Course Summary

The Year 10  Science program is designed to develop students’ understanding of the natural and physical world while strengthening the knowledge and skills required for future science pathways. This course provides students with opportunities to explore key scientific concepts across biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science through theory, practical investigations, research and real-world applications.  
   
Studying Science enables students to develop the knowledge and skills needed for VCE pathways, future careers, innovation and informed decision-making. Through theory, research, practical investigations and real-world applications, students explore biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science while strengthening their ability to form hypotheses, conduct valid experiments, analyse data, evaluate claims and communicate evidence-based conclusions. Students also examine how scientific knowledge develops through evidence, peer review and critique, and consider how science, engineering and technology influence society.  

Learning Activities & Assessment

• Biology – Students learn about Infectious and Non-infectious Disease including disease transmission pathways, immune system responses, prevention and control strategies, lifestyle risk factors, and the role of public health initiatives.  

• Earth and Space Science – Students explore the Universe’s structure, features and origins, the models for understanding our Universe, and the advances in technology leading to space exploration  

• Chemistry – Students connect their understanding of chemical reactions and reaction rates to real-world applications across environmental, industrial and everyday contexts. By analysing data and applying concepts such as the Law of Conservation of Mass and collision theory, students recognise how the same principles guide large-scale industrial processes – such as controlling reaction rates in chemical manufacturing, refining metals, or producing pharmaceuticals – to improve efficiency and reduce waste. Students learn that chemical reactions are not abstract events, but the foundation of how materials are produced, energy is managed, and environmental impacts are minimised in the modern world.  

• Physics – Students build upon core physics ideas, such as forces, motion, momentum and energy, to real-world situations. By analysing experimental data and applying Newton’s laws, students recognise how these principles underpin the movement of objects in everyday life.