Science / Year 7 / Science Understanding / Biological sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

Classification helps organise the diverse group of organisms (ACSSU111)

Elaborations
  • considering the reasons for classifying such as identification and communication
  • grouping a variety of organisms on the basis of similarities and differences in particular features
  • considering how biological classifications have changed over time
  • classifying using hierarchical systems such as kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
  • using scientific conventions for naming species
  • using provided keys to identify organisms surveyed in a local habitat
ScOT terms

Classification

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 ...

Interactive

Field Guide to NSW Fauna - Google Play app

View descriptions of NSW 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 26/08/2024.

Interactive

Field Guide to NSW Fauna - iTunes app

View descriptions of NSW 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 26/08/2024.

Interactive

Field Guide to Northern Territory Fauna - Google play 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 26/08/2024.

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 26/08/2024.

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 26/08/2024.

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 26/08/2024.

Video

Ladybirds

This program encourages people to observe and identify ladybirds in their own backyard. There is the potential to discover a new species or identify an introduced and harmful member of this group of insects.

Online

Catchment management: what’s in a drop?

Water is a precious resource, yet water is also wasted every day. This activity investigates water consumption and how you can reduce the amount of water wasted. OUTCOMES of this learning activity are for students to: understand the urban water cycle; learn different ways to reduce water usage; discover how much water is ...

Online

Catchment management: water sustainability

Water is an important resource, and is required by all living species to survive. Water is also important for many industries and businesses. This activity investigates the different land uses over time across your local catchment. OUTCOMES are for children to: understand the natural and urban water cycle; learn about the ...

Video

Testing the 5-second rule

When it comes to dropping food, have you heard of the 5-second rule? Or the 3-second rule? Watch this video to learn what really happens when you drop food. In order to cause disease, what must bacteria do? What circumstances allow bacteria and viruses to contaminate food more successfully?

Video

What are microbes?

What are microbes? What are the four major groups that most microbes belong to? Listen as Dr Taghrid Istivan explains where microbes are found. What is the name of the group of microbes she describes as beneficial to our health? Can you explain what happens when people get food poisoning?

Interactive

Sites2See: Insects and Spiders

This page links to a range of materials from the Australian Museums' Bugwise program, with additional materials and activities, including a resource about invertebrates in freshwater.

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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. ...

Interactive

Science talk 2007: Paul Willis

A master class with Dr Paul Willis, a science journalist and palaeontologist specialising in fossil crocodiles. Paul talks to a Year 2 group about dinosaurs, their size and how you can find evidence about them. Students ask Paul some very interesting questions! Then, a biology student from Richmond High School talks to ...

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.

Video

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 ...

Video

Party locusts

This 8 minute video segment from Catalyst is an excellent example of animal behaviour of locusts as a successful adaptation and how understanding the behaviour can potentially help reduce the damage they cause.

Video

BTN: South Australia's ancient sea fossils

Come on a palaeontologist's dig at Emu Bay, South Australia, and discover some weird-looking creatures frozen in stone. Find out what these fossils tell scientists about life on the ancient sea floor. There is a demonstration of how a fossil is formed, and you'll be surprised by the types of materials that have been preserved.

Downloadable

DT Challenge - 5/6 Blockly - Biology

Learn about the differences between animals, and how Biologists use programming to help them do science! We'll learn about the features of animals, structural and behavioural adaptation, and how to use these properties in order to identify them. So hop in and learn some science! This course is based on the Year 5 science ...