The current view of the biosphere as a dynamic system composed of Earth’s diverse, interrelated and interacting ecosystems developed from the work of eighteenth and nineteenth century naturalists, who collected, classified, measured and mapped the distribution of organisms and environments around the world. In this unit, students investigate and describe a number of diverse ecosystems, exploring the range of biotic and abiotic components to understand the dynamics, diversity and underlying unity of these systems.
Students develop an understanding of the processes involved in the movement of energy and matter in ecosystems. They investigate ecosystem dynamics, including interactions within and between species, and interactions between abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems. They also investigate how measurements of abiotic factors, population numbers and species diversity, and descriptions of species interactions, can form the basis for spatial and temporal comparisons between ecosystems. Students use classification keys to identify organisms, describe the biodiversity in ecosystems, investigate patterns in relationships between organisms, and aid scientific communication.
Through the investigation of appropriate contexts, students explore how international collaboration, evidence from multiple disciplines and the use of ICT and other technologies have contributed to the study and conservation of national, regional and global biodiversity. They investigate how scientific knowledge is used to offer valid explanations and reliable predictions, and the ways in which scientific knowledge interacts with social, economic, cultural and ethical factors.
Fieldwork is an important part of this unit, providing valuable opportunities for students to work together to collect first-hand data and to experience local ecosystem interactions. In order to understand the interconnectedness of organisms, the physical environment and human activity, students analyse and interpret data collected through investigation of a local environment and from sources relating to other Australian, regional and global environments.
By the end of this unit, students:
Identify, research and construct questions for investigation; propose hypotheses; and predict possible outcomes (ACSBL001)
Design investigations, including the procedure/s to be followed, the materials required, and the type and amount of primary and/or secondary data to be collected; conduct risk assessments; and consider research ethics, including animal ethics (ACSBL002)
Conduct investigations, including using ecosystem surveying techniques, safely, competently and methodically for the collection of valid and reliable data (ACSBL003)
Represent data in meaningful and useful ways; organise and analyse data to identify trends, patterns and relationships; qualitatively describe sources of measurement error, and uncertainty and limitations in data; and select, synthesise and use evidence to make and justify conclusions (ACSBL004)
Interpret a range of scientific and media texts, and evaluate processes, claims and conclusions by considering the quality of available evidence; and use reasoning to construct scientific arguments (ACSBL005)
Select, construct and use appropriate representations, including classification keys, food webs and biomass pyramids, to communicate conceptual understanding, solve problems and make predictions (ACSBL006)
Communicate to specific audiences and for specific purposes using appropriate language, nomenclature, genres and modes, including scientific reports (ACSBL007)
Science is a global enterprise that relies on clear communication, international conventions, peer review and reproducibility (ACSBL008)
Development of complex models and/or theories often requires a wide range of evidence from multiple individuals and across disciplines (ACSBL009)
Advances in science understanding in one field can influence other areas of science, technology and engineering (ACSBL010)
The use of scientific knowledge is influenced by social, economic, cultural and ethical considerations (ACSBL011)
The use of scientific knowledge may have beneficial and/or harmful and/or unintended consequences (ACSBL012)
Scientific knowledge can enable scientists to offer valid explanations and make reliable predictions (ACSBL013)
Scientific knowledge can be used to develop and evaluate projected economic, social and environmental impacts and to design action for sustainability (ACSBL014)
The cell is the basic unit of life. Although cell structure and function are very diverse, all cells possess some common features: all prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells need to exchange materials with their immediate external environment in order to maintain the chemical processes vital for cell functioning. In this unit, students examine inputs and outputs of cells to develop an understanding of the chemical nature of cellular systems, both structurally and functionally, and the processes required for cell survival. Students investigate the ways in which matter moves and energy is transformed and transferred in the biochemical processes of photosynthesis and respiration, and the role of enzymes in controlling biochemical systems.
Multicellular organisms typically consist of a number of interdependent systems of cells organised into tissues, organs and organ systems. Students examine the structure and function of plant and animal systems at cell and tissue levels in order to describe how they facilitate the efficient provision or removal of materials to and from all cells of the organism.
Through the investigation of appropriate contexts, students explore how international collaboration, evidence from multiple disciplines and the use of ICT and other technologies have contributed to developing understanding of the structure and function of cells and multicellular organisms. They investigate how scientific knowledge is used to offer valid explanations and reliable predictions, and the ways in which scientific knowledge interacts with social, economic, cultural and ethical factors.
Students use science inquiry skills to explore the relationship between structure and function, by conducting real or virtual dissections and carrying out microscopic examination of cells and tissues. Students consider the ethical considerations that apply to the use of living organisms in research. They develop skills in constructing and using models to describe and interpret data about the functions of cells and organisms.
By the end of this unit, students:
Identify, research and construct questions for investigation; propose hypotheses; and predict possible outcomes (ACSBL030)
Design investigations, including the procedure/s to be followed, the materials required, and the type and amount of primary and/or secondary data to be collected; conduct risk assessments; and consider research ethics, including animal ethics (ACSBL031)
Conduct investigations, including microscopy techniques, real or virtual dissections and chemical analysis, safely, competently and methodically for the collection of valid and reliable data (ACSBL032)
Represent data in meaningful and useful ways; organise and analyse data to identify trends, patterns and relationships; qualitatively describe sources of measurement error, and uncertainty and limitations in data; and select, synthesise and use evidence to make and justify conclusions (ACSBL033)
Interpret a range of scientific and media texts, and evaluate processes, claims and conclusions by considering the quality of available evidence; and use reasoning to construct scientific arguments (ACSBL034)
Select, construct and use appropriate representations, including diagrams of structures and processes; and images from different imaging techniques, to communicate conceptual understanding, solve problems and make predictions (ACSBL035)
Communicate to specific audiences and for specific purposes using appropriate language, nomenclature, genres and modes, including scientific reports (ACSBL036)
Science is a global enterprise that relies on clear communication, international conventions, peer review and reproducibility (ACSBL037)
Development of complex models and/or theories often requires a wide range of evidence from multiple individuals and across disciplines (ACSBL038)
Advances in science understanding in one field can influence other areas of science, technology and engineering (ACSBL039)
The use of scientific knowledge is influenced by social, economic, cultural and ethical considerations (ACSBL040)
The use of scientific knowledge may have beneficial and/or harmful and/or unintended consequences (ACSBL041)
Scientific knowledge can enable scientists to offer reliable explanations and make reliable predictions (ACSBL042)
Scientific knowledge can be used to develop and evaluate projected economic, social and environmental impacts and to design action for sustainability (ACSBL043)
Heredity is an important biological principle as it explains why offspring (cells or organisms) resemble their parent cell or organism. Organisms require cellular division and differentiation for growth, development, repair and sexual reproduction. In this unit, students investigate the biochemical and cellular systems and processes involved in the transmission of genetic material to the next generation of cells and to offspring. They consider different patterns of inheritance by analysing the possible genotypes and phenotypes of offspring. Students link their observations to explanatory models that describe patterns of inheritance, and explore how the use of predictive models of inheritance enables decision making.
Students investigate the genetic basis for the theory of evolution by natural selection through constructing, using and evaluating explanatory and predictive models for gene pool diversity of populations. They explore genetic variation in gene pools, selection pressures and isolation effects in order to explain speciation and extinction events and to make predictions about future changes to populations.
Through the investigation of appropriate contexts, students explore the ways in which models and theories related to heredity and population genetics, and associated technologies, have developed over time and through interactions with social, cultural, economic and ethical considerations. They investigate the ways in which science contributes to contemporary debate about local, regional and international issues, including evaluation of risk and action for sustainability, and recognise the limitations of science to provide definitive answers in different contexts.
Students use science inquiry skills to design and conduct investigations into how different factors affect cellular processes and gene pools; they construct and use models to analyse the data gathered; and they continue to develop their skills in constructing plausible predictions and valid, reliable conclusions.
By the end of this unit, students:
Identify, research and construct questions for investigation; propose hypotheses; and predict possible outcomes (ACSBL061)
Design investigations, including the procedure/s to be followed, the materials required, and the type and amount of primary and/or secondary data to be collected; conduct risk assessments; and consider research ethics, including animal ethics (ACSBL062)
Conduct investigations, including the use of probabilities to predict inheritance patterns, real or virtual gel electrophoresis, and population simulations to predict population changes, safely, competently and methodically for the collection of valid and reliable data (ACSBL063)
Represent data in meaningful and useful ways, including the use of mean, median, range and probability; organise and analyse data to identify trends, patterns and relationships; discuss the ways in which measurement error, instrumental accuracy, the nature of the procedure and the sample size may influence uncertainty and limitations in data; and select, synthesise and use evidence to make and justify conclusions (ACSBL064)
Interpret a range of scientific and media texts, and evaluate models, processes, claims and conclusions by considering the quality of available evidence, including interpreting confidence intervals in secondary data; and use reasoning to construct scientific arguments (ACSBL065)
Select, construct and use appropriate representations, including models of DNA replication, transcription and translation, Punnett squares and probability models of expression of a specific gene in a population, to communicate conceptual understanding, solve problems and make predictions (ACSBL066)
Communicate to specific audiences and for specific purposes using appropriate language, nomenclature, genres and modes, including scientific reports (ACSBL067)
ICT and other technologies have dramatically increased the size, accuracy and geographic and temporal scope of data sets with which scientists work (ACSBL068)
Models and theories are contested and refined or replaced when new evidence challenges them, or when a new model or theory has greater explanatory power (ACSBL069)
The acceptance of scientific knowledge can be influenced by the social, economic and cultural context in which it is considered (ACSBL070)
People can use scientific knowledge to inform the monitoring, assessment and evaluation of risk (ACSBL071)
Science can be limited in its ability to provide definitive answers to public debate; there may be insufficient reliable data available, or interpretation of the data may be open to question (ACSBL072)
International collaboration is often required when investing in large-scale science projects or addressing issues for the Asia-Pacific region (ACSBL073)
Scientific knowledge can be used to develop and evaluate projected economic, social and environmental impacts and to design action for sustainability (ACSBL074)
In order to survive, organisms must be able to maintain system structure and function in the face of changes in their external and internal environments. Changes in temperature and water availability, and the incidence and spread of infectious disease, present significant challenges for organisms and require coordinated system responses. In this unit, students investigate how homeostatic response systems control organisms’ responses to environmental change – internal and external – in order to survive in a variety of environments, as long as the conditions are within their tolerance limits. Students study how the invasion of an organism’s internal environment by pathogens challenges the effective functioning of cells, tissues and body systems, and triggers a series of responses or events in the short- and long-term in order to maintain system function. They consider the factors that contribute to the spread of infectious disease and how outbreaks of infectious disease can be predicted, monitored and contained.
Through the investigation of appropriate contexts, students explore the ways in which models and theories of organisms’ and populations’ responses to environmental change have developed over time and through interactions with social, economic, cultural and ethical considerations. They investigate the ways in which science contributes to contemporary debate about local, regional and international issues, including evaluation of risk and action for sustainability, and recognise the limitations of science to provide definitive answers in different contexts.
Students use science inquiry skills to investigate a range of responses by plants and animals to changes in their environments and to invasion by pathogens; they construct and use appropriate representations to analyse the data gathered; and they continue to develop their skills in constructing plausible predictions and valid conclusions.
By the end of this unit, students:
Identify, research and construct questions for investigation; propose hypotheses; and predict possible outcomes (ACSBL096)
Design investigations, including the procedure/s to be followed, the materials required, and the type and amount of primary and/or secondary data to be collected; conduct risk assessments; and consider research ethics, including the rights of living organisms (ACSBL097)
Conduct investigations, including using models of homeostasis and disease transmission, safely, competently and methodically for valid and reliable collection of data (ACSBL098)
Represent data in meaningful and useful ways, including the use of mean, median, range and probability; organise and analyse data to identify trends, patterns and relationships; discuss the ways in which measurement error, instrumental accuracy, the nature of the procedure and sample size may influence uncertainty and limitations in data; and select, synthesise and use evidence to make and justify conclusions (ACSBL099)
Interpret a range of scientific and media texts, and evaluate models, processes, claims and conclusions by considering the quality of available evidence; and use reasoning to construct scientific arguments (ACSBL100)
Select, construct and use appropriate representations, including diagrams and flow charts, to communicate conceptual understanding, solve problems and make predictions (ACSBL101)
Communicate to specific audiences and for specific purposes using appropriate language, nomenclature, genres and modes, including scientific reports (ACSBL102)
ICT and other technologies have dramatically increased the size, accuracy and geographic and temporal scope of data sets with which scientists work (ACSBL103)
Models and theories are contested and refined or replaced when new evidence challenges them, or when a new model or theory has greater explanatory power (ACSBL104)
The acceptance of scientific knowledge can be influenced by the social, economic and cultural context in which it is considered (ACSBL105)
People can use scientific knowledge to inform the monitoring, assessment and evaluation of risk (ACSBL106)
Science can be limited in its ability to provide definitive answers to public debate; there may be insufficient reliable data available, or interpretation of the data may be open to question (ACSBL107)
International collaboration is often required when investing in large-scale science projects or addressing issues for the Asia-Pacific region (ACSBL108)
Scientific knowledge can be used to develop and evaluate projected economic, social and environmental impacts and to design action for sustainability (ACSBL109)