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Science / Year 7 / Science inquiry / Planning and conducting

Curriculum content descriptions

plan and conduct reproducible investigations to answer questions and test hypotheses, including identifying variables and assumptions and, as appropriate, recognising and managing risks, considering ethical issues and recognising key considerations regarding heritage sites and artefacts on Country/Place (AC9S7I02)

Elaborations
  • comparing the method with the hypothesis and examining the reasonableness of the method for testing that hypothesis
  • discussing why it is important to identify variables and assumptions when planning an investigation
  • examining the features of reproducible investigations, constructing methods and reviewing other students’ methods
  • identifying assumptions relating to variables that are assumed to be constant, such as ambient temperature, properties of materials used or purity of substances
  • identifying risks to themselves and others in investigations and considering actions that can be taken to avoid or manage those risks
  • considering ethical issues relating to interactions with living things
  • recognising state and territory laws as they relate to First Nations Australians’ heritage sites and artefacts
  • collaborating with First Nations Australians communities and organisations to conduct investigations about ecosystems, ensuring mutually beneficial outcomes
  • acknowledging and recognising First Nations Australians’ artefacts and heritage sites, such as human stonework and scatter sites in comparison with rocks changed by natural processes, and understanding not to harm or disturb sites
General capabilities
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Independence (Experiments),  Ethics,  Safety,  Experiments,  Scientific control

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Cardboard train wheels | Questacon

In this activity, students explore how train wheels are designed for stability on straight or curved rail. Students make two different models of train wheels from paper cups, observe how they perform on their homemade rail and compare the behaviour of their designs. The activity includes a list of what is required, suggestions ...

Downloadable

Construct a lifting machine - teacher resource kit

This activity kit challenges students to design and create a machine to lift a load to a height of at least 50cm. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffold students to undertake research on the applications of various simple machines, and the combinations of simple machines they might use to help ...

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Sandcastle ratios

In this lesson students think like geotechnical engineers, exploring the properties of sand and the ways in which those properties can be used in building and construction.

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.

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.

Video

Friction: Friend or foe?

What part does the force of friction play in our everyday lives? Friction can be an advantage (friend) or a problem (foe). Join interviewer Doug Traction and professors Static, Slide, Rolling and Fluid at the National Tribology Research Centre as they have forceful fun investigating friction. This video won a prize in the ...

Interactive

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 ...

Video

Experimentals: Building with different shapes

Did you know that the shape of an object can affect its strength? Watch as Ruben Meerman tests two columns of different shapes to see which can carry the greater load. Consider how engineers might use this information to build tall structures.

Video

Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Properties and behaviour of gases

All substances are made up of tiny particles. A change in temperature can change the way these particles behave. Watch as the Surfing Scientist demonstrates how a gas behaves when it is heated. Find out whether the balloon gets sucked or pushed into the bottle!

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Waterways: clean-up

We all have the power to help keep our coastlines, rivers, lakes, swamps, creeks, floodplains, billabongs and estuaries clean by diverting rubbish from our waterways. This can be done with regular clean-ups, picking up litter when you see it, and changing our behaviour such as limiting our use of single-use plastic. This ...

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Caring for our coasts: beach clean-up

Pollution and rubbish get washed into our rivers and waterways with stormwater runoff and end up on our coasts and oceans. Over 75% of this rubbish is plastic. Plastics in the environment can take hundreds of years to break down, thereby impacting marine species for generations. OUTCOMES of this learning activity are for ...

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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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Catchment management: water sustainability

Water is an important resource, and is required by all living species to survive. Water is also important for many industries and businesses. This activity investigates the different land uses over time across your local catchment. OUTCOMES are for children to: understand the natural and urban water cycle; learn about the ...

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Catchment management: the story of a river

Water moves through the environment by the Water Cycle. This activity investigates the journey of a river through the catchment. It is part of a sequence of 5 individual learning activities designed to support understandings of catchment management. Follow water through the environment and explore the changes to water quality ...

Interactive

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.

Online

Mapping our waterway

This is a 29-page PDF unit of work for year 7 that comprises a two-part teaching and learning sequence on waterways. 'Assessing the health of the waterway' involves students collecting data to assess the water quality of a local waterway, while 'Creating a map of the waterway' involves them using Google maps to display ...

Interactive

Energy-efficient house

Explore how the temperature inside a house is affected by air flowing in and out. Look closely at the energy effects of design variables in a house such as insulation materials, window coverings and window direction. Build a house with maximum energy efficiency by adjusting key design variables. Change the house design ...

Interactive

Fair test

Run experiments in a plant research laboratory. Investigate the effects of different variables on the growth of lettuces, peas and tomatoes. Research the answers to questions about how to achieve optimum hydroponic growth conditions. Examine the effect of key variables on growth: nitrogen, temperature, light intensity and ...