Science / Year 8 / Science Inquiry Skills / Evaluating

Curriculum content descriptions

Reflect on scientific investigations including evaluating the quality of the data collected, and identifying improvements (ACSIS146)

Elaborations
  • suggesting improvements to investigation methods that would improve the accuracy of the data recorded
  • discussing investigation methods with others to share ideas about the quality of the inquiry process
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Evaluation,  Experiments,  Data collection

Video

Daniel O'Doherty

This 5 minute video segment from Catalyst describes how a school student conducted his own scientific investigation. Daniel O'Doherty was intrigued to find out what was the carbon impact of travel to and from school each day, and what could be done to reduce this impact. His project won the 2008 Action Against Climate Change ...

Video

Eyeballing colours

Fiery red, cool blue and sunny yellow are phrases used to describe feelings associated with colours. But what actually is colour? Why is it there and what helps us to see it? Follow Chloe Sheridan as she unravels the complexity of seeing colour by delving into its physics and biology. She entered this video in the 2013 ...

Online

States of matter: Our warming world

Matter can exist in different states, and behave differently depending on temperature. In this resource, students investigate how heat can affect the motion and arrangement of particles, and how this may impact our world.

Online

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 ...

Text

Renewable sources of energy

This is a worksheet consisting of a blank data table designed for students to record information resulting from their research into renewable energy resources. It specifies the types of energy resources to be investigated and suggests topics for research focus.

Video

What is an ecologist?

This is a colour video clip in which marine ecologist Associate Professor Stephen Wing of the University of Otago talks about the work of ecologists. He gives an overview of the types of questions that are investigated by ecologists and explains why he enjoys his work. Photographs of marine organisms and ecologists at work ...

Interactive

Syllabus bites: Electricity

This resource is designed to support science teachers in addressing concepts in electricity in the BOS NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum in Science - Stage 3. Making decisions about the use of electricity is approached from an understanding of circuits, sources and sustainability.

Interactive

Aim to Sustain

Students identify and explore ways in which human activity can threaten biodiversity and the health of our planet. Students are encouraged to take positive action to promote sustainability. The four resources: Get the message, Help a habitat, Alien invaders and A world of difference include videos, SMART notebooks, worksheets ...

Interactive

Science under the microscope

A student-focused mobile web application that tests students? knowledge of the NSW Science curriculum. It will reuse videos and other components of 2010 Murder under the Microscope (Shockwave on the Shoreline) to provide a series of clues that unfold as the student answers science questions correctly. After receiving all ...

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Trumpet straw

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of making a straw that can produce vibrations when blown through.

Interactive

Digestion Experiments

This resource consists of 3 sets of illustrated slides with voice over presenting detailed information and explanations of an experiment used to investigate the action of amylase on starch and the optimum pH for the action of protease on egg white protein. Results are provided and interpreted using tables and graphs. More ...

Audio

Chemicals on the Great Barrier Reef

This program deals with a range of human impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Herbicides from land runoff have been traced to algae and sea grasses in river mouths and coastal zones along the Great Barrier Reef. Effects include retardation of photosynthesis and growth of corals. Other pressures on the reef include high water ...

Interactive

Digestion Experiments 2

Students use this resource consisting of ten slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand that enzymes work best at a specific pH. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Bubble 07 diversion grenades

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of carrying out a chemical reaction between bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: ink chromatography

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of separating ink mixtures using paper chromatography.

Video

Seahorses

This six and a half minute video segment from Catalyst shows one of the most beautiful and bizarre creatures under the sea, the seahorse. Their highly unusual reproduction has not been sufficient to overcome the impacts of habitat destruction and human predation.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Straw propeller

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of creating a propeller using two bendy straws and a pair of scissors. A simple demonstration of one of Newton's Laws.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Disappearing coin trick

This resource contains a materials, instructions and brief explanation for students about the process of rotating hands to make a coin seem to dislodge.

Interactive

DIY Lava Lamp

This resource contains lessons plans containing instructions and teachers' notes for an activity based on a chemical reaction that occurs when a soluble aspirin tablet dissolves and the fact that oil and water do not mix are used to create a model of a lava lamp. Students have fun while they learn about density of fluids. ...

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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.