WORKING WITH CURRICULUM
Science
In this section:
- Science expert – with Professor Denis Goodrum – describes the essentials in science learning – video/workshop
- What ‘Adelaideans’ think about science – video/workshop
- Science animation (essence) – key elements of the Australian Curriculum science learning area – video
- Science ‘Bringing it to Life’ [BitL] – questioning tool: students thinking scientifically – interactive resource
- Science BitL printables – posters, placemats, questioning tools & overviews to use with F-10 students – print
- Audio series about the big ideas/concepts (conceptual narratives) – in science that grow in complexity across the year levels – audio
- Science booklets (conceptual narratives – print) – taking the big ideas/concepts to practical classroom science learning tasks F-10 – print
- Designing learning in science for multi-age classes – Professor Martin Westwell explains – video
- Science explorer – the science curriculum at a glance – 1 reference page for each year level – print
- Science Wordles – identifying the core ideas of each section of the science curriculum – resources
- STEM animation (essence) – unpacking STEM (science is one discipline within STEM) – video
- The ‘Randomiser’ tool – bringing together Science as a human endeavour and content – video / interactive online tool
- Misconceptions in science – in each science understanding – interactive resource
1. Science expert
Professor Denis Goodrum – science
Video (1.49 mins)
Denis Goodrum is Executive Consultant, Science by Doing at the Australian Academy of Science.
Here he speaks about the essentials of science learning.
Downloads:
Science workshop – expert voice
The essentials of science – the essentials in science learning
2. What ‘Adelaideans’ think about science
Video (2.14 mins)
Teachers, students and community members talk about what they think science is for.
This video clip promotes discussions to reflect on what we believe science is for and what we want our students to take forward into their lives from it. We call this the essence of the learning area.
Downloads:
Science workshop – Sound bites
(PDF, 383KB)
What ‘Adelaideans’ think about science
3. Science animation – What is it for?
Video (3.41 mins)
From a video animation series describing the essence of each learning area and how the components of the learning area work together
These animations describe the essence of each learning area and how the components of the Australian Curriculum learning area can work together to create powerful, relevant learning experiences for our students.
4. Maths ‘Bringing it to Life’ [BitL]
A process tool that demonstrates how we can bring together what we want students to learn and how we want them to learn it – to engage our students in deep learning.
*Click the ‘enlarge icon’ to access the full benefits of this tool (located on the bottom right).
5. Science BitL printables
These posters, placemats, questioning tools and BitL overviews have been designed to be used in classrooms with students F-10.
Downloads:
Learning area specific resources available to be downloaded and printed.
Overview of Question Strands F-10
(PDF, 175KB)
F–2 Questions with examples
(PDF, 61KB)
3-4 Questions with examples
(PDF, 62KB)
5-6 Questions with examples
(PDF, 63KB)
7-8 Questions with examples
(PDF, 65KB)
9-10 Questions with examples
(PDF, 70KB)
11-12 Questions with examples
(PDF, 169KB)
Placemat F-2
(PDF, 144KB)
Placemat 3-4
(PDF, 144KB)
Placemat 5-6
(PDF, 144KB)
Posters F-2
(PDF, 95KB)
Posters 3-4
(PDF, 96KB)
Posters 5-6
(PDF, 97KB)
Student questioning tool 7-8
(PDF, 93KB)
Student questioning tool 9-10
(PDF, 93KB)
6. The conceptual narratives for Learning Areas F-10
The audio series describes the big ideas and concepts in the curriculum of each learning area that grow in complexity across the year levels F-10. These brief descriptions give teachers clarity about the key concepts of each learning area and support designing learning to connect up concepts across multi-age groups.
*Click the ‘enlarge icon’ to access the full benefits of this tool (located on the bottom right).
7. Conceptual narrative – Science printables
The resources show examples of how the BitL questions can be used to develop conceptual understanding using specific learning area content from F-10.
Downloads:
Learning area specific resources available to be downloaded and printed.
Chemical Sciences
Change of Matter
Year 1
(PDF, 408KB)
Year 2
(PDF, 378KB)
Year 3
(PDF, 370KB)
Year 6
(PDF, 425KB)
Year 8
(PDF, 407KB)
Year 9
(PDF, 383KB)
Year 10
(PDF, 372KB)
Properties of Matter
Foundation
(PDF, 345KB)
Year 4
(PDF, 438KB)
Year 5
(PDF, 387KB)
Year 7
(PDF, 373KB)
Year 8
(PDF, 338KB)
Year 9
(PDF, 336KB)
Year 10
(PDF, 298KB)
Physical Sciences
Earth and Space Sciences
The Earth's Surface
Foundation
(PDF, 370KB)
Year 1
(PDF, 309KB)
Year 2
(PDF, 355KB)
Year 4
(PDF, 467KB)
Year 6
(PDF, 428KB)
Year 7
(PDF, 471KB)
Year 8
(PDF, 441KB)
Year 9
(PDF, 453KB)
Year 10
(PDF, 341KB)
Earth in Space
Year 1
(PDF, 309KB)
Year 3
(PDF, 372KB)
Year 5
(PDF, 361KB)
Year 7
(PDF, 426KB)
Year 10
(PDF, 372KB)
Biological Sciences
Diversity and Evolution
Year 2
(PDF, 448KB)
Year 3
(PDF, 353KB)
Year 4
(PDF, 411KB)
Year 5
(PDF, 432KB)
Year 7
(PDF, 568KB)
Year 10
(PDF, 391KB)
Form and Function
Foundation
(PDF, 216KB)
Year 1
(PDF, 367KB)
Year 5
(PDF, 384KB)
Year 8
(PDF, 376KB)
Year 9
(PDF, 374KB)
Year 10
(PDF, 346KB)
Interdependence and Ecosystems
Foundation
(PDF, 282KB)
Year 1
(PDF, 288KB)
Year 4
(PDF, 309KB)
Year 6
(PDF, 355KB)
Year 7
(PDF, 338KB)
Year 9
(PDF, 348KB)
8. Designing learning in science for multi-age classes
Video (6.47 mins)
Professor Martin Westwell uses practical examples to show how we can design learning in science in composite classes.
9. Learning Area Explorer
The learning explorers (A3) summarise the Australian Curriculum learning area for easy reference during learning design.
Downloads:
10. Science wordles
Identifying the core ideas of each section of the science curriculum.
Downloads:
Aims
(PDF, 200KB)
Rationale
(PDF, 257KB)
Year level descriptions
(PDF, 256KB)
Achievement standards
(PDF, 283KB)
Organisation
(PDF, 264KB)
Understanding
(PDF, 263KB)
Overaching ideas
(PDF, 255KB)
Inquiry skills
(PDF, 283KB)
Human endeavour
(PDF, 270KB)
11. Stem animation – What is it for?
Video (6.21 mins)
STEM is science, technologies and mathematics.
It is a key area of learning for students’ futures.
A video animation describes the essence of STEM and how the components of science, technologies and mathematics work together.
A useful starting point for a conversation with teachers, students and community.
12. Connecting content and essence
This tool supports teachers consider the Australian Curriculum Content Descriptions together with the ‘essence’ of the learning area. When they are considered together it influences how we design the learning.
13. Science misconceptions
An interactive tool for exploring, sharing, and challenging common misconceptions in the science classroom.
Downloads:
How to use this tool
(PDF, 326KB)