Science / Year 10 / Science understanding / Biological sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

use the theory of evolution by natural selection to explain past and present diversity and analyse the scientific evidence supporting the theory (AC9S10U02)

Elaborations
  • outlining processes involved in natural selection including variation, isolation and selection
  • examining biodiversity as a function of evolution
  • analysing evidence for the theory of evolution by natural selection including the fossil record, chemical and anatomical similarities, and geographical distribution of species
  • investigating changes caused by natural selection in a particular population as a result of a specified selection pressure such as artificial selection in breeding for desired characteristics
  • relating genetic characteristics to survival and reproductive rates
  • investigating some of the structural and physiological adaptations of First Nations Australians to the Australian environment
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms

Biodiversity,  Evolution

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Student Investigation: Life on a Hydrothermal Vent

In this lesson sequence students are challenged with the question 'How can ecosystems survive without sunlight?' and develop their understanding of deep sea chemosynthetic communities. Students explore the chemistry and energy transformations in photosynthesis and chemosynthesis; and use food webs to model the energy flow ...

Interactive
Interactive

Natural selection

This interactive simulation explores how genetic variability in a population leads to natural selection. In a series of simulations students explore which mutations are favoured by the selection agents of predators and food variety and which mutations are neutral; which traits change the survivability of an organism in ...

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Could dinosaurs still exist somewhere in the world?

This short article considers whether dinosaurs might still exist in some parts of the world today. The article considers the cause of the dinosaur mass extinction, including a video from BTN that outlines the theory that a massive asteroid impacting the Earth 66 million years ago caused a catastrophic 'Impact winter'. The ...

Video
Video

What is evolution?

This BTN video looks at how the diversity of life on Earth arose, and explains what evolution is. It also investigates how a species officially becomes a species and the importance of Natural History museums. The video is accompanied by a downloadable transcript.

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Evolution and adaptation

This resource explores adaptation as one of the key mechanisms behind evolution. It features two videos, both of which are embedded in the webpage, or can be viewed on YouTube. The first video is on the three types of adaptions: behavioural, structural, and physiological. The second video is on plasticity as a physiological ...

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Charles Darwin and the antlion

This entry from Charles Darwin's diary and the accompanying video engage students in Darwin's observations of Australian animals. The diary entry provides one of the first insights into Darwin's thoughts about evolution by natural selection. The entry appears to have been written in an intentionally ambiguous style so that ...

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Video

Megafauna: What Killed Australia's Giants?

This interactive video resource explores the ancient landscape of Australia's past and our impressive extinct megafauna. Discover how scientists search for and study fossils to get clues about the feeding and behaviour patterns of these animals. Look at the evidence of megafauna collected by First Nations people, passed ...

Interactive
Interactive

Antibiotic Resistance

In this interactive game, students create a simple visual representation of bacteria reproduction, mutation, and antibiotic resistance. They click to add bacteria and watch as they reproduce, mutate, and pass on their attributes.

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Evolution: the theory

This resource helps students explore how naturalists Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace pioneered the theory of evolution. The resource includes a YouTube video about Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace’s contributions to natural history and to the theory of evolution. There is also a suggested activity in which students imagine ...

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Convergent and divergent evolution

This resource enables students to explore adaptation as one of the key mechanisms behind evolution. It features two videos, both of which are embedded in the webpage, or can be viewed on YouTube. The first video is on the three types of adaptions: behavioural, structural, and physiological. The second video is on plasticity ...

Video
Video

The art of extinct animals with Peter Trusler

This video introduces Peter Trusler, one of the world's greatest palaeoartists. A trained zoologist, he uses his knowledge of animal anatomy to reconstruct pictures of extinct megafauna based on their fossils. Learn how he approaches this process of scientific art.

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The evolution of the platypus

This downloadable activity sheet summarises the information we know about platypus fossils, including the location of the fossil site and the age of the fossils. Students can use this sheet as a secondary source of information to learn about the macroevolution of platypuses.

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Downloadable

Genetic diversity and agriculture

In this resource students examine how communities manage genetic diversity in food crops to ensure food security. They plan an investigation to compare the choice to grow only one variety with the choice to grow a genetically diverse set of crops.

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Video

Frogman

This 5 minute video segment from Catalyst shows a field trip with Dr Conrad Hoskin who has been scouring the tropical rainforests of north Queensland for frogs. He explains his research and the links between classification or taxonomy and evolution.

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Species on the move

This ABC In Depth feature article presents arguments about moving vulnerable species to cooler climates in advance of climate change is a controversial strategy, and whether it could be the best way of ensuring their survival.

Interactive
Interactive

Laptop wrap: Fossilisation

A webpage with a focus on the process of fossilisation that helps explain why it occurs so rarely.

Video
Video

Ancient Resurrection

This 8 minute video segment from Catalyst highlights what is needed to resurrect ancient species, and raises the question whether we should. It also demonstrates the impacts of technology.

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Video

Ancient DNA

This 9 minute video segment from Catalyst explains the role of Australian Centre for Ancient DNA.It is an internationally recognised research centre for the study of minute traces of preserved genetic material - species studied date from a million years ago to more modern day mysteries... from mammoths to the Tassie devil, ...

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Video

Party locusts

This 8 minute video segment from Catalyst is an excellent example of animal behaviour of locusts as a successful adaptation and how understanding the behaviour can potentially help reduce the damage they cause.

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Video

Australia: the time traveller's guide - episode 4

This resource contains three videos about the natural history and possible future of the Australian continent, its people, flora and fauna. This episode looks at the Cenozic era, which is divided into the Palaeogene, Neogene and Anthropocene periods. It includes sections on the breakup of Gondwana, the primitive botanical ...