Science / Year 2 / Science as a Human Endeavour / Nature and development of science

Curriculum content descriptions

Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE034)

Elaborations
  • 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
ScOT terms

Observations (Data)

Interactive

Environmental and Zoo Education Centres – primary school resources

A collection of digital resources for primary school teachers and students to support teaching and learning from home, with a particular focus on geography, science and history. The resources were developed by Department of Education teachers from 25 Environmental and Zoo Education Centres in NSW and include Google Sites, ...

Interactive

Light and shadows

Look at how a tree makes a shadow during a sunny day. Notice that objects always casts shadows that face away from the Sun. Examine how the shape and position of a shadow is related to the time of day and position of the Sun. Explore the shadows cast by different objects such as a bike, an umbrella and a child. Position ...

Interactive

Pushing and pulling

Move animals from a boat to their new home in a zoo. Put them on a cart, then use monkeys to push or pull them up a hill. Use the minimum amount of force needed to move each animal. For example, use a single monkey to push a pelican or use three monkeys to pull a zebra. This learning object is a combination of three objects ...

Video

For the Juniors: Where does rain come from?

Rain comes from clouds but do you know how rain gets into clouds? This clip shows how clouds are formed (made). You will see how important the Sun is in making it rain.

Video

For the Juniors: Using and storing water on a farm

Can you imagine a farm with no water? What might happen to the animals and crops? This clip explains how important a water supply is for farmers. You will see some ways that farmers store water, which is especially important when there is limited or no rain.

Interactive

Make it go: energy change: assessment

Find out what you know about energy and how it changes. Complete a flow chart to show energy changes by identifying the energy source and the energy output of some machines. View and print a report on your work. This assessment object is one in a series of two objects.

Video

For the Juniors: Making Bread in a Factory

Have you ever wondered how your sandwich bread is made? This clip shows the story of bread, beginning with flour being loaded into a truck. Watch big machines mix the dough. See your bread being baked, then packed ready for the shop.

Interactive

How does your garden grow?

This Stage 2 resource grew from a conversation between young students questioning why they could still buy grapes if they were out of season. This wondering led to a discussion around when we grow certain fruit and vegetables. The original stimulus was extended to cover planting for the seasons and factors that influence ...

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.

Interactive

Alien life form

Help an alien to understand how plants are adapted to life on Earth. Choose different combinations of leaves, seeds and roots. Design a plant that is best adapted to surviving in a particular environment. Adapt the plant for survival in specific environments: mangroves, cool rainforest, mountain slopes and arid land. ...

Interactive

Garden detective: explore an Australian garden

Search for small creatures in an Australian garden. Find animals such as a scorpion, a lacewing and a cicada. Have a close look at their body parts. Return all the animals to their habitats. This learning object is one in a series of two objects. The series is also packaged as a combined learning object.

Online

Primary science: scientific inquiry

These seven learning activities, which focus on 'scientific inquiry' using a variety of tools (software) and devices (hardware), illustrate the ways in which content, pedagogy and technology can be successfully and effectively integrated in order to promote learning. In the activities, teachers facilitate the procedures ...

Interactive

Pushing and pulling: assessment

Test your understanding of push and pull forces by moving animals using monkey power. Investigate and then predict the effects of applying a force to move a range of objects of various mass. For example, select two monkeys to move a pelican, and predict whether they will move the pelican slowly, quickly or too fast.

Interactive

Chicken farming in the living world: Stage 1

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 'How do humans use plants and animals?' and comprises a series of modules and supporting videos. Students will plan, design ...

Video

Sam the Lamb: Does wool burn?

This short entertaining video, narrated by ‘Sam the Lamb’ and 'Professors' Madeleine and Daisy test which fabrics burn easily and which fabrics are the most flame resistant. Sam and his science team test the flammability of a range of synthetic and natural fabrics including polyester, polar fleece, cotton and wool.

Video

Sam the Lamb: properties of wool

This short video, narrated by ‘Sam the Lamb’ and a group of young wool enthusiasts, explores the properties of one of nature’s most versatile fibres. Viewers will discover how wool can stretch and return to its natural shape when worn; why wool is safe to wear around campfires and in the sun, and how wool can manages moisture ...

Video

Feathers, Fur and Fins: Observing a kookaburra

Watch a wild kookaburra being fed by hand. Don Spencer handles an injured kookaburra that is being nursed to health. It will be set free once it is well again. See where kookaburras make their homes. Listen to their laughing call.

Video

Feathers, Fur and Fins: Observing a wombat

Take a close look at two different types of wombats in this short clip. Don Spencer introduces a Common Wombat called Winifred, then shows us a Hairy-nosed Wombat foraging in the desert.

Video

For the Juniors: Why do cows make milk?

Have you ever wondered why cows make milk? In this clip you will learn the answer to this question. You will also see how cows are milked in a large dairy. Join Bill, a dairy farmer, as he tends to his herd of dairy cows.

Video

Feathers, Fur and Fins: Observing an emu

Join Don Spencer as he describes the emu, one of the biggest birds in the world. Watch emus searching for food and taking care of their eggs. Discover what makes the emu different from most other birds.