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Science / Year 6 / 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 (ACSIS104)

Elaborations
  • using familiar units such as grams, seconds and metres and developing the use of standard multipliers such as kilometres and millimetres
  • using the idea of an independent variable (note: this terminology does not need to be used at this stage) as something that is being investigated by changing it and measuring the effect of this change
  • using digital technologies to make accurate measurements and to record data
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 ...

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Acidic oceans | Questacon

In this activity, students test the effect of an acid on eggshells and consider how this relates to the shells of marine animals and ocean acidification. The activity includes a list of what is required, suggestions of what to do and notice, questions to ask, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe ...

Interactive

Circuit Construction Kit: DC

This interactive simulation challenges students to build a DC circuit. In the first simulation, students explore building a series or parallel DC circuit with wires, batteries and various components. Students can change the values of resistance and voltage in their circuits to explore the relationship between voltage, current ...

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Living off-grid

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Caring for country

In this set of learning activities, students explore how to restore native vegetation disturbed by natural events or human activity. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum links, materials lists, design process guides and printable student resource sheets. The resource also provides an editable module ...

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The farming environment

In this resource, students learn about the impact of extreme weather (drought) and use a scientific investigation to understand the importance of maintaining groundcover on farms to prevent soil erosion. This lesson is part of a sequence of lessons that can be used with this age-group of students. Topics include All about ...

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From the paddock to the plate

This resource is a cross curriculum unit, focused on Design and Technologies, Maths, and some other areas of the curriculum. Sustainability as a cross-curriculum priority is also emphasised. Topics include All about adaptations; From paddock to plate; Safety, sustainability and technology; The farming environment; Safe ...

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Electrifying Vehicles

In this activity, students explore vehicles powered by electricity. They explore the story of the Lucas Bedford electric van, make a battery-powered car in a hands-on design challenge, and then use the specifications of different electric vehicles to plan a road trip.

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Camouflage Capers

In this activity, students investigate camouflage and model the effect of colour on the survival of organisms. Students explore the effects of camouflage on predation and the impact of changing environments on camouflaged organisms. This resource is part of a suite of activities from Queensland Museum focused on habitats ...

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Teaching with videogames: Geography and Environmental Science with TerraNil

In this lesson, students restore environments and ecosystems in a future, desolate planet earth, using existing and imagined technologies with Terra Nil.

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Primary Connections: Circuit breakers

In this sequence of 7 lessons, students learn about the role of the components in an electrical circuit and how they affect the transfer and transformation of energy. Using the context of blackouts, students explore how switches work and prototype backup electrical circuits. Professional learning for teachers is integrated ...

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Work sample Year 6 Science: Mouldy bread

This work sample demonstrates evidence of student learning in relation to aspects of the achievement standards for Year 6 Science. The primary purpose for the work sample is to demonstrate the standard, so the focus is on what is evident in the sample not how it was created. The sample is an authentic representation of ...

Downloadable

Water is special

In this lesson sequence, students explore what water is and how it behaves as it changes from ice to liquid water to water vapour. The purpose of this lesson sequence is to give students a mental picture of water molecules. Learning about how these molecules behave when water is heated and cooled can help them to understand ...

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Stellarium Web

Stellarium provides a web-based version of a planetarium that allows users to explore what's visible in the sky from any location in the world. It calculates the positions of the Sun and Moon, planets and stars, and draws how the sky would look to an observer depending on their location and the time. It can also draw the ...

Interactive

Let's make slime!

This resource explains how to make slime using cornflour to produce something called a non-Newtonian fluid. A non-Newtonian fluid is a substance which has properties of a liquid and a solid. This means it can flow like a liquid, but also can have a set shape. It all depends on the amount of force you apply to it. In this ...

Video

Four Corners: Fire management strategies

What role do fire-behaviour specialists and ecologists have in fire management? Watch this clip to find out about issues relating to fire management in Australia, in particular prescribed burning.

Interactive

Aim to sustain: A world of difference

Students explore what is happening at an individual, community and global level and plan actions they will take. These may range from taking a quiz to sharing knowledge about being 'green' at home, through to planning a conference session to deliver to other students. The resource includes videos, SMART notebooks, worksheets ...

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. Please note that the 'About Grip' button is intentionally hidden and will only appear based on the user's choices. This learning object ...

Interactive

Seasons

Control the motion of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Work out how the Earth’s orbit and the tilt of its axis determine seasons in the different hemispheres. Work out how the Earth’s orbit and the tilt of its axis determine day length in the different hemispheres. Examine the heating effect of the Sun. Compare seasons ...

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It’s Alive: Conditions on Earth

In this resource, students investigate and measure the conditions of planet Earth. They explore temperature, gravity and the needs of living things. Students also discuss how some conditions on Earth are constant, while other conditions regularly change, and how living things have adaptations to survive these changes.