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Related topic
Science / Year 3 / Science understanding / Earth and space sciences
Curriculum content descriptions
compare the observable properties of soils, rocks and minerals and investigate why they are important Earth resources (AC9S3U02)
Elaborations
- examining different soils from local areas and using magnifying glasses to observe their components, such as pebbles, sand or plant matter as well as living things such as earthworms and insects
- exploring the school grounds or a local area and observing or collecting different types of rocks and describing similarities or differences such as texture, colour, grain or crystal size
- recognising that minerals are the building blocks of rocks and that the different characteristics of rocks depend on the minerals they are made up of
- identifying rocks as key components of the built and natural environment and recognising uses of minerals such as gemstones in jewellery, graphite in pencils, and table salt in food
- investigating First Nations Australians’ knowledges of different rock and mineral types, and how they were used such as for stone blades, grindstones and pigments
- describing ways in which living things including humans depend on soils, such as for food, growing plants, providing habitat for organisms, and holding and cleaning water
- examining information on plant tags and exploring the vocabulary used to describe soils and different plant soil requirements
- investigating which rocks or minerals are quarried or mined locally or regionally and how those resources are used
General capabilities
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms
Properties, Soil composition, Natural resources, Rock types, Minerals (Mineralogy)