Science / Year 7 / Science as a Human Endeavour / Use and influence of science

Curriculum content descriptions

People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE121)

Elaborations
  • investigating everyday applications of physical separation techniques such as filtering, sorting waste materials, reducing pollution, extracting products from plants, separating blood products and cleaning up oil spills
  • investigating how advances in science and technology have been applied to the treatment of water in industrial and household systems
  • investigating how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge is being used to inform scientific decisions, for example care of waterways
  • researching the different scientific responses to the rabbit plagues in Australian agricultural areas
  • recognising that water management plays a role in areas such as farming, land management and gardening
  • investigating how separation techniques are used in the food and wine industries
  • considering how seasonal changes affect people in a variety of activities such as farming
  • considering how sports scientists apply knowledge of forces to improve performance
General capabilities
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Environmental management,  Technology,  Industries

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Animal Health: the science of healthy animals

This study guide considers the science behind breeding, genetics, health and animal welfare in the cattle and sheep industries - keeping animals free of disease and parasites, improving biodiversity and protecting against feral animals. A range of articles and student activities explores how farmers and scientists are working ...

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Water: Our most precious resource

This study guide explores how Australian cattle and sheep farmers manage sustainable and efficient water use, including maintenance of healthy soils, moisture preservation, erosion and viable grazing systems. A range of articles and student activities explore the water cycle and ways in which farmers are using water saving ...

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Using water sustainably through science

This teacher resource is a sequence of activities for investigating water resources. The material assists with planning, implementing and assessing a study of how water resources are managed. It covers how water resources are used and shared, particularly by food producers; the impact of changing weather and climate; and ...

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Producing cattle and sheep...beef and lamb

This is a unit of work comprising five sequences of activities in which students investigate cattle and sheep production systems and present a documentary, song, poster or brochure in response. In the first sequence, students engage with the industries, sources of information and possible forms of response. In the second ...

Video

Catalyst: Would you eat insects?

A lot of resources go into the production of beef. For example, 20 litres of water is needed to produce just 1 gram of beef. In order to produce food more sustainably to feed an ever-growing population, some alternatives to protein have been suggested. What are some of these alternatives? Do you think they will ever replace meat?

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Catalyst: What are modular farms?

Modular farms are flexible and self-contained systems that allow you to grow herbs and vegetables without the need for soil or sunlight. What are some advantages of modular farms? What may be some of the disadvantages?

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Landline: Drones and bugs

We don't normally associate robotics with farming but, in fact, robotics have revolutionised farming and agriculture in recent years. Find out how some strawberry farmers are using drones to disperse 'good' bugs for pest control management. Can you think of some other ways drones could be used to help farmers?

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

Macrobiotica – science @ the lakes

In this resource students work as scientists while exploring their local environment in the real world of scientific endeavour. Games and animations are used to model the real experience of investigating a freshwater lake. This version of the Macrobiotica resource has been modified for Internet use by removing Teaching ...

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Plane Truths

In this ABC article or podcast Dr Karl provides statistics about comparative safety of different modes of travel and then justifies why flying is so safe.

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Ibis Invasion

This ABC In Depth feature article describes research on Australian white ibis - or 'tip turkeys' as many call them. They are regarded as a nuisance in cities, especially in the spring breeding season. But scientists fear they may become extinct as more pressure is put on the wetlands that are their native and adopted environments. ...

Video

Water recycling

This 11 minute video segment from Catalyst provides an excellent explanation of the processes involved in recycling sewage for an urban water supply. It also provides a range of opinions and concerns in an excellent debate on the topic.

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The price of peak fuel

This ABC In Depth feature article discusses the projections of how long will our energy resources will last given that our need for fossil fuels is insatiable, but coal, oil, gas and uranium reserves are finite and some may even be in decline. This article is comprehensive, but it is dated at 2008.

Interactive

Science Talk 2007: Martina Doblin

An interview and lab tour with Dr Martina Doblin, a phytoplankton ecologist at UTS. Martina talks to students and their teacher from Concord High School about her work studying microscopic organisms such as the toxic algae that make up harmful algal blooms.

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Dugongs

This 6 minute video segment from Catalyst explains how the dugong, a vulnerable to endangered species is protected and that very little is known about it. Biologists are capturing animals to get baseline information about their blood and tissues in an effort to find out more about them and to secure their future. They are ...

Interactive

Science Talk 2008

An online resource with interviews and master classes with many of Australia's prominent scientists. Interviews with eight scientists in areas of astronomy, marine biology, bio-chemistry related to medical research, chemistry related to materials science, astro-imaging, palaeontology, climate change science and psychology ...

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Catalyst: Water through cracked soil

Watch scientists investigate water movement through soil that has been cracked by drought. Australian scientists demonstrate a new way to investigate how water moves through the cracks using electrical probes to measure soil moisture at different soil depths. This technology could help farmers more efficiently irrigate ...

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ABC News: Supporting sustainable farming

Consider the vast land that is Australia. How might we, as a community, help to keep our land sustainable? Explore the ideas put forward by Professor Peter Cullen and Dr John Williams in response to the continuing drought conditions of 2003. What role could city dwellers play so that farmers could better care for the land?

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Landline: Developing bush tucker into a seed crop

Which native plant might provide a ready-made crop that could be used as a very nutritious food source? Meet two South Australian growers who are investigating just such a native crop. Find out more about the seed crop that does not require significant amounts of water or fertiliser and has a long history of use by Indigenous ...

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BTN: Seeding clouds to make rain and snow

Imagine if we could control the weather. Find out how scientists are already at work making clouds rain when and where they want. It's called cloud seeding. Watch this clip to understand how cloud seeding works, and where it is being used in Australia.