Australian Curriculum Science Content Years 7-9

Australian Curriculum: Science - Year of the Farmer PDplus links Note: the following curriculum links are a guide only.

General Capabilities – these student activities draw heavily on the following:    

Literacy ICT Critical and Creative Thinking Ethical Behaviour

Cross-Curriculum Capabilities – these student activities draw heavily on the following: 

Sustainability Content Structure Science Understanding Biological Sciences

Year Level

Structure & Function

Diversity & Evolution

Interdepend ence

Year 7

Interactions between organism can be described in terms of food chains and food webs; human activity can affect these interactions (ACSSU112) Station: Making News Explain: Article One

Year 8 Year 9

Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through these systems (ACSU176) Station: Making News Explain: Article One Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Chemical Sciences Properties & Structure

Interaction & Change

Earth & Space Sciences Systems in Space

Changes to the Earth

Predictable phenomena on Earth, including seasons and eclipses, are caused by the relative positions of the sun, Earth and the moon (ACSSU115) Explain: Article Three

Physical Sciences Transformation & Conservation of Energy

Forces & Motion

Content Structure Science as a Human Endeavour Year Level Year 7

Year 8

Nature & Development of Science Scientific knowledge changes as new evidence becomes available, and some scientific discoveries have significantly changed people’s understanding of the world (ACSHE119) Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three

Scientific knowledge changes as new evidence becomes available, and some scientific discoveries have significantly changed people’s understanding of the world (ACSHE134) Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three

Science knowledge can develop through collaboration and connecting ideas across the disciplines of science (ACSHE223) Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Time Travel

Science knowledge can develop through collaboration and connecting ideas across the disciplines of science (ACSHE226) Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Time Travel

Use & Influence of Science Science and Technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120) Stranded!

Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Philosophy Elaborate: Science Time Travel People use understanding and skills from across the disciplines of science in their occupations (ACSHE224) Elaborate: Bring Creative with Science Science and Technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135) Stranded!

Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Philosophy Elaborate: Science Time Travel People use understanding and skills from across the disciplines of science in their occupations (ACSHE227) Explain: Article Three

Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE121) Stranded!

Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Time Travel

Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE136) Stranded!

Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Time Travel

Year 9

Scientific understanding, including models and theories, are contestable and are refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community (ACSHE157) Explain: Article Two Elaborate: Science Philosophy

Advances in scientific understanding often rely on developments in technology and technological advances are often linked to scientific discoveries (ACSHE158) Explain: Article One Explain: Article Two Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Time Travel

People can use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they should accept claims, explanations or predictions (ACSHE160) Elaborate: Science Philosophy

Advances in science and emerging sciences can technologies can significantly affect people’s lives, including generating new career opportunities (ACSHE161) Explain: Article One Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Time Travel

The values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE228) Explain: Article One Explain: Article Three Elaborate: Science Time Travel

Content Structure Science Inquiry Skills Year Level Year 7

Questioning & Predicting Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS124) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Planning & Conducting Investigations Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed (ACSIS125) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

In fair tests, measure and control variables, and select equipment to collect data with accuracy appropriate to the task (ACSIS126) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Processing & Analysis data & information Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions (ACSIS130) Station: Selective Breeding Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Evaluating Use scientific knowledge and findings from investigations to evaluate claims (ACSIS132) Station: Food and the Future

Communicating Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS133) Elaborate: Communicating with graphics Elaborate: ICT Elaborate: ‘Me’ the Scientist

Year 8

Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS139) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed (ACSIS140) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions (ACSIS145) Station: Selective Breeding Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Use scientific knowledge and findings from investigations to evaluate claims (ACSIS234) Station: Food and the Future

Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS148) Elaborate: Communicating with graphics Elaborate: ICT Elaborate: ‘Me’ the Scientist

Analyse pattern and trends in data, including describing relationships between variables and identifying inconsistencies (ACSIS169) Station: Selective Breeding Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Evaluate conclusions, including identifying sources of uncertainty and possible alternative explanations, and describe specific ways to improve the quality of the data (ACSIS171) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Communicate scientific ideas and information for a particular purpose, including constructing evidence-based arguments and using appropriate scientific language, conventions and representations (ACSIS174) Elaborate: Communicating with graphics Elaborate: ICT Elaborate: ‘Me’ the Scientist

In fair tests, measure and control variables, and select equipment to collect data with accuracy appropriate to the task (ACSIS141) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure Year 9

Formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated scientifically (ACSIS164) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Plan, select and use appropriate investigation methods, including field work and laboratory experimentation, to collect reliable data; assess risk and address ethical issues associated with these methods (ACSIS165) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Select and use appropriate equipment, including digital technologies, to systematically and accurately collect and record data (ACSIS166) Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence (ACSIS170) Station: Selective Breeding Elaborate: Scientific Procedure

Critically analyse the validity of information in secondary sources and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems (ACSIS172)