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Science

Curriculum

Levels

Foundation to Level 2

By the end of Level 2, students make and compare observations about the world around them. They describe situations in their lives where they ask questions about natural phenomena and use patterns from their observations to make scientific predictions.

Students group plants and animals based on observable features, and identify how living things meet their needs in the places they live. They explain how the features of plants and animals enable their survival. They describe the observable properties of the materials that make up objects. They provide examples of objects and mixtures that are made from...

Content descriptions – Foundation to Level 2

Levels 3 and 4

By the end of Level 4, students explain the role of data in scientific inquiry. They provide examples to explain how needs have been met or problems have been solved through applying scientific knowledge, skills and data.

Students classify and compare the characteristics of living, once-living and non-living things. They compare the life cycles of different plants and animals, and describe similarities and differences between parents and offspring at different stages of growth. They identify the roles of organisms in a habitat, and construct food chains. They classify solids, liquids and gases based on observable properties,...

Content descriptions – Levels 3 and 4

Levels 5 and 6

By the end of Level 6, students describe examples of advances in science achieved by scientists who work individually and in teams, building on the work of others. They discuss examples that illustrate how individuals and communities use scientific knowledge, skills and data to inform their actions and make decisions.

Students explain how natural and human-induced changes in the physical conditions of a habitat affect the survival of organisms. They provide examples of how organisms have changed over time and explain how the structural features and behaviours of organisms enable them to survive. They relate the...

Content descriptions – Levels 5 and 6

Levels 7 and 8

By the end of Level 8, students explain how new evidence can lead to changes in scientific knowledge. They discuss how people with different understandings, skills, perspectives and worldviews have worked in multidisciplinary teams to develop scientific knowledge. They discuss the relevant ethical, environmental, social and economic considerations associated with a proposed scientific response to a selected socio-scientific issue. They analyse the importance of science communication in shaping viewpoints, policies and regulations.

Students explain how biological diversity is ordered and organised. They explain the role of specialised cell structures and organelles in cellular function, and distinguish...

Content descriptions – Levels 7 and 8

Levels 9 and 10

By the end of Level 10, students analyse the importance of different scientific methods, critique, replication, publication and peer review in the development of scientific knowledge. They examine the relationship between science, engineering and technologies. They examine how different projected outcomes of the application of scientific knowledge to a selected socio-scientific issue may lead to varied support from individuals and groups in society. They discuss how scientific information and misinformation may inform personal and social decision-making and influence priorities for scientific research.

Students describe how the processes of sexual and asexual reproduction enable survival of the...

Content descriptions – Levels 9 and 10