Year 9 Marine Science Showcase
The Superlab looked a little different this week. Instead of simply listening, observing, and taking notes, the Year 9 Marine Science girls were at the front of the room teaching. Over the past several weeks, they have been planning and preparing their own marine science lessons for a very important audience, our Year 5 students.
When the Year 9 Marine Science Students Became the Teachers
As part of their Year 9 Marine Science curriculum, students worked in small groups to research a marine topic that genuinely interested them. The result was a diverse and engaging set of mini lessons on subjects including sea otters, luminescent sea squids, jellyfish, Ningaloo Reef, turtle conservation, and the remarkable adaptations that help sea animals survive in challenging environments.
Each group was responsible for shaping a polished six minute lesson that would both inform and hold the attention of younger students. That meant far more than gathering facts. The girls had to think carefully about structure, audience, delivery, visuals, and how to make complex ideas understandable and memorable for Year 5 learners.
Learning by Teaching
There is something different about preparing to teach. Students cannot rely on surface knowledge. They need to understand their topic well enough to explain it clearly, answer questions, and keep their audience engaged.
That challenge was on full display as the Year 9 students delivered their presentations with confidence, energy, and impressive depth of knowledge. Some groups leaned into interactive elements like the ring toss after talking about the blue ringed octopus. Others used strong visuals and clever explanations to draw the Year 5 girls in. Across the board, the standard was high, and more than one student looked very comfortable at the front of the room. The experience gave the Year 9 students an authentic opportunity to develop important real-world skills including communication, organisation, teamwork, leadership, and public speaking.
Just as importantly, the Year 5 girls were captivated. They were curious, attentive, and eager to learn from the older students in a setting that felt both supportive and exciting.
“I really liked the moon jellyfish group because they taught me heaps of facts including that they exist, they also were friendly and informative. They had items we could feel and see like pictures.” Lucia
“I enjoyed listening to the presentation about the gummy shark because I found out a lot of cool facts that I didn’t know about gummy sharks. I didn’t know that they had flat teeth. They answered all of our questions really well.” Niamh
A Shared Love of Marine Science
Projects like this show what science can look like when students are trusted to take ownership of their learning. It becomes more collaborative, more creative, and far more memorable.
Well done to all the students involved, and to Head of Science, Ailsa Harris and Science teachers Freida McLoughlin and Callum Tilak for guiding a learning experience that was thoughtful, practical, and full of energy. It was a wonderful example of students learning with and from one another, while sharing their growing passion for marine science.
- collaborative learning, learning by teaching, Marine Science Education, peer learning, public speaking skills, Santa Maria College, science communication, Student Leadership, Year 5 learning, Year 9 Marine Science
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
Weekly Wrap Up – Week 6 & 7, Term 2
