Science / Foundation / Science understanding / Chemical sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

recognise that objects can be composed of different materials and describe the observable properties of those materials (AC9SFU03)

Elaborations
  • observing and manipulating objects to identify the materials they are made of and recognising that some objects are made of more than one type of material
  • recognising that tools such as magnifying glasses enable more-detailed observations
  • sorting and grouping materials based on observed properties such as colour, hardness, texture and flexibility
  • creating a display of different materials, naming each material and exploring language to describe properties of materials
  • using a digital camera to collect images of objects on a materials scavenger hunt
  • suggesting why different parts of everyday objects, such as saucepans and clothing, are made from different materials
  • investigating the ways in which First Nations Australians make utensils for different purposes by combining different materials
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms

Discovery (Observations),  Materials,  Properties of matter

Video

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Video

Sam the Lamb: what is wool?

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Text

How to Make Perfect Popcron

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Sam the Lamb: needs of sheep

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Cotton Australia photo library

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Interactive

Environmental and Zoo Education Centres – primary school resources

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This is a gold nugget (approximately 3.4 cm x 2.2 cm), which was probably found in about 1865 on a goldfield in Otago (in the southern South Island of New Zealand).

Image

Southern gastric brooding frog

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Interactive

Garden detective: explore an Australian garden

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Interactive

Pushing and pulling

Move animals from a boat to their new home in a zoo. Put them on a cart, then use monkeys to push or pull them up a hill. Use the minimum amount of force needed to move each animal. For example, use a single monkey to push a pelican or use three monkeys to pull a zebra. This learning object is a combination of three objects ...

Interactive

Light and shadows

Look at how a tree makes a shadow during a sunny day. Notice that objects always casts shadows that face away from the Sun. Examine how the shape and position of a shadow is related to the time of day and position of the Sun. Explore the shadows cast by different objects such as a bike, an umbrella and a child. Position ...

Image

Bunyip gold nugget, 1972

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Male and female thylacines, 1841

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For the Juniors: Keeping cool in hot weather

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For the Juniors: How do apiarists farm their bees?

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Video

Feathers, Fur and Fins: Observing an emu

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Video

Different paper plane designs

How many different paper plane designs are there? Lots! Watch as Dylan Parker, paper plane expert, demonstrates some of his favourites. Notice the way the different shapes and features of the planes cause them to move through the air in different ways. Which one do you like the most? Why not have a go at making something similar?