Science / Year 9 / Science as a human endeavour / Nature and development of science

Curriculum content descriptions

investigate how advances in technologies enable advances in science, and how science has contributed to developments in technologies and engineering (AC9S9H02)

Elaborations
  • analysing how the development of imaging technologies has improved our understanding of the functions and interactions of body systems
  • considering the impact of technological advances developed in Australia such as the cochlear implant pioneered by Professor Graeme Clark, the Monash Vison Group’s work on a bionic eye, Professor Fiona Woods’s development of spray-on skin and Doctor John O’Sullivan and CSIRO’s invention of wi-fi
  • researching how technological advances in monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental factors have contributed to the reinstatement of traditional fire management practices as a strategy to reduce atmospheric pollution
  • examining how properties of electromagnetic radiation relate to its uses, such as radar, medicine, mobile phone communications, remote sensing and microwave cooking
  • exploring how scientists and engineers make machines more energy efficient
  • exploring how understanding of the nature of matter and energy has changed over time, and how modern technology has enabled exploration of energy conversion processes at all scales, from black holes to atoms to sub-atomic particles
  • examining how advances in understanding of radioactivity and radioisotopes have led to new applications and technologies
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms

Discovery (Observations),  Innovation,  Technologies

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Digital tectonics

This set of learning activities challenges students to use accessible digital technologies and hands-on engineering to measure simulated seismic vibrations, analyse and present data, and determine criteria for the design of earthquake tolerant buildings. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum links, ...

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Assist me

This set of learning activities challenges students to students consider the role that STEM plays in healthcare. They explore how biomedical engineers and doctors work together to improve and invent devices that enable people with disabilities to complete daily life tasks efficiently and effectively. Students consider ethics, ...

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Communication Technology

In this activity, students identify and evaluate the communication technologies used during the war. They then apply their understanding of the physical sciences to construct a telegraph machine and develop and use a cipher to send a coded message. This resource is part of a suite of activities from Queensland Museum focused ...

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First World War: Community of Inquiry

In this activity, students participate in a community of inquiry to consider the ethical implications of scientific and technological knowledge within the context of the First World War. This resource is part of a suite of activities from Queensland Museum focused on trench warfare during the First World War.

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Microorganisms and Malaria

This series of activities explores the microorganisms that cause malaria, the parasitic disease of humans. Students also investigate malaria in birds, examine images of bird blood smears and are challenged to spot the parasites in a series of images of microscope slides.

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FLEET Schools: Forces and Energy

This collection of learning activities explores the concept of energy and why it is crucial to our understanding of how everything in the universe works – from sub-atomic particles to the sun, mobile phones and the universe itself. There are links to critical thinking activities and experiments that cover the concepts of ...

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Food and Fibre Card Game

In this card game, students explore the career opportunities in the Australian grains industry. Students examine the Australian grain supply chain and view real-life examples of the various roles in the production and distribution of grain products and the technologies driving advancements within the sector. From seed ...

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FLEET Schools: Light: reflection, refraction, diffraction

This collection of learning activities explores the basic physics that describes light, the history of exploration of light and its applications, and implications for society. There are links to critical thinking activities and experiments that cover the concepts of absorption, reflection, refraction and diffraction to ...

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Thermoregulation in spacesuits

Space exploration demands technological advances that enable survival in extremely harsh environments. In this lesson, students will explore contemporary spacesuit design and create their own representation of the suit’s thermoregulation system.

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Travel Times

Life would be very different today if we did not have modern transport. In this activity, students calculate the time it would take for humans to travel long distances through different modes of transport. They then analyse the impact of these technological developments.

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Low-carb cars

This ABC In Depth feature article explores the electric car as an alternative to petrol and diesel vehicles, with a brief reference to hydrogen powered cars. This article is comprehensive, but it is dated at 2008.

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Coal Gas

This 12 minute video segment from Catalyst outlines how for decades, scientists have worked to develop technologies that can unlock the energy from coal while reducing the risks of digging it up and burning it. Now entirely new industries are booming as they tap into coal seams either too gassy or too deep to be mined by ...

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Monkey Malaria

This 13 minute video segment from Catalyst describes recent research in Borneo investigates malaria that is common to monkeys and humans.

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2024 Dreaming

Explore options for houses, work, food and transport in 2024 in this multimedia presentation from Radio National. A useful resource for stimulating discussion about applications of science and implications for society and the environment as well as current issues and developments in science. Gives examples of how different ...

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Cracked soils

This brief video segment from Catalyst demonstrates how scientists have developed probes to measure the water content of soils and therefore monitor the effectiveness of irrigation and the efficiency of water usage.

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Hendra Virus

This 11 minute video segment from Catalyst describes research into the Hendra virus with its high mortality rate and animal vectors.

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Science Talk 2007: Jack Bacon

An interview with Dr Jack Bacon, NASA engineer and futurist. Jack talks to a teacher from Sydney Girls High School about his experiences on the Vomit comet and his research into alternative energy sources. Jack also shares with us his predictions for the future of science, space travel and energy sources.

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Sea Urchins

This 7 minute video segment from Catalyst describes an excellent example of how biologists have worked to investigate and solve a problem of an invading species of sea urchin that was devastating a marine ecosystem. The scientific approach to develop a biological control needed to rely on technologies such as radio tracking ...

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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 ...

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Diabetes type 2 cured by surgery ABC Radio national

Download the audio or view the transcript of this ABC radio program. It is an excellent example of how approaching a problem from a different perspective and with an open mind may result in an amazing solution. Richard Stubbs, and New Zealand scientist, claims type 2 diabetes is a disease of the gut. If his hypothesis is ...