Science / Year 9 / Science understanding / Earth and space sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

represent the carbon cycle and examine how key processes including combustion, photosynthesis and respiration rely on interactions between Earth’s spheres (the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere) (AC9S9U03)

Elaborations
  • identifying Earth as a system, describing Earth’s spheres and discussing examples of interactions between different spheres
  • examining the carbon cycle using diagrams, animations or simulations and explaining the role of photosynthesis and respiration in that cycle
  • identifying the impact of combustion reactions as a result of human activity on the carbon cycle
  • investigating the greenhouse effect and relating it to the role carbon dioxide plays in maintaining temperatures that support life on Earth
  • conducting a field investigation to evaluate carbon sequestration in an ecosystem, such as measuring tree biomass, deadwood, leaf litter and soil depth, and using formulas to calculate approximate carbon storage
  • investigating how First Nations Australians use fire-mediated chemical reactions to facilitate energy and nutrient transfer through the practice of firestick farming
  • investigating how First Nations Australians are reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions through the reinstatement of traditional fire management regimes
  • identifying how carbon dioxide is captured and stored naturally or through the use of technologies
  • calculating an individual’s carbon footprint, examining the impact of human activities and suggesting strategies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Cellular respiration,  Ecosystems,  Carbon cycle,  Photosynthesis

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PRIMED Science - Year 9

This set of learning activities focuses on ecosystems, and sustainability in food and fibre production primary industries . Students explore how humans interact with biological and physical systems to produce food and natural fibres. The resource includes a teacher guide, supporting videos, slide shows and student worksheets ...

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Investigating Ocean Acidification

In this activity students investigate how ocean acidification may affect organisms with shells or exoskeletons made of calcium carbonate, such as oysters, clams, sea snails and coral. Students develop and conduct an experiment to test the effect of carbonated water on calcium carbonate and then analyse the results and produce ...

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Engineering is futures-focused and multidisciplinary

In this lesson, students explore the multidisciplinary nature of contemporary engineering, and how engineering is pivotal to solving future challenges such as climate change, renewable energy and food security.

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A Little Atmosphere

This activity invites students to model the scaled thickness of the atmosphere on a globe using sheets of transparency material. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions for further activities.

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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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Keeping up with carbon

What is the carbon cycle and how does it affect climate? Find out in this fascinating clip from NASA, produced to celebrate Earth Science Week 2009.

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Daisies describe an ecosystem

Ecosystems are affected by many factors including increasing temperatures, which many scientists believe threaten natural systems on Earth today. This creative clip uses a theoretical world of black and white daisies to show how changes to the natural reflectivity of a planet's surface impacts temperatures and populations. ...

Interactive

Science Talk 2007: Jeremy Leggett

An interview with Dr Jeremy Leggett, global environmental expert from Solarcentury in the UK. Jeremy talks to a teacher from Leumeah High School about global warming, fossil fuels and the design of carbon neutral buildings.

Interactive

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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Drought culprit

This 12 minute video segment from Catalyst is an excellent resource for students researching how oceans influence conditions on Earth's surface. It demonstrates the advantages and disadvantages of using models in science and how our understanding is open to revision as more information comes to light.

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Forest learning: How is carbon stored?

This resource is a ten-page pdf produced by Forest and Wood Products Australia about the role forests play in reducing climate change. It includes sections on: properties of carbon; how carbon is cycled in ecosystems; the chemical formula for photosynthesis; and calculating CO2 stored in trees. The resource also includes ...

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Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Food is stored energy

Elliot challenges Ruben Meerman, the Surfing Scientist, to do an experiment that involves explosions, pretty colours and lollies! Watch this clip to see what he comes up with. You might also learn something about chemical reactions and the stored energy in food.

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Atoms Alive: Cells and energy

Cells are like chemical factories. Discover the different ways cells get energy to carry out their daily operations. Learn about the different types of metabolic processes inside cells, such as those that break down molecules to release energy and those that assemble building blocks to make more complex components.

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Catalyst: Chemical pollutants toxic to whales

Explore how chemical pollutants affect the Antarctic food web. A scientist shows that baleen whales are consuming Antarctic krill contaminated by accumulated residues of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from pesticides and industrial chemicals. Find out why these pollutants are concentrated at the Earth's polar regions.

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ABC News: Hydrogen-diesel engine

How might we reduce damaging emissions from diesel engines and increase their fuel efficiency at the same time? Watch as Dr Vishi Karri from the University of Tasmania describes the development of a new type of engine: the hybrid hydrogen-diesel engine. Dr Hafez A Hafez explains how the technology can be easily adapted ...

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Catalyst: Plants and increased levels of carbon dioxide

We know that most plants use carbon dioxide to make their own food. So what might plants look like in 100 years if carbon dioxide levels continue to increase - will they become enormous and overtake our backyards? View the possible effects of changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide on plants and, in turn, humans and other animals.

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Wine-grape growing and climate change

View vineyards of the Yarra Valley region of Victoria in a news clip from 2006 and discover a warming climate's consequences for the region's wine-grape growers. This clip examines some of the ways these growers can adapt to climate change. An environmentalist also gives views on climate change and issues politicians with ...

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Recent evapotranspiration

This resource is a Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) web page with a map of Australia showing daily reference evapotranspiration and also tables of daily transpiration for each Australian state and the Northern Territory. Monthly data is available via the location links in the tables for each state.