Usually science class involves Bunsen burners and beakers – but Orange High School students had to ditch the practical tools for their Higher School Certificate Senior Science exam.
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Poppy Chippendale said thorough preparation had paid off with no big surprises in the three-hour exam.
“I spent a lot of time on every question and had 10 minutes to go over everything,” Miss Chippendale said.
“It was a lot easier than English. I was pleased with how I went.
“I would like to go into the medical profession, so science is an important subject to have.”
Meanwhile Rachael Hinds said working through experiments using only pen, paper, ruler and calculator could be tough.
“If we’ve done it in class we know what happens, but if its a new one, it can be a challenge,” Miss Hinds said.
“I found the experiment with AM and FM radio waves challenging, there’s always been some kind of problem with it, but my knowledge about it has grown.”
She said more confident with food chemistry and theory behind food preservatives and additives.
Science teacher Aaron Routh said many of the school’s 32 senior science students had attended a voluntary extension class which helped them prepare for the exam.
“It’s a mix of calculations and theory as well as questions based on practical work in class,” Mr Routh said.
“They have to know the experiment but they also have to know scientific method.”
Mr Routh said he would join a number of teachers in Wollongong later this year help mark science exams from across NSW.
KEY EXAMS FOR WEEK ONE
Thursday
- Personal development, health and physical education
- Engineering
- Tourism, travel and events (VET)
- Human services (VET)
Friday
- Modern history
- Earth and environmental science
- Business services (VET)