Science / Year 8 / Science Inquiry Skills / Questioning and predicting

Curriculum content descriptions

Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS139)

Elaborations
  • considering whether investigation using available resources is possible when identifying questions or problems to investigate
  • recognising that the solution of some questions and problems requires consideration of social, cultural, economic or moral aspects rather than or as well as scientific investigation
  • using information and knowledge from their own investigations and secondary sources to predict the expected results from an investigation
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Predictions (Science),  Research questions

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Disappearing coin trick

This resource contains a materials, instructions and brief explanation for students about the process of rotating hands to make a coin seem to dislodge.

Video

Different paper plane designs

How many different paper plane designs are there? Lots! Watch as Dylan Parker, paper plane expert, demonstrates some of his favourites. Notice the way the different shapes and features of the planes cause them to move through the air in different ways. Which one do you like the most? Why not have a go at making something similar?

Text

Impacts of mining

Identify how mines affect the environment and investigate ways of reducing the effects. This student worksheet comprises a diagram showing activities at a mine site and a table to be completed by the student. Students use the table to summarise environmental effects of the mine and the actions taken at the site to reduce ...

Interactive

Renewable power stations in Australia

This Google Earth interactive map shows the locations of all operating and proposed renewable energy power stations in Australia. Each location is represented by name and an icon corresponding to the type of energy used. Select an icon to view key information about the ownership and location of the facility.

Text

Coal and its uses

Find out where we get the coal that powers our homes and industries. This is a PowerPoint presentation outlining how coal is formed, mined, processed and used. All slides contain images or maps. Teachers' notes are included.

Text

Energy efficiency in homes

Find out how to save energy at home and reduce your carbon footprint. This fact sheet describes strategies that can be used in the home to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Text

Oxyfuel combustion

This fact sheet describes oxyfuel combustion, the technology that burns fuel in almost pure oxygen. Because this makes it easier to capture carbon dioxide from flue gas, there is the potential to achieve near-zero carbon dioxide emissions from the production of coal-fired electricity. A diagram illustrating this process ...

Text

Renewable sources of energy

This is a worksheet consisting of a blank data table designed for students to record information resulting from their research into renewable energy resources. It specifies the types of energy resources to be investigated and suggests topics for research focus.

Text

Rehabilitation on North Stradbroke Island

Find out how miners plan for and carry out revegetation of sand mining sites. This is a PowerPoint presentation that shows the pre-mine surveys, planning, plant propagation, dune re-profiling and maintenance work carried out by Consolidated Rutile Limited (CRL) in rehabilitating land on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, ...

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

Blood Plasma

Students use this resource consisting of nine slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to identify some of the substances transported in the plasma. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

Organ Systems at Work

Students use this resource consisting of four slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand that different organ systems need to work together in a healthy organism. The example provided is in humans. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

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. ...

Video

Breathing and Respiration: animation

This resource allows students to 'resuscitate' a patient by dragging and dropping the main structures involved in breathing into the correct position. Incorrect positioning results in death! When organs are correctly positioned, the patient commences breathing and the structures are labelled.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Levitating balloon

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

Image

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.

Image

Paradise parrot

This is a colour photograph of a preserved paradise parrot ('Psephotus pulcherrimus'). It is a museum specimen displayed perching on a branch. The bright plumage colours for which it is well known are clearly visible.

Image

Trilobite fossil

This is a colour photograph of a fossil trilobite of the genus 'Kolihapeltis'.

Image

Male and female thylacines, 1841

This is a 36 cm x 55 cm hand-coloured lithograph of a pair of thylacines (‘Thylacinus cynocephalus’), commonly called Tasmanian tigers, against a background of small bushes and an open plain.

Image

Bivalve mollusc

This is a colour photograph of a collection of bivalve molluscs ('Theora lubrica').