Science / Year 9 / Science Inquiry Skills / Evaluating

Curriculum content descriptions

Critically analyse the validity of information in primary and secondary sources and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems (ACSIS172)

Elaborations
  • discussing what is meant by 'validity' and how we can evaluate the validity of information in secondary sources
  • researching the methods used by scientists in studies reported in the media
  • describing how scientific arguments are used to make decisions regarding personal and community issues
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Evaluation,  Test validity,  Problem solving,  Literature reviews

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 ...

Text

Treetop kangaroos

This ABC In Depth feature article includes everything you wanted or needed to know about tree kangaroos. This article describes their reproduction, classification, adaptations and issues relating to their conservation.

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.

Audio

Mercury is released as coal is burnt in power stations

This resource describes research into environmental disease resulting from the heavy metal mercury. It is estimated 60,000 babies are born each year in the United States with mercury-related diseases from the burning of coal in power stations. World wide, this is a significant problem. Mercury also enters the environment ...

Interactive

Syllabus Bites: Traditional knowledge and sustainable ecosystems

This resource supports students to assess how the knowledge and cultural practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is being used to conserve and manage sustainable ecosystems and a sustainable future. Numerous short videos and links provide a rich variety of case studies. A task, including marking guidelines ...

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

BTN: Volcanoes and people

Imagine living in the shadow of a volcano? Well, millions of people do in Naples, Italy, where a massive volcano called Vesuvius exists. This clip explores the dangers posed by volcanoes and investigates some recent and ancient eruptions. Find out some misconceptions about volcanoes and discover how science is helping prevent ...

Video

Spark: A better way to predict the spread of bushfires

In recent years, new technologies have helped us respond to natural disasters more quickly by providing up-to-date information as it becomes available. What if we could take this one step further with new technologies that can also predict disasters? Learn how Spark, which uses our existing knowledge of bushfire behaviours ...

Video

Catalyst: How will fire change the climate?

Considering the impact of a changing climate on the severity and frequency of fires is one thing, but how about the impact of fires on climate? Why does Professor David Bowman describe this scenario as a 'fire spiral'? What are the consequences of a world with fewer forests? As Professor Craig Allen explains, drought and ...

Online

The Conversation - Understanding immunisation and vaccination

A series of articles about vaccination and immunisation including: explanations on so-called ‘herd immunity’; myth-busting; the research on the claims made by those who are anti-vaccination; and case studies of immunisation against polio, small pox, HIV, influenza, measles, and others. Each article is about 600-800 words.The ...

Video

Catalyst: Tsunami prevention in the Pacific

By investigating sediments and debris left by devastating tsunamis throughout history, Japanese scientists are making discoveries that change the way we understand disaster prevention in the Pacific. Watch as research teams examine rocks and mud layers; create digital simulations of past tsunamis; and investigate the seabed ...

Interactive

Environmental and Zoo Education Centres – high school resources

A collection of geography and science resources for high school teachers and students to support teaching and learning from home. The resources were developed by Department of Education teachers from 25 Environmental and Zoo Education Centres in NSW and include Google Sites, programs and activities.

Interactive

Tectonic boundaries

Apply different tectonic forces to plate boundaries. Compare the effects when plates collide, separate, or slide past each other. Investigate the causes of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes. Investigate important boundary sites, for example the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the Andes, the San Andreas Fault, the Himalayas, and the ...

Online

Secondary science: models and simulations

These seven learning activities, which focus on 'models and simulations' 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 assist students to interpret, ...

Interactive

Tectonics investigator

Investigate the internal structure of the Earth using earthquake measurements. Examine the Earth’s outer layer. Fit the Earth's tectonic plates together like a jigsaw puzzle. Identify how plate movements produce many features of the Earth’s surface. Predict the formation of new volcanic islands. This learning object is ...

Interactive

Exploring atoms: atom structure

See how scientists such as Ernest Rutherford have investigated the structure of atoms. Explore possible models. Fire charged particles at atoms and find which model best fits the results. This learning object is one in a series of six objects. Three of the objects are also packaged as a combined learning object.

Online

Game changers and change makers: resource book of ideas for National Science Week 2018

This resource book includes ideas to support students’ involvement in investigating, exploring, experimenting, designing, creating and communicating their understandings about game changers and change makers from the past who have solved some of the seemingly unsolvable problems, to game changers and change makers of today, ...

Video

How does nanotechnology work?

What is nanotechnology? Watch as Dr Kay Latham explains why scientists are interested in working at the nanoscale. What have researchers been able to design using their understanding of nanotechnology? And how might nanotechnology be used in the future?

Interactive

SmartGraphs - African Lions: Modeling Populations - iTunes app

Investigate population modelling by studying the renowned African lions of the Ngorongoro Crater including real-life scientific data. Analyse graphs and data to answer questions and make predictions about changes in the lion population and other population models. Find out about important ecological and modelling concepts. ...

Video

Marla Spivak: Why bees are disappearing

This is a video of a TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talk by Professor Marla Spivak about the dramatic decline in the number of bees. The 16-minute video begins with a discussion of why humans should care about bees, including their critical importance for the world's food supply. Professor Spivak explains that ...