Science / Year 9 / Science Understanding / Biological sciences

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This engaging article outlines the science behind the sense of smell. It explains what makes dogs' noses and their sense of smell so powerful. It also describes how understanding the science has had implications for the potential development of new technologies.

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This 8 minute video segment from Catalyst shows how research can also help us to optimise our health, especially into older age. It describes an example of how sometimes research gives us mixed messages. Sun exposure helps our body to produce the hormone, vitamin D but it also increases incidence of melanoma.

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Students use this resource consisting of eleven slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand that immunisations and medicines can be used to help the body fight infections. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

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This 10 minute video from Catalyst describes some unusual cases of people with incredible memories and brain functioning and gives a useful introduction to learning about the human nervous system and brain. Information about how memory works provides some useful strategies for revising for exams.

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This 11 minute video segment from Catalyst is a case study of research in the use of stem cells. It demonstrates the structure of the knee joint and the role of bones and cartilage. Stem cells from bone marrow are collected and used in attempt to prevent the onset of arthritis. This program distinguishes embryonic from ...

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In this lesson, students consider contemporary research approaches to disease identification. First, they conduct an experiment to test how sensitive their sense of smell is and explore how our sense of smell functions. Students then learn about at how animals are trained to use their sense of smell to detect human disease. ...

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An interview and lab tour with Vaughan Macefield, a neuroscientist at the University of Western Sydney (UWS). Vaughan talks to students and their teacher from Quakers Hill High School about his work studying nerves and their function in the human body.

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An interview and visit to a hospital room with Professor Annemarie Hennessy, a medical researcher at the University of Western Sydney (UWS). Annemarie talks to a teacher about her work in researching the relationship between the placenta and the mother's blood pressure, and about her career and future directions.

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Students use this resource consisting of eight slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand how the mucous membrane lining the respiratory system helps to prevent infection. Three of the eight slides deal with the impact of smoking. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

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This eleven minute video segment from Catalyst provides a thorough analysis of recent research that demonstrates the relationship between marijuana and psychosis and how marijuana actually affects the brain.

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When electrons in your retina absorb photons of light they don't emit light, they cause a molecule to change shape - and that lets you see colour!

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This is an edited sound recording of Sir Gustav Nossal describing the medical research for which he became internationally known. He outlines his contributions to the emerging science of immunology in the 1950s-70s, and how other researchers have been able to make further discoveries based on his initial work. The recording ...

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This resource for basic physiology and anatomy has a comprehensive outline of all the systems of the body and sensory organs, with animated graphics and activities to help explain them, plus links to visual and interactive resources online.

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Students use this resource consisting of six slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand how smoking cigarettes can damage the breathing system. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

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Download the audio or view the transcript of this ABC radio program. It is an excellent example of how approaching a problem from a different perspective and with an open mind may result in an amazing solution. Richard Stubbs, and New Zealand scientist, claims type 2 diabetes is a disease of the gut. If his hypothesis is ...

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Students use this resource consisting of ten slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand how microbes can enter the body and how the body tries to prevent this from happening. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

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This lesson plan investigates ways in which automobile manufacturers seek to reduce injuries that occur in car accidents. Students note the effects of car accidents on human bodies, the factors that influence the type and severity of injuries, and the safety ratings of vehicles in which they travel regularly. The resource ...

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Water is a precious resource, yet water is also wasted every day. This activity investigates water consumption and how you can reduce the amount of water wasted. OUTCOMES of this learning activity are for students to: understand the urban water cycle; learn different ways to reduce water usage; discover how much water is ...

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Stormwater originated as rain and flows into creeks, rivers and other water bodies. Any rubbish or chemical pollution collected during this journey can end up polluting the waterways. This activity looks the impacts of stormwater and rubbish in our waterways. Outcomes of this learning activity are for students to: understand ...

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Become a disease detective and solve the outbreak by analysing information and data provided in clues, tables and graphs. Find out about professions in disease control and prevention such as epidemiologists and earn badges as you progress through the outbreaks at each level For teachers there are some lesson plans and website ...

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This is a ten question multiple choice quiz that gives students feedback on their understanding of the role of the brain in interpretation of signals and the coordination of behaviour and maintaining humans as functioning organisms. Non-threatening quiz that gives explanations with the feedback.

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Consuming alcohol affects our bodies. Find out what alcohol actually does inside the human body and the organ that 'fights' to reduce its harmful effects. Discover why alcohol is literally a 'waste' product.

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The ability to see colours is an important human trait, but did you know some people's colour vision is impaired. View this clip to discover what it means to be colourblind and how it happens. Find out also about the extraordinary colour vision of the dunnart, and why it is important for this nocturnal marsupial.

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Caffeine is the world's most popular drug, but what is it and how does our body respond to its presence? Watch this clip to see the chemical structure of caffeine and the three compounds it metabolises into. Find out which receptor in the brain caffeine binds to, and the overall impacts it has on brain function and activity.

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This resource provides a scaffold for students to analyse the features of a Queensland animal and relate them to its survival success. Students then conduct the animal design challenge: Engineering new features for their animal to increase its chance of survival and future success. Students also make predictions about how ...