Science / Year 4 / Science as a human endeavour / Use and influence of science

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Curriculum content descriptions

consider how people use scientific explanations to meet a need or solve a problem (AC9S4H02)

Elaborations
  • investigating how knowledge of the role of decomposers has helped people design industrial composting systems to manage plant and animal waste
  • investigating how First Nations Australians of arid regions of Australia use scientific knowledge to manage precious water resources
  • considering how knowledges of plant biology enable First Nations Australians to sustainably harvest and use plants to make tools and weapons, musical instruments, clothing, cosmetics and artworks
  • exploring how knowledge of the properties of plastic has influenced people to change how they purchase, use and dispose of plastic products
  • examining how people use knowledge of friction to improve car or bicycle safety on slippery surfaces such as wet or icy roads
  • investigating how knowledge of magnetic force is used to sort metals in recycling, mining and food processing
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms

Explanations (Scientific inquiry),  Modelling,  Scientists,  Problem solving,  Design briefs

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20 direct matches to AC9S4H02

Text

Our animal neighbours

  • TLF-IDA010310

This lesson invites students to learn about a local animal species, the places it lives and how this has changed over time. The lesson includes a downloadable lesson plan, links to supporting websites, videos, and an assessment rubric.

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Text

Rivers and creeks: caring for living places

  • TLF-IDA010308

This lesson introduces rivers, creeks and other waterways as living places that support plants, animals, and people. The lesson includes a downloadable lesson plan, links to supporting websites, videos, and an assessment rubric.

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Text

Honey bees

  • TLF-IDA005804

In this set of learning activities, students explore the problem of declining honey bee populations. 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 template, is supported by online ...

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Downloadable

School water use audit (Year 4)

  • TLF-IDA003830

In this activity, students identify the water use areas in the school and the water use items found in those areas. On the ‘Water walk’, students also identify any leaking water use items. They assess how water savings can be made in each of these areas.

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Downloadable

How my water travels

  • TLF-IDA003815

In this lesson sequence, students explore what happens as water soaks into or runs over the ground. They gain an understanding of a catchment from a sandpit model that show how water moves across the landscape. Students then trace the journey that their water takes every day, from catchment or aquifer to tap.

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Downloadable

Sustainable water sources

  • TLF-IDA003811

In this lesson, students research alternative water sources such as desalination, recycled water, stormwater, rainwater and greywater. They use this information to design a water and energy saving solution to a water supply problem.

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Text

Park Ranger Problem Solving: An ‘Addition & Subtraction’ Rich Task for Years 3–4 - Calculate

  • TLF-IDA004335

The aim of this task is to provide a rich, contextual activity through which students can begin to explore the addition and subtraction of one- and two-digit of numbers in everyday contexts.

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Downloadable

Are we living sustainably?

  • TLF-IDA003816

This unit of eight lessons poses the question ‘Are we living sustainably?’ Students use prompts to draw on their prior knowledge to explain what they already know about sustainability. They then investigate why water is precious, explore how water is used around their school and at home. Students then research ways that ...

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Downloadable

Water use activity

  • TLF-IDA003825

In this indoor or outdoor activity, students (working in small groups or as a class) listen to a story about how two people use water every day. They add water to two jugs (one for each character) which correspond to an amount read in the story. It is a great way to show how much water is used for everyday activities and ...

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Text

Creating a worm farm

  • TLF-IDA002844

Food and gardening scraps thrown into household bins becomes landfill. When food waste breaks down in landfill, it emits greenhouse gases including methane gas which traps heat in our atmosphere. Diverting this organic waste from landfill and into a worm farm or composting system is great for your garden and for our planet. ...

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Interactive

Kitchen gardens – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

  • TLF-IDM020972

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on kitchen gardens using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and ...

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Video

Can We Help?: Effects of g-force on the human body

  • TLF-IDM015554

Peter Rowsthorn visits the Australian International Air Show to answer the question, 'What effect does g-force have on the human body?' Join Pete in the cockpit of a light plane for some aerobatics with pilot David Pilkington. G-force expert Dr David Newman explains the science as Pete endures up to 6 g in the aircraft.

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Video

Hillside erosion: how to stop it

  • TLF-IDM015472

Find out what is causing erosion of the hills in a local area, and how this damage can be prevented. View this clip called 'Willunga Hills are falling down', created by young reporters from Willunga Primary School, South Australia. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the news!' project, which featured ...

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Video

Restoring a native creek habitat

  • TLF-IDM015470

Discover how a primary school is working with local environmental groups to clean up the local creek and promote the return of native animals. View this clip called 'A fishy story!', created by young reporters from Willunga Primary School, South Australia. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the ...

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Video

Termites: Destroyers or recyclers?

  • TLF-IDM017837

Be amazed by what these young scientists find out about termites. Discover where termites live and what they eat. You may be surprised to find out that they are not actually ants, and that they are blind! This video was a finalist in the 2013 Sleek Geeks Eureka Science School Prize competition.

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Video

Gardening Australia: Planting an orchard

  • TLF-IDM016049

Imagine eating oranges straight from a tree in your school orchard. Watch this clip to see how the Swan Valley Anglican Community School began creating their own orchard complete with fruit-bearing orange trees. Josh Byrne explains how to position an orchard, prepare the soil and select suitable plants.

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Video

Gardening Australia: Growing vegetables and natives

  • TLF-IDM015959

Discover what vegetables the students at Swan Valley Anglican School choose to grow first in their new school garden. In this clip, Josh Byrne is helping students to transform a bare patch of ground into a productive garden. Find out about the landscaping materials they use, and why particular plants, including natives, ...

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Video

Experimentals: Recycling household items

  • TLF-IDM015947

Discover why plastic is harmful to our environment and how recycling helps to reduce its impact. Listen to Jon Dee, founder of Planet Ark, discuss the problem of plastic. Watch as a bag of household items are sorted to identify what can be recycled.

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Video

Kids in the Garden, Ep 5: How plants work

  • TLF-IDM015702

Plants are the only living things that can make their own food. They do this during the day while it's light, using a process called photosynthesis, which uses carbon dioxide and produces oxygen. During the day and night plants take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide through respiration. Discover just how important plants ...

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Interactive

In digestion

  • TLF-IDL1

Follow the passage of food through the human body. Select foods and drinks and decide how to digest them. For example, choose to chew, to add saliva to the mouth or add gastric juices to the stomach. Watch how the body reacts to changes. Find out more about digestion along the way and answer questions.

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