Science / Year 7 / Science Inquiry Skills / Planning and conducting

Curriculum content descriptions

Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed (ACSIS125)

Elaborations
  • working collaboratively to decide how to approach an investigation
  • learning and applying specific skills and rules relating to the safe use of scientific equipment
  • identifying whether the use of their own observations and experiments or the use of other research materials is appropriate for their investigation
  • developing strategies and techniques for effective research using secondary sources, including use of the internet
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Experiments,  Data collection,  Instrumentation (Technology),  Ethics,  Safety

Interactive

experiMENTALS: ink chromatography

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of separating ink mixtures using paper chromatography.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Trumpet straw

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of making a straw that can produce vibrations when blown through.

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National Science Week flight special

This resource contains lessons plans containing instructions and teachers' notes for fun experiments focusing on the science of flight. Try them in your classroom and watch Elliot and the Surfing Scientist tackle them on Roller-coaster. A wide ranges of activities with clear directions and illustrations based on a range ...

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Keys on a shoelace

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students to show that keys on a shoelace can do some unexpected things.

Interactive

Plotting a Magnetic Field

Students use this resource consisting of seven slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand how to plot the magnetic field around a bar magnet using a plotting compass. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

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experiMENTALS: Magic rocking candle

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of burning both ends of a balancing candle. This activity is most likely to be done as a teacher demonstration for safety and classroom management reasons, particularly at primary school level.

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iPlan

This resource contains ten IWB flipcharts as well as Flash alternative exercises and models how to plan a scientific investigation, choose the right equipment and follow safe working practices.

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DIY Lava Lamp

This resource contains lessons plans containing instructions and teachers' notes for an activity based on a chemical reaction that occurs when a soluble aspirin tablet dissolves and the fact that oil and water do not mix are used to create a model of a lava lamp. Students have fun while they learn about density of fluids. ...

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Rotocopters

This resource contains lessons plans containing instructions and teachers' notes for a lesson that can be part of a unit on flight or used as a great motivating activity to foster positive attitudes. The clear and explicit instructions are a good example of a procedural text. The notes also provide a clear explanation of ...

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experiMENTALS: Bouncing balls

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students to observe what happens when two different sized balls are dropped independently or in vertical contact. The simple explanation relates to transfer of energy.

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Cool colour

This is a lesson plan, complete with instructions, materials list, worksheets and photographs of the expected results from the ABC's surfing scientist. The students are encouraged to participate in a first-hand science activity using sugar and colour-coated chocolate lollies.

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experiMENTALS: Levitating balloon

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of levitating a balloon.

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experiMENTALS: Spooky slime

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of making spooky slime with cornflour to produce a substance that is a little like a liquid and a little like a solid.

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Let's make slime!

This resource explains how to make slime using cornflour to produce something called a non-Newtonian fluid. A non-Newtonian fluid is a substance which has properties of a liquid and a solid. This means it can flow like a liquid, but also can have a set shape. It all depends on the amount of force you apply to it. In this ...

Interactive

Thermal comfort – sustainability action process (Years 7–10)

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

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Biodiversity – sustainability action process (Years 7–10)

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.

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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.

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Syllabus bites: Electricity

This resource is designed to support science teachers in addressing concepts in electricity in the BOS NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum in Science - Stage 3. Making decisions about the use of electricity is approached from an understanding of circuits, sources and sustainability.

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Aim to sustain: Alien invaders

Students examine and respond to information on introduced species and their impact on the Australian environment. The resource includes videos, SMART notebooks, worksheets and links to further interactive resources. Students have the opportunity to compose and present persuasive texts. The resource includes support notes ...

Interactive

Sites2See: Sustainable transport

A single web page resource developed with the NRMA containing links to sites and other resources about hybrid vehicles, low emission fuels and sustainable transport.