Science / Year 5 / Science as a Human Endeavour / Nature and development of science

Curriculum content descriptions

Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and reflects historical and cultural contributions (ACSHE081)

Elaborations
  • developing an understanding of the behaviour of light by making observations of its effects
  • testing predictions relating to the behaviour of solids, liquids and gases by conducting observational experiments
  • researching how scientists were able to develop ideas about the solar system through the gathering of evidence through space exploration
  • describing how scientists from a range of cultures have improved our understanding of the solar system, such as Copernicus, Khayyám and Galileo
  • researching the different types of scientists who work in teams in space exploration, and Australias involvement in space exploration
  • learning how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples used observation of the night sky to assist with navigation
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
ScOT terms

Predictions (Science),  Data collection,  Explanations (Scientific inquiry)

Interactive

Sites2See: Surf safety

A webpage about surfing safety, dangerous waves and rips, and the history and science of surfing. A 'For Kids' section provides games and quizzes for young swimmers and surfers.

Interactive

Biodiversity – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This biodiversity learning resource guides students through an extended school based investigation. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Online

Cussen Park: Hear and there soundwalk

This resource provides information and teaching and learning activities about Victorian wetlands environments. The resource is designed to accompany students on a visit to Cussen Park and to provide a guide to interacting with its interpretative Soundwalk and signage. The activities also provide general information on the ...

Online

Waterways: clean-up

We all have the power to help keep our coastlines, rivers, lakes, swamps, creeks, floodplains, billabongs and estuaries clean by diverting rubbish from our waterways. This can be done with regular clean-ups, picking up litter when you see it, and changing our behaviour such as limiting our use of single-use plastic. This ...

Video

Gardening Australia: Growing vegetables and natives

Discover what vegetables the students at Swan Valley Anglican School choose to grow first in their new school garden. In this clip, Josh Byrne is helping students to transform a bare patch of ground into a productive garden. Find out about the landscaping materials they use, and why particular plants, including natives, ...

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Kids in the Garden, Ep 9: Vegetable gardens

Have you ever grown vegetables? In this clip you will discover many things about vegies and how they grow. Presenter Nick Hardcastle will even show you how to make a vegetable garden in a box. Find out which vegetable is actually a flower, which are the best seasons for planting and picking, and how deep to bury seeds.

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Gardening Australia: Creating a wetland

Find out how a school uses stormwater to create a wetland habitat for native plants. Josh Byrne visits Swan Valley Anglican School to observe the growth of their vegetable garden and to help out in the creation of the wetland. Discover what plants are best for a wetland habitat and how it will increase biodiversity and ...

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Kids in the Garden, Ep 7: Fungi: how they grow

If a mushroom is not a plant, what is it? Discover a group of living things that are neither animals nor plants. Explore the mysterious world of fungi and find out the conditions that they need before they can grow.

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The Australian cotton story

This is a nine-minute video about cotton cultivation in Australia and cotton's importance for Australians. Intended for a mid to upper primary school audience, it depicts a family sowing, irrigating, spraying and harvesting cotton on their farm at Dalby, Queensland. It also illustrates the life cycle of the cotton plant ...

Video

Day in the life of a wombat

Wombats have lovely large noses like dogs, but they're different from dogs' noses. How are they different? They also have hard heads and sharps nails to dig their homes with. What are their homes called? What do they do with most of their day?

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BTN: Aboriginal astronomy

Many ancient cultures studied the night sky, and we know this because it is reflected in some of the earliest stories we have on record. Learn about one of these stories in this video. Other than the Dreamtime stories, what other evidence might there be that the Aboriginal people studied the stars?

Online

Game changers and change makers: resource book of ideas for National Science Week 2018

This resource book includes ideas to support students’ involvement in investigating, exploring, experimenting, designing, creating and communicating their understandings about game changers and change makers from the past who have solved some of the seemingly unsolvable problems, to game changers and change makers of today, ...

Interactive

Field Guide to Tasmanian Fauna - Google Play app

View descriptions of Tasmanian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Field Guide to NSW Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of NSW fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Biodiversity of the Western Volcanic Plains Flora and Fauna Field Guide - iTunes app

View descriptions of the flora and fauna of Victoria's western volcanic plains region including details about physical features, habitat, diet, reproduction and taxonomic classification together with images and distribution maps. Plant and animals are grouped by broad categories such as mammals, reptiles, birds, fern, shrub ...

Interactive

Field guide to Victorian Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Victorian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

NASA: Eyes Eclipse 2017

This interactive 3D simulation of the total eclipse of August 21st, 2017 enables users to navigate to different locations to watch a simulation of what the eclipse would look like from that area from start to finish. The simulation is available as a web and desktop applications suitable for most devices.

Interactive

In digestion

Follow the passage of food through the human body. Select foods and drinks and decide how to digest them. For example, choose to chew, to add saliva to the mouth or add gastric juices to the stomach. Watch how the body reacts to changes. Find out more about digestion along the way and answer questions.

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Phar Lap's skeleton

This is the skeleton of Phar Lap, the famous racehorse, which was born in New Zealand, raced mostly in Australia and died in unexplained circumstances in the United States in 1932.

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Gold nugget

This is a gold nugget (approximately 3.4 cm x 2.2 cm), which was probably found in about 1865 on a goldfield in Otago (in the southern South Island of New Zealand).