Emmanuel Catholic College Science Department

Year 9 Science Program – Semester One 2018

Term 1

Number
Week of Learning Goals Activities Assessment
lessons
Week 1 Introduction ACTIVITY: Lab
29/1-2/2  Laboratory safety procedures and guidelines. safety rules
2
 Introduction to content and unit outline. refresher kahoot
 Review of lab rules.
Week 2 Ecology ACTIVITY: Label or
5/2-9/2  Define biosphere, ecosystem, biotic, abiotic, habitat, population draw carbon cycle
and community. diagram
4  Describe an ecosystem as the interaction between the abiotic
conditions and the biotic community.
 Explain the flow of energy in an ecosystem in terms of origins,
flow and recycling.
Week 3 Ecology
12/2-16/2  Provide examples of abiotic factors such as light, temperature,
pH, and water quality and oxygen availability in various
ecosystem
 Provide examples of biotic factors in various ecosystem
4
 Explain how organisms relate within a species through
collaboration, mating, symbiosis, commensalism, parasitism
and competition.
 Describe non-symbiotic relationships, including predator-prey
relationships.
  Using the concept of food chains and food webs identify the
main factors that increase and decrease population size.

Week 4 Ecology VIDEO: David Ecology Test

19/2-23/2  Define emigration and migration. Attenborough (20%)
 Define biological control, disease and immune. predators
Swimming
4  Example: Describe the effects rabbit have on Australia
Carnival ecosystems. Stile lesson
21/2  Explain why Myxoma is no longer effective in most parts of
Australia.

Week 5 Ecology PRACTICAL: Onion

26/2-2/3  Draw and label cross-section of a leaf. investigation:
 Describe the functions of the cells inside the leaf – wax cuticle, Testing for sugar
Yr 9 upper epidermis, palisade mesophyll, spongy mesophyll, guard (benedict’s test)
Bushrangers cells and stomata chloroplasts.
Camp  State the word equation for photosynthesis.
4
28/2-2/3  Relating photosynthesis to explain that energy is passed
through ecosystems through food chains in the form of glucose.
 Example: Describe some of the adaptions some Australian
plants have to fire.
 Explain the detrimental affect of flood and drought to both
terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
Week 6 Ecology
5/3-9/3
Labor Day  Relate increasing human populations with ecological impacts
5/3 directly related to increased carbon dioxide in the ocean causing it
3 to become acidic (coral bleaching) and the green sea turtle.
Year 9 Bush
Rangers
Camp
7-9/3
 Week 7 Chemistry VIDEO: TedEd: How
12/3-16/3 Big is an Atom?
 Define atomic theory – all matter is made up of atoms.
 Describe the evidence that supports atomic theory. VIDEO: The periodic
 Draw and define protons, neutrons, electrons and nucleus. table song
 Introduce the periodic table and element symbols – first 20 plus
silver, gold, iron, copper and lead. ACTIVITY: Element
 Define mass number and periodic table. bingo
4  Describe how the elements are ordered on the periodic table.
 Name the following features on the periodic table – periods,
groups, noble gases, halogens, alkali metals, alkali Earth
metals, transition metals and non-metals
 Calculate mass number.
 Calculating the number of electrons and protons.
 Explain the difference between atomic number and atomic
mass.

Week 8  Describe the characteristics of acidic and basic substances OXFORD: Practical: Acid and Base
19/3-23/3  Provide examples of acids and bases Flame Test 7.4 Investigation
 Explain the structure of the pH scale – 7 is neutral, < 7 is acidic (20%)
and > 7 is basic
 Use universal indicator and litmus paper to determine the pH
4 of a substance
 Understand that a reaction between an acid and a base is
called a neutralisation reaction. Use chemical and word
equation examples.


Week 9 Chemistry
26/3-30/3  Define the term ion and explain the formation of them through
the loss of gain of electrons.
3
Good Friday  Understand that ions that gain electrons become anions with
30/3 a negative charge.
 Understand that ions that lose electrons become cations with
 a positive charge.
 Students are able to identify patterns on the periodic table and
within the elements themselves of charges and why they have
that valency.
 Students are able to begin combining anions and cations
formulae correctly. Using symbols and names.
 Electron shell diagrams
Week 10 Chemical Reactions
2/4-6/4  Define reactants and products
Easter  Describe the law of conservation of mass
Monday
2/4 2

Easter
Tuesday
3/4
Week 11 Chemical Reactions
9/4-13/4
 Investigate and write example word and chemical equations for
Emmanuel basic chemical reactions (decomposition, synthesis)
Day 2  Balancing simple equations
9/4

X-country
13/4
Term 2

Number
Week of Learning Goals Activities Assessment
lessons
Week 1 Theory of Conservation of Mass
30/4-4/5
Start  Review the theory of conservation of mass. Understand that
1/5 during a chemical reaction atoms are not created or destroyed
but they are rearranged.
 Define ‘reactants’ as the chemical species present at the start of
a reaction.
3
 Define ‘products’ as the chemical species present at the end of a
reaction.
 Write a word equation to represent the conversion of reactants to
products in a particular reaction
 Use chemical formulae to write a chemical equation to represent
the conversion of reactants to products in a particular reaction.

Week 2 Chemical Formula

7/5-11/5  Identify chemical reactions from word equations and use
common compound formula and names.
Interhouse  Understand that a chemical reaction must be balanced (same
athletics number and types of atoms both before and after the arrow).
carnival 3
Investigate and write example word and chemical equations for
11/5 basic chemical reactions (decomposition, synthesis)
 Balancing simple equations

Week 3 Energy in a Chemical Reaction Exothermic and

14/5-18/5  Understand that energy is needed in a reaction to break the Endothermic
4 reactant bonds. Reaction Practicals:
NAPLAN  Understand that energy can be absorbed or released in a Making a hand
15/5-17/5 chemical reaction. warmer.
  Define an exothermic reaction as one in which energy is released
to the surroundings. Hydrogen gas test
 Define an endothermic reaction as one in which energy is
absorbed from the surroundings.

Review of Acid/Base
 Review acid and base properties from term 1:
o Describe the properties of acids; contain at least one
hydrogen atom, tend to react with metals, taste sour, low
pH.
o Describe the properties of bases; high pH, taste bitter,
slippery to touch, react with fats/oil.
o List examples of common acids and bases
o Define pH as a measure of the amount of hydrogen ions
in a solution.
o Litmus and universal indicator are used to determine the
pH of various solutions.

Neutralisation
 Understand that a reaction between an acid and a base is called
a neutralisation reaction. Identify the products of neutralisation
reactions as salt and water. Use chemical and word equation
examples.

Week 4 Neutralisation Task 4: Test 3:

21/5-25/5 Chemical
 Understand a reaction between acid and a metal Reactions Test
carbonate/bicarbonate produces salt, water and carbon dioxide. (20%). (21/5).
Use chemical and word equation examples.
4  Understand the reaction between acids and metals produce salt
and hydrogen. Use chemical and word equation examples.

Combustion
 Understand that a combustion reaction involves a fuel reacting
with oxygen.
  Explain that energy is released during a combustion reaction.
 Explain how the products of combustion reactions can affect the
environment.
 Identify respiration as a combustion reaction.
 Write balanced chemical equations for combustion reactions.

Oxidation
 Understand that oxygen and metal react to form metal oxide.
 Use simple chemical and word equation examples.
o Magnesium and oxygen
o Iron and Oxygen
 Identify oxidation reactions as exothermic.
 Describe rust as a oxidation reaction.

Week 5 Radioactivity Task 5: Inquiry

28/5-1/6  Explain what is meant by term ‘Radioactivity’ in relation to 2: Radiation
elements and atoms. Inquiry: HAND
 Explain background radiation OUT 31/5. (1
2  Explain how radioisotopes exist and the processes they go lessons in
through to become stable. class 31/5).
 Compare Alpha, Beta and Gamma Radiation: properties and
uses of each.

Week 6 Radiation Task 5: Inquiry

4/6-8/6  Use Half-Life calculations and explain how we apply this to 2: Radiation
radioisotopes. Inquiry: (1
Public  Elaborate on the different types of radiation, its effects and how lessons in
Holiday 3 class 5/6). Due
we are using radiation in the world around us.
4/6  Identify the uses of Radiation in Medicine: X-rays, Radioactive 7/6.
dye, technetium-99m biphosphate bone scan.

Week 7 Plate Tectonics
11/6-15/6 3  Identify prior understanding through questioning about creation
and causes of mountains and earthquakes.
  Identify and label the layers of the Earth and common
properties of each layer. These layers include the Crust,
Mantle, Inner Core and Outer Core.
 Explain the concept of plate tectonics and label the different
plates.
 Explain movement of plate tectonics and provide evidence of
this. They should be able to identify the scientists credited with
the development.

Heat Energy:
 Explain the movement of heat energy using plate tectonics and
convection currents

Week 8 Tectonic Plate Movements Case study:

18/6-22/6  Explain concepts of diverging and converging plates and the Architecture and
results of this movement also looking at the potential effects of building design in
transform boundaries. This causes of these movements need to Japan and New
be related to convection currents and movement in the mantle. Zealand
 Explain how new islands are being formed and the continual
4 changes that are happening to the continents and how Earth
will change in its appearance.
 Use knowledge of tectonic plate movement to explain the
movement that will be occurring in the future and how this will
change in the years to come.

Week 9 Tectonic Plate Movements STEM Task Card:

25/6-29/6 build a structure that
 Use knowledge of tectonic plates to explain the natural disasters can withstand an
4 and phenomenon they create. earthquake
 Research into natural disasters, measurements and
precautionary measures.
TERM 3
Number
Week of Learning Goals Activities Assessment
lessons
Week 1 Responding to Stimuli and Sense Organs
16/7-20/7  Briefly recall the various systems within the human body. Such
as Nervous, Circulatory, Digestive and Respiratory and relate to
changes and responses in this system.
 Review the 7 requirements of life: using MRS GREN. Link these
requirements to each of the body systems.
 Briefly discuss that we will focus this on the co-ordination of the
systems that help us respond to changes in the environment
namely nervous and endocrine
3  Explain and define a stimulus and are able to provide
explanations through examples. Understand that the body
responds to stimuli – changes in the environment (external
stimuli) and changes within the body (internal stimuli).
 Define the term homeostasis and relate to stimuli and responses.
 External: light, pressure, gravity, sound, chemicals, temperature.
 Internal: temperature, gas/pH/solute concentrations, osmotic
potential

Week 2 Sense Organs Senses practicals:

23/7-27/7  List the sense organs and how we detect stimuli using the sense test touch response
organs: eye, ear, tongue, nose, skin.
 Explain how each of the sense organs structures assists them in
4 detection of stimuli.
 5 types of receptors within the sense organs.
 Identify the different parts within the ear and how they work
together to allow us to hear the sound waves.
Week 3 The Eye Cow eye dissection
30/7-3/8  Focus on the eye; anatomy of eye, function of rods and cones.
 Label diagram of the eye.
 Dissection of a cow eye (Discuss animal ethics)
4  Identify different types of eye defects/dysfunctions: myopia,
hyperopia, colour-blindness, cataracts, astigmatism.
 Investigate cornea transplant and laser eye surgery.

Week 4 Energy and Transfer of Heat Energy Task 1: Test

6/8-10/8  Recall that there are different forms of energy (heat, light, sound, 1: Sense
electricity etc.). organs
 Recall that matter is made up of particles that are arranged and
behave differently in solids, liquids and gases.

Light Energy
 Understand that there is a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation.
 Explain that light is a form of electromagnetic radiation and light
energy moves as a transverse wave.
 Draw a labelled diagram of a light wave.
 Define wavelength as the distance between successive crests or
4 troughs in a light wave.
 Describe a transparent substance as one that light passes
straight through and objects on the other side can be clearly
seen.
 Describe a translucent substance as one that light passes
through but objects on the other side appear distorted (not seen
clearly).
 Describe an opaque substance as one that light can’t pass
through.
 List examples of transparent, translucent and opaque
substances.
 Explain that when light hits a shiny surface (mirror) the light is
reflected (bounces off).
  State the Law of Reflection: when light hits a smooth shiny
surface it bounces off at the same angle from which it came (the
angle of incidence = the angle of reflection).
 Understand that the ‘normal’ is the line perpendicular to the
surface of the medium.
 Draw a labelled diagram to show the reflection of light by a plane
mirror

Week 5 Science week activities

13/8-17/8  Science Week Activities
3

Week 6 Light Energy Light and mirrors

20/8-24/8  Understand that when light hits a curved mirror the law of
reflection results in the image being distorted because the
reflected light rays either converge or diverge.
 Draw labelled diagrams to illustrate the behaviour of light hitting
concave and convex mirrors.
 Understand that refraction is the bending of light as it moves
between mediums of different density.
 Explain that when light passes from a less dense medium into a
denser medium it bends towards the normal (e.g. air into water).
4  Explain that when light passes from a denser medium into a less
dense medium it bends away from the normal (e.g. water into
air).
 Draw diagrams to illustrate the refraction of light energy and
show the apparent position of objects.
 Recall that ‘white light’ is actually a combination of light waves
with different frequencies and wavelengths.
 Recall that red light has a lower frequency and wavelength than
blue light.
 Understand that dispersion of light is the splitting of white light
into the colours of the rainbow (ROYGBIV).
 

Week 7 Wave Energy

27/8-31/8  Recall that some forms of energy travel by means of waves.
 Understand that energy can travel via transverse waves or
compression waves.
 Examine wave energy diagrams and identify the type of wave
(transverse or compression).

Sound Energy
 Explain that sound energy travels using compression waves
4 generated by a vibrating object.
 Define wavelength as the distance between successive
compressions or rarefactions in a sound wave.
 Define frequency as the number of vibrations or per second
 Define amplitude as the maximum distance that each particle in a
wave moves away from its usual resting position.
 Understand that the period of a wave relates to the time it takes
for one complete wavelength to occur.
 Draw a labelled diagram of a sound wave.

Week 8 Sound Energy Task 2: Test

3/9-7/9  Understand that human hearing relies on vibrations being 2: Energy
transferred from the air, through the various parts of the ear and
the auditory nerve that sends signals to the brain.
 Identify the main parts of the human ear.
 Describe the relationship between the frequency of a sound and
4 its pitch (higher frequency = high pitch).
 Describe the relationship between the amplitude of a sound wave
and the intensity (loudness) of the sound (large amplitude = more
intense sound).
 State that sound energy is measured in units called decibels.
 Explain the relationship between the number of decibels and the
thresholds of pain and hearing.
 Week 9
10/9-14/9 Energy and Transfer for Heat Energy
 Define conduction as the transfer of energy through the collisions
of particles.
 List substances that are good conductors of heat energy as well
as substances that are poor conductors of heat energy.
 Define convection as the transfer of heat energy through the
movement of particles in a fluid (warmer and less dense rises,
cooler and more dense sinks)
4
 Use the particle model of matter to explain the transfer of heat
energy via conduction and convection.
 Explain that convection currents in the atmosphere cause sea
breezes.
Electricity
 Define electric charge, electrons, protons, electrostatic charge,
electric circuit, electrical conductor, electrical insulator and
semiconductor

Week 10 Electricity BRAIN BOX Task 3: Inquiry:

7/9-21/9  Describe the difference between static electricity and electric Practical and
current Validation:
4  Identify the key components of an electric circuit Conductors:
 Define electric current and circuit diagrams electricity and
 Provide examples of circuit components and identify their heat
diagram symbols
  Explain how an ammeter measures current
 Draw appropriate circuit diagrams
 Define series, parallel and short circuit
 Describe the differences in arrangement of series and parallel
circuits

TERM 4
Number
Week of Learning Goals Activities Assessment
lessons
Week 1 Endocrine System Hormone flow chart
8/10-12/10  Explain the concept of systems working together in our body
8/10 Pupil and that we have two systems to assist in response to stimuli:
Free Day endocrine and nervous.
3  Label a diagram of the endocrine system showing major glands
 Identify organ/gland, hormone, target area and main effects of
several key human hormones (Insulin, Oestrogen, testosterone,
adrenaline and the pituitary gland and thyroid)

Week 2 Endocrine System

15/10-19/10  Briefly explain the concept of homeostasis and briefly describe
4 the process of thermoregulation.
 Endocrine system scan develop disorders and not respond
correctly.
  Use Diabetes as example of explaining disorder and disease in
the endocrine system: compare normal pancreatic functions to
those of a diabetic person.

Week 3 Nervous System Task 4:

22/10-26/10  Introduce the nervous system; compare the fast control of Inquiry 2:
nerves to the slow control of hormones. Nervous
 State, describe and label the organs of the nervous system system &
4 including brain, spinal cord and nerves. Explain their role in the Cannabis
system Case study

Research Task

Week 4 Brain & Neurons Brain

29/10-2/11  Explain the structure of a neuron and briefly how the neuron dissection/demo
works efficiently. Use terms such as axon, myelin sheath,
dendrites, synapses and neurotransmitters.
 Identify the 3 different types of neurons. Describe the different
4
functions of each.
 Identify and label the parts of the brain and the basic function of
each. Occipital lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, frontal lobe,
Cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hypothalamus.

Week 5 Disease and Pathogen Agar plates and

5/11-9/11  Define the terms disease and pathogens. growing bacteria.
 Give examples of pathogens and their unique features.
(Flatworm, Fungus, Protozoan, Bacterium, Virus, Prion)
 Explain the germ theory.
4  Distinguish and give examples of infectious and non-infectious
diseases

Immunity
 Students explain that as a response to pathogens and disease
our body has an Immune System that acts to protect against
 foreign invaders. Students define each line of defence through
its components and role in the body. This includes terms such at
phagocytes, antigen, antibodies and vaccination.
 Treatment of infectious diseases. Discuss use of antibiotics
Week 6 Research:
12/11-16/11 When things go wrong with the immune system and developments
in technology
Type 2 Diabetes
Artificial Skin
4
Vaccinations
Development of Antibiotics and Creation
Allergies: anaphylaxis
Autoimmune diseases

Week 7 Revision
19/11-23/11 4

Week 8 Year 9 Exam week Task 5: Exam

26/11-30/11

Week 9 Review exam

3/12-7/12 4
STEM task cards and activities.