3 and 4 students collaborated with our Year 11 and 12 Chemistry class on a few experiments. Currently, our Year 3 and 4 students are studying a unit of work called ‘What’s the matter?’. In this unit, we look at the changes of state to materials when heat is added or [...]
An unknown bacterium being tested for antibiotic resistance. Image credit: D. Nelson The nature of Science is often not well understood. One of my friends recently described Science as “black and white” in comparison to another subject where subjectivity might play a part. In a Science examination, you're looking for specific information, but in [...]
SMGS Head of Stage 6 and Chemistry/Physics teacher, Dr Darryl Nelson, has had two Chemistry videos accepted for the Royal Australian Chemical Institute's (RACI) 100 Reactions series, celebrating their 100th anniversary. The two films that were accepted are: 1) The Oxidation States of Vanadium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn8S-tWJS4I 2) Flame Colours https://youtu.be/lbm9SddGp2E?list=PLH1M6iHMmRl4xtPyrC4yRr0EU2rCF9Q8G To learn more about the project, [...]
