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Science / Year 10 / Science as a human endeavour / Nature and development of science

Curriculum content descriptions

explain how scientific knowledge is validated and refined, including the role of publication and peer review (AC9S10H01)

Elaborations
  • examining how the work of Rosalind Franklin was critical to the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA and her publications validated the findings of James Watson and Francis Crick
  • exploring the role of large data sets and statistical analysis in validating scientific findings, such as Gregor Mendel’s experiments with pea plants
  • examining why there are different climate change models used by scientists when there is a climate change consensus among scientists
  • exploring how astronomer Vera Rubin’s discovery of the existence of dark matter was validated
  • examining how the discovery of gravity waves validated Einstein’s theory of general relativity and why this discovery did not occur until 100 years after the theory was proposed
  • investigating how the development of the periodic table has been disputed and refined as science has progressed and new elements have been discovered
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Literacy Literacy
ScOT terms

Test validity,  Paradigms,  Peer review,  Evaluation

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Deciding dosages

This set of learning activities challenges students to develop a mathematical model that can be used to determine optimal dosage regimes and supports students to better understand medical advice. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum links, exemplars of student responses, vocabulary lists and printable ...

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Catalyst: How will fire change the climate?

Considering the impact of a changing climate on the severity and frequency of fires is one thing, but how about the impact of fires on climate? Why does Professor David Bowman describe this scenario as a 'fire spiral'? What are the consequences of a world with fewer forests? As Professor Craig Allen explains, drought and ...

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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.

Interactive

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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Can photons and atoms generate laser?

Electrons around atoms can absorb and emit photons of particular colours of light – see three different atomic models explain what's going on.

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When neutron stars collide

Using technologically advanced supercomputers, scientists have developed theories about the creation of black holes deep in outer space. Watch the computer simulation in this clip to see how the collision of two neutron stars produces a gamma ray burst and a new black hole. Discover that our continuing understanding of ...

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ABC News: 'Junk DNA' not junk after all

Geneticists have long thought that 98 per cent of human DNA was 'junk' (or 'non-coding') DNA. However, recent scientific research suggests that there is much more to this DNA than first thought. Watch this clip to discover more.

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Atoms of Fire: Atoms and organic compounds

Can you imagine someone who lived over 2400 years ago saying that all matter is made up of atoms? Democritus, an ancient Greek, did. Explore the history of this scientific idea with chemist Amanda Tilbury. Hear how Swedish scientist Jöns Berzelius postulated much later that only living tissue could make an organic compound ...

Audio

Green glow of radiation

Coming into contact with a large dose of radiation is known to be hazardous. But will it make you light up like a car dashboard at night? Some anecdotes that will engage the students to learn about radioactivity while dispelling a few myths.

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Catalyst: Large Hadron Collider discovery, 2012

Have you heard of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)? Watch this clip to find out about a scientific discovery at the LHC that left physicists uncharacteristically emotional. Catalyst's Dr Derek Muller takes you inside the LHC and talks to scientists there about the discovery of the Higgs boson and what it means for our understanding ...

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Catalyst: Accelerating glaciers in Antarctica

Discover a white world in which glaciers are racing toward the sea at seven times their normal speed. This is what is happening in Antarctica now and the consequences will eventually be felt at your nearest beach. Travel with scientist Dr Paul Williams to see some stunning images of what is occurring around the fringes ...

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Diabetes type 2 cured by surgery ABC Radio national

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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Catchment management: where the river meets the sea

Eighty-five percent of Australians live within 50km of the coast. This activity looks at the waste that washes downstream in our catchments, the impacts it has on our estuaries, wetlands and coastal areas where the rivers meets the sea. Students will: understand the different journey water takes through a catchment; learn ...

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Catchment management: what’s in a drop?

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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Catchment management: the drain is just for rain

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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Catalyst: Tsunami prevention in the Pacific

By investigating sediments and debris left by devastating tsunamis throughout history, Japanese scientists are making discoveries that change the way we understand disaster prevention in the Pacific. Watch as research teams examine rocks and mud layers; create digital simulations of past tsunamis; and investigate the seabed ...

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Solar wind gives asteroids a tanning

This brief ABC News in Science article from 2009 explains that asteroids become redder the longer they stay out in the sun because of the solar wind. Scientists are using this to try to find our more about our planetary origins.

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CERN legend stuff of angels and demons

This ABC article or podcast by Dr Karl describes and outlines the role of the particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider and how it is helping to research the nature of mass. This article is dated (2008) as some significant results from the Large Hadron Collider have since been announced.

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Atoms of Fire: Building models of organic molecules

Have you seen the model of long-chain carbon molecules first developed by Friedrich August Kekulé? This model enabled chemists to make a great leap forward in their understanding of the structure of organic molecules. See how to represent the structure of methane, ethane, propane, butane and octane. Find out how to rearrange ...

Interactive

Tectonics investigator

Investigate the internal structure of the Earth using earthquake measurements. Examine the Earth’s outer layer. Fit the Earth's tectonic plates together like a jigsaw puzzle. Identify how plate movements produce many features of the Earth’s surface. Predict the formation of new volcanic islands. This learning object is ...