At the focal point of our Science program, we link hands-on experiment-based lessons, with engaging content-based inquiry. Students are encouraged to ask big questions, and are prompted through real world concepts and problems. We incorporate both Primary Connections, as a literacy-based program, and Inquisitive, as an inquiry-based program, to deliver fun, engaging lessons catered towards student interest and learning needs. Across the year, our curriculum is delivered through the main strands of the Western Australian curriculum; Chemical, Physical, Biological, and, Earth and Space Science.
Inquisitive is an investigation-based program, which sparks an interest in Science topics. Children are surprised, challenged and asked to make choices. Each unit has a key inquiry question from the curriculum. Students are presented with stimulus resources to spark interest, and then guided with the skills and concepts needed for the inquiry. This may include time to research, experiment and gather information required to concrete key concepts in the science curriculum. The program considers the main misconceptions students have throughout their science learning, and hones into them, allowing students time to challenge their thinking and breakthrough in their learning.
Students in Year’s 4-6 are part of our Specialist Science program, which continues to extend students’ scientific understanding through inquiry and research-based topics. We have strong links to SciTech, with incursions and excursions provided for each strand of the curriculum each semester. Opportunities for students to extend their science knowledge and understanding is offered during incursions and excursions, which link directly to what children are learning at classroom level. The link to real-world situations allows students to bridge their learning and extend their knowledge. Students are encouraged to ask big questions, and challenge their own learning through inquiry and research-based content.
Greenwood Primary School also have a link with the CSIRO STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Professionals Learning Program. We create and support long term, professional partnerships between school teachers and volunteer STEM professionals – bringing the knowledge and expertise of people who live and breathe STEM together with the teaching expertise of teachers to enrich student learning. The partnerships involve a two-way exchange of professional expertise and being long-term, there is the opportunity for the partnership between the teacher and the STEM professional to deepen and strengthen over time.
We also have a strong link to our feeder high school, Warwick Senior High School. Students in the specialist program have opportunity to visit Warwick SHS and experiment in their laboratories as real-scientists would. Lead teachers from Warwick SHS collaborate with our Specialist Science teacher to ensure consistency and efficiency between the primary and high school science programs. We believe this link is critical in ensuring students are prepared for their science high school experiences, and enthused by all things inquiry and science.
In conclusion, we believe a student’s spark for inquiry and challenges should be celebrated. Critical thinking skills are necessary for children’s development and success as a young learner, and they deserve the opportunity to be extended through meaningful, real-world questions and investigations.