Explore content
Science
The Australian Curriculum addresses learning about food and fibre predominantly in Design and Technologies and F-6/7HASS/Geography, however there are opportunities to make connections with aspects of Science, in particular biological sciences and science as a human endeavour.
The Australian Curriculum: Science has three interrelated strands: science understanding, science as a human endeavour and science inquiry skills. Together, the three strands of the Science curriculum provide students with understanding, knowledge and skills through which they can develop a scientific view of the world. Students are challenged to explore science, its concepts, nature and uses through clearly described inquiry processes.
Foundation
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content description with elaborations:
Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002)
- identifying the needs of humans such as warmth, food and water, using students’ own experiences
- recognising the needs of living things in a range of situations such as pets at home, plants in the garden and animals in bushland
- comparing the needs of plants and animals
Year 1
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Living things have a variety of external features (ACSSU017)
- recognising common features of animals such as head, legs and wings
- describing the use of animal body parts for particular purposes such as moving and feeding
- identifying common features of plants such as leaves and roots
- describing the use of plant parts for particular purposes such as making food, and obtaining water
Living things live in different places where their needs are met (ACSSU211)
- exploring different habitats in the local environment such as the beach, bush, bush and backyard
Science as a human endeavour
Nature and development of science
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE021)
- jointly constructing questions about the events and features of the local environment with teacher guidance
People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things (ACSHE022)
- considering how science is used in activities such as cooking, fishing, transport, sport, medicine, and caring for plants and animals
Year 2
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves (ACSSU030)
- recognising that living things have predictable characteristics at different stages of development
- exploring different characteristics of life stages in animals such as egg, caterpillar and butterfly
- observing that all animals have offspring, usually with two parents
Science as a human endeavour
Nature and development of science
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE034)
- describing everyday events and experiences and changes in our environment using knowledge of science
- suggesting how everyday items work, using knowledge of forces or materials
- identifying and describing sources of water
Use and influence of science
Content descriptions with elaborations:
People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things (ACSHE035)
- identifying the ways humans manage and protect resources, such as reducing waste and caring for water supplies
- recognising that many living things rely on resources that may be threatened, and that science understanding can contribute to the preservation of such resources
Year 3
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content description with elaborations:
Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU044)
- recognising characteristics of living things such as growing, moving, sensitivity and reproducing
- recognising the range of different living things
- exploring differences between living, once living and products of living things
Science as a human endeavour
Nature and development of science
Content description with elaborations:
Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE050)
- making predictions about change and events in our environment
Use and influence of science
Content description with elaborations:
Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE051)
- investigating how science helps people such as nurses, doctors, dentists, mechanics and gardeners
Year 4
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Living things have life cycles (ACSSU072)
- making and recording observations of living things as they develop through their life cycles
- describing the stages of life cycles of different living things such as insects, birds, frogs and flowering plants
- comparing life cycles of animals and plants
- recognising that environmental factors can affect life cycles such as fire and seed germination
Living things, depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073)
- investigating how plants, provide shelter for animals
- investigating the roles of living things in a habitat, for instance producers, consumers or decomposers
- recognising that interactions between living things may be competitive or mutually beneficial
Earth and space sciences
Content description with elaborations:
Earth’s surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity (ACSSU075)
- exploring a local area that has changed as a result of natural processes, such as an eroded gully, sand dunes or river banks
- investigating the characteristics of soils
- considering how different human activities cause erosion of the Earth’s surface
- considering the effect of events such as floods and extreme weather on the landscape, both in Australia and in the Asia region
Use and influence of science
Content description with elaborations:
Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062)
- investigating how a range of people, such as clothing designers, builders or engineers use science to select appropriate materials for their work
- considering methods of waste management and how they can affect the environment
- exploring how science has contributed to a discussion about an issue such as loss of habitat for living things or how human activity has changed the local environment
- considering how to minimise the effects of erosion caused by human activity
Year 5
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)
- exploring general adaptations for particular environments such as adaptations that aid water conservation in deserts
Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE083)
- considering how best to ensure growth of plants
Year 6
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content description with elaborations:
The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094)
- investigating how changing the physical conditions for plants impacts on their growth and survival such as salt water, use of fertilizers and soil types
Earth and space sciences
Content description with elaborations:
Sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earth’s surface (ACSSU096)
- considering the effect of drought on living and non-living aspects of the environment
Science as a human endeavour
Use and influence of science
Content description with elaborations:
Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE100)
- recognising that science can inform choices about where people live and how they manage natural disasters
Year 7
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content description with elaborations:
Interactions between organisms, including the effects of human activities can be represented by food chains and food webs (ACSSU112)
- constructing and interpreting food webs to show relationships between organisms in an environment
- investigating the effect of human activity on local habitats, such as deforestation, agriculture or the introduction of new species
Earth and space sciences
Content description with elaborations:
Some of Earth’s resources are renewable including water that cycles through the environment but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116)
- investigating factors that influence the water cycle in nature
- exploring how human management of water impacts on the water cycle
Science as a human endeavour
Nature and development of science
Content description with elaborations:
Science knowledge can develop through collaboration across the disciplines of science, and the contributions of people from a range of cultures (ACSHE223)
Elaborations:
- considering how water use and management relies on knowledge from different areas of science, and involves the application of technology
- identifying the contributions of Australian scientists to the study of human impact on environments including local environmental management projects
- investigating how land management practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can help inform sustainable management of the environment
- recognising that traditional and Western scientific knowledge can be used in combination to care for Country and Place
Use and influence of science
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120)
- considering issues relating to the use and management of water within a community
- considering how human activity in the community can have positive and negative effects on the sustainability of natural and managed ecosystems
- investigating ways to control the spread of introduced animals and plants such as the cane toad and nut grass
People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE121)
- investigating how advances in science and technology have been applied to the treatment, of water in industrial and household systems
- investigating how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge is being used to inform scientific decisions, for example care of waterways
- researching the different scientific responses to rabbit plagues in Australian agricultural areas
- recognising that water management plays a role in areas such as farming, land management and gardening
- considering how seasonal changes affect people in a variety of activities such as farming
Year 8
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Cells are the basic units of living things and have specialised structures and functions (ACSSU149)
- recognising that some organisms consist of a single cell
- recognising that cells reproduce via cell division
- describing mitosis as cell division for growth and repair
Multi-cellular organisms contain systems of organs that carry out specialised functions that enable them to survive and reproduce (ACSSU150)
- comparing similar systems in different organisms such as digestive systems in herbivores and carnivores, respiratory systems in fish and mammals
- distinguishing between asexual and sexual reproduction
Science as a human endeavour
Nature and development of science
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Scientific knowledge has changed people’s understanding of the world and is refined as new evidence becomes available (ACSHE134)
- investigating developments in the understanding of cells and how this knowledge has impacted on areas such as health, medicine
Science knowledge can develop through collaboration across the disciplines of science and the contributions of people from a range of cultures (ACSHE226)
- researching the use of reproductive technologies and how developments in this field rely on scientific knowledge from different areas of science
Use and influence of science
Content description with elaborations:
People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE136)
- describing how technologies have been applied to modern farming, forestry and fisheries techniques to improve yields and sustainability
- describing the impact of plant cloning techniques (asexual production) in agriculture such as horticulture, fruit production and vineyards
- recognising the role of knowledge of the environment and ecosystems in a number of occupations
- recognising the role of knowledge of cells and cell divisions in the area of disease treatment and control
Year 9
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content description with elaborations:
Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through these systems (ACSSU176)
- exploring interactions between organisms such as predator/prey, parasites, competitors, pollinators and disease
- examining factors that affect population sizes such as seasonal changes, destruction of habitats, introduced species
- investigating how ecosystems change as a result of events such as bushfires, drought and flooding
Science as a human endeavour
Use and influence of science
Content description with elaborations:
People can use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they should accept claims, explanations or predictions and advances in science can affect people’s lives including generating new career opportunities (ACSHE160)
- considering the impacts of human activity on an ecosystem from a range of different perspectives
Year 10
Science Understanding
Biological sciences
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Characteristics from one generation to the next involves DNA and genes (ACSSU184)
- controlling the characteristics of organisms
- recognising that genetic information passed on to offspring is from both parents by meiosis and fertilisation
- describing mutations as changes in DNA or chromosomes and outlining the factors that contribute to causing mutations
The theory of evolution by natural selection explains the diversity of living things and is supported by a range of scientific evidence (ACSSU185)
- outlining processes involved in natural selection including variation, isolation and selection
- investigating changes caused by natural selection in a particular population as a result of a specified selection pressure such as artificial selection in breeding for desired characteristics
Science knowledge and understanding
Earth and space sciences
Content description with elaborations:
Global systems, including the carbon cycle, rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere (ACSSU189)
- investigating how human activity affects global systems
- modelling a cycle, such as the water, carbon, nitrogen or phosphorous cycle within the biosphere
- examining the factors that drive the deep ocean currents, their role in regulating global climate, and their effects on marine life
Science as a human endeavour
Nature and development of science
Content descriptions with elaborations:
Scientific understanding, including models and theories, is contestable and is refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community (ACSHE191)
- considering the role of science in identifying and explaining the causes of climate change
Advances in scientific understanding often rely on technological advances and are often linked to scientific discoveries (ASHE192)
- considering how computer modelling has improved knowledge and predictability of phenomena such as climate change and atmospheric pollution
Use and influence of science
Content descriptions with elaborations:
People can use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims, explanations or predictions and advances in science can affect people’s lives including generating new career opportunities (ACSHE194)
- considering the scientific knowledge used in discussions relating to climate change
- investigating the applications of gene technologies such as gene therapy, genetic engineering
The values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE230)
- considering the use of genetic testing for decisions such as genetic counselling, embryo selection, identification of carriers of genetic mutations and the use of this information for personal use or by organisation such as insurance companies or medical facilities