Science / Year 7 / Science as a Human Endeavour / Use and influence of science

Curriculum content descriptions

Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology, may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120)

Elaborations
  • relating regulations about wearing seatbelts or safety helmets to knowledge of forces and motion
  • considering issues relating to the use and management of water within a community
  • considering decisions made in relation to the recycling of greywater and blackwater
  • considering how human activity in the community can have positive and negative effects on the sustainability of ecosystems
  • investigating ways to control the spread of the cane toad
General capabilities
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Environmental management,  Technology,  Ethics,  Energy resources,  Farming systems,  Medicine,  Social influence

Video

Gardening Australia: Exploring the finished garden

Explore the Swan Valley Anglican Community School garden with Josh Byrne, and you will be amazed at what they have created in just six months. This clip will inspire you to create your very own productive garden.

Video

War on Waste: Recycling e-waste to raise money for food charities

We all know recycling is a great way to reduce waste going into landfills, but there can be other benefits too. Some social entrepreneurs are recycling e-waste, not only to keep them from going into landfills, but also to generate revenue to help fund food charities. Craig Reucassel mentions how using technology for longer ...

Video

ABC News: Disease threatens fish

Imagine what would happen if a deadly fish disease found its way into Australia's biggest river system. Watch this clip to learn more about a disease threatening the ecology of the Murray-Darling River. Scientist, Professor Richard Whittington, explains that the disease could be the final straw for an endangered Australian ...

Interactive

Chicken farming in the living world: Stage 4

Chickens are fascinating animals and provide students with an interesting subject matter to discuss the many aspects of our living world. This interactive course for students explores the question 'What scientific knowledge has influenced the current agricultural practices of the chicken meat industry?' and comprises a ...

Video

Returning water to Hattah Lakes

The two short videos in this series highlight the value of Hattah Lakes and the importance of ensuring that sufficient water replenishes the lakes during dry times. The videos explain how dams and weirs upstream store flood water that would otherwise fill the lakes. A collaborative engineering project reduced the environmental ...

Interactive

2024 Dreaming

Explore options for houses, work, food and transport in 2024 in this multimedia presentation from Radio National. A useful resource for stimulating discussion about applications of science and implications for society and the environment as well as current issues and developments in science. Gives examples of how different ...

Online

Understanding weeds: life cycle

Weeds compete with native plants in our natural environments, and can dominate both natural ecosystems and areas of agricultural production. This competition limits biodiversity, as well as the economic potential for farmers. This activity will look closely at three different weed forms and children will learn about their ...

Online

Creating a food garden: planting

Planting a food garden is an exciting and fulfilling task. This learning activity is part of a sequence of 5 individual learning activities focused on creating a food garden. The order of these learning activities are: vision, site assessment, installing a no dig garden bed, planting and harvesting. OUTCOMES of this activity ...

Online

Creating a beneficial garden: planting

Planting flowers with food crops increases biodiversity, and is known as beneficial planting. Beneficial planting not only makes our garden beds look more attractive to us, it also makes gardens look more attractive to pollinators and predators, which in turn, help to fertilise and protect crops from pest invertebrates. ...

Online

Making a large wicking bed

Wicking beds are a fantastic invention, allowing crops to be watered more efficiently. Making a large wicking bed does involve a few steps and some preparation, however the benefits of this extra effort are water conservation, improved plant growth and better crops. The design of the wicking bed also provides opportunities ...

Online

Creating a beneficial garden: investigation

Biodiversity has been perfected by nature over millions of years where invertebrates have played an important role in maintaining a balanced, biodiverse ecosystem. Invertebrates provide services to food crops including pollination and protection from pests. This learning activity is the second part of a sequence of 3 individual ...

Online

Understanding weeds: investigation

In this activity you will be looking for weeds in your local park, backyard and surrounds. Build your knowledge and weed investigation skills as you explore your local environment and examine the presence of weeds. Using online resources, field guides and expert local knowledge, you will be looking at and identifying weeds ...

Online

Creating compost

Compost is created when organic materials such as twigs, leaves, dry grass and kitchen food scraps break down. Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of landfill that is produced, and also provides soil full of good nutrients that can be used on the garden. OUTCOMES of this learning activity are for students to: ...

Online

Robotics: STEM careers

This is a unit of work about Robotics, the occupations and industries that use robotics and the current applications and future of robotics. The resource includes: An introduction with teacher notes, student tasks, embedded videos and links to additional resources. Specific topics explored include: What is a robot; applications ...

Online

Creating a bee hotel: construction

As we clear land for urban development, and for broadacre farming, we remove the spaces where bees nest and find their food. With no food, and nowhere to produce their young, native bee populations are under threat of local extinction. In this activity, we will look at providing nesting spaces for native bees which mimic ...

Text

Biodiversity and farming for a healthy planet

This is a digital resource containing information and resources, such as printable games, that relate to biodiversity and farming, and how food and materials can be produced while protecting the Earth's natural resources. It includes an extensive glossary of important terms, and external links to teacher and student resources ...

Online

Unconsious bias: You can be a scientist: STEM careers

This is a unit of work about the work of scientists and science careers; particularly what common stereotypes, prejudices and perceptions exist regarding who can or should become scientists. The resource includes: An introduction with teacher notes, student tasks, embedded videos and links to additional resources. Specific ...

Online

Bringing mining to life: STEM careers

This is a unit of work about mining, occupations in the mining industry and the history and future of mining in Australia. The resource includes: An introduction with teacher notes, student tasks, embedded videos and links to additional resources. Specific topics explored include jobs in the mining industry; the role ...

Text

Space Exploration: Community of Inquiry

In this resource, students participate in a community of inquiry to consider the implications of human space travel. This process gives students the opportunity to come to a full, shared understanding of the concepts and issues around human space travel.

Online

Using water sustainably through science

This teacher resource is a sequence of activities for investigating water resources. The material assists with planning, implementing and assessing a study of how water resources are managed. It covers how water resources are used and shared, particularly by food producers; the impact of changing weather and climate; and ...