Science / Year 5 / Science Inquiry Skills / Planning and conducting

Curriculum content descriptions

Decide variables to be changed and measured in fair tests, and observe measure and record data with accuracy using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS087)

Elaborations
  • discussing in groups how investigations can be made as fair as possible
  • using tools to accurately measure objects and events in investigation and exploring which tools provide the most accurate measurements
  • using familiar units such as grams, seconds and meters and developing the use of standard multipliers such as kilometres and millimetres
  • recording data in tables and diagrams or electronically as digital images and spreadsheets
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • ICT capability Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
ScOT terms

Data collection,  Instrumentation (Technology),  Independence (Experiments),  Scientific control

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 ...

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

Field Guide to Tasmanian Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Tasmanian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

DIY Sun Science - iTunes app

Try some hands on investigations that relate to learning about the Sun. Follow step-by-step procedures, read through explanations to find out why things happened and also view related video clips. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Wild ride: get a grip

Investigate the role of friction in performance of bicycle tyres. Test how the type of tread affects grip and speed. Choose tyres best suited to track and weather conditions in a time trial. This learning object is one in a series of four objects.

Interactive

Give me a brake

Investigate braking efficiency of cars and trucks by testing stopping distances under controlled conditions. Test effects of vehicle type, tyres, road surface and weather conditions. Choose driving speed, then apply brakes and compare stopping distances. Estimate distances from target markers. Answer questions about antilock ...

Online

Primary science: scientific inquiry

These seven learning activities, which focus on 'scientific inquiry' using a variety of tools (software) and devices (hardware), illustrate the ways in which content, pedagogy and technology can be successfully and effectively integrated in order to promote learning. In the activities, teachers facilitate the procedures ...

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Field Guide to Western Australian Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Western Australian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Field guide to South Australian Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of South Australian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Field guide to Queensland Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Queensland fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Image

Downloading data from animal tags

This is a colour photograph of a scientist in a laboratory using a laptop computer to download data from electronic animal tags. To the right of the computer is a specialised communication box into which the electronic tag is placed. The scientist in the image is Dr Miles Lamare, a marine biologist involved in sea star ...

Image

Marine scientist in the laboratory

This is a colour photograph of marine scientist Dr Miles Lamare. Dr Lamare is in his office at the Portobello Marine Laboratory at the University of Otago, New Zealand. On the desk behind Dr Lamare is the scientific equipment he uses to download data from electronic tags, which he attaches to sea stars.

Interactive

Field Guide to Northern Territory Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Northern Territory fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

Energy chains: energy use

Select energy sources and energy converters to build energy chains to power appliances and vehicles. Examine how each energy converter in a chain loses some energy and reduces the energy available for use. For example, show that using a solar panel and an electric motor to drive a car delivers only 16% of the original ...

Image

Orrery, c1770 - part 2

This is a mechanical model of part of the solar system, commonly known as an orrery, manufactured by English mathematician and instrument maker Benjamin Martin in about 1770. This bronze model features a cylindrical clockwork mechanism with an orb representing the Sun placed in the centre. Extending from this on an arm ...

Interactive

Who's for dinner?

Look closely at a food chain and food web from a billabong habitat. Help animals to feed and survive. Play the role of a tadpole, fish or heron. Help the animal to grow and breed by feeding and avoiding predators. Notice that eating high-value food sources may increase an animal's risk of being attacked by predators.

Interactive

In digestion

Follow the passage of food through the human body. Select foods and drinks and decide how to digest them. For example, choose to chew, to add saliva to the mouth or add gastric juices to the stomach. Watch how the body reacts to changes. Find out more about digestion along the way and answer questions.

Interactive

Field guide to Victorian Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of Victorian fauna together with maps of distribution, images and endangered species rating. Animals are grouped by mammals, reptiles, fishes, amphibians, birds or insects and other invertebrates. Info pages include images and animal sounds. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Interactive

It's a drag

Investigate the braking efficiency of cars and trucks. Test stopping distances under controlled conditions. Compare effects of vehicle type, tyres, road surface and weather conditions. Choose driving speed, then apply brakes and compare stopping distances. Answer questions about friction, tyres and driver fatigue. This ...

Image

Bryozoan skeletons in acidic solution

This is a colour photograph of two tubes, each containing bryozoan skeletons in acidic solution. The photograph depicts a scientific experiment investigating the effect of different pH levels on bryozoan skeletons. (Classification - Phylum: Bryozoa)