Pennant Hills High School

Responsibility Integrity Achievement

Telephone02 9473 5000

Emailpennanthil-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Stage 6 Science

Stage 6 Science

Science is very popular at Pennant Hills High School and there is often multiple classes of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Students tend to continue their study of these subjects into their HSC

The syllabus for each of these subjects can be downloaded from the NESA website.  https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/stage-6/

Agriculture

Agriculture provides students with the opportunity to study the interactions between the components of agricultural production, marketing and management, while giving consideration to the issue of sustainability of the farming system. It places greater emphasis on farm management to maximise productivity and environmental sustainability. This is an 'on-farm', environment-oriented course. A Farm Product Study is used as a basis for analysing and addressing social, environmental and economic issues as they relate to sustainability.

Year 11 Students study The Importance of Agriculture, Plant and Animal Production and a Farm Case Study.

Year 12 Students continue with the Plant and Animal Production, a Farm Product study and one elective from Agri-food, Fibre and Fuel Technologies , Climate Challenge or Farming for the 21st Century .

Biology

Biology provides students with the opportunity to learn about variations in the structures and functions of organisms and provides an understanding of the effects of the environment on living things. Students investigate reproduction, inheritance patterns and the causes of genetic variation. Applications of this knowledge in biotechnology and genetic technologies are explored.

The Year 11 course investigates cellular structure and provides a base for understanding the way in which multicellular organisms transport and absorb nutrients and carry out gas exchange. Exploring variations in the structures and functions of organisms provides an understanding of the effects of the environment on living things and how this leads to biodiversity.

The Year 12 course investigates reproduction, inheritance patterns and the causes of genetic variation in both plants and animals. Applications of this knowledge in biotechnology and various genetic technologies are explored in the light of their uses in the treatment, prevention and control of infectious and non-infectious diseases.

Chemistry

Chemistry provides students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to properties and structures of matter and a variety of chemical reactions incorporating organic compounds and acid/base equilibrium reactions.

The Year 11 course develops the knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to the properties and structures of matter, the types and drivers of chemical reactions and how we measure the quantities involved in these processes.

The Year 12 course builds on the concepts introduced in Year 11 by examining particular classes of chemicals, processes and a variety of chemical reactions which incorporate organic compounds and acid/base equilibrium reactions. The course challenges students to apply this knowledge to the investigation of a range of methods used in identifying and measuring quantities of chemicals which leads to an understanding of the structure, properties and trends of and between classes of chemicals

Earth and Environmental Science

Earth and Environmental Science provides students with the opportunity to learn about the compositional layers of the Earth and investigate how processes of plate tectonics, the formation of water and the introduction of life interact with different spheres and climate.

The Year 11 course investigates compositional layers of the Earth, the origins of minerals, tectonic movements and energy transformations and includes the study of human impact on the Earth’s resources and its surface.

The Year 12 course investigates how the processes of plate tectonics, the formation of water and the introduction of life interact with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and climate. Investigation of hazards, the mitigation of their effects and resource management are also considered, which leads to an understanding of the need to centralise the theme of sustainability for the long-term welfare of our planet and all forms of life dependent upon it.

Physics

Physics provides students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to the study of motion. Students examine energy in its different forms, and how we describe and measure electricity and magnetism and their interrelated effects.

The Year 11 course develops student’s knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to the study of motion, how we describe it and what causes it. The course also examines energy in its different forms and how we describe and measure electricity and magnetism and their interrelated effects.

The Year 12 course provides avenues for students to apply the concepts they were introduced to in Year 11 to motion in two dimensions, electromagnetism, theories of light, the atom and the Universe.