Year 9 Science

Core Science

Semester 1

The two strands of the Victorian Curriculum Science, Science Understanding and Science Inquiry Skills are taught in an integrated way. The Science Understanding strand includes students recognising that energy transfer through different mediums can be explained using the wave and particle models. It also includes investigating factors that affect the transfer of energy through an electric circuit. It also includes recognising that the interaction of magnets can be explained by a field model and that magnets are used in the generation of electricity and the operation of motors. It includes recognising that some of the Earth`s resources are renewable, but others are non-renewable. The Science Inquiry Skills strand includes students analysing their methods and the quality of their data, and explaining specific actions to improve the quality of their evidence. They also learn to evaluate others’ methods and explanations from a scientific perspective and use appropriate language and representations when communicating their findings and ideas to specific audiences.

Science Understanding

Students will learn:

• To recognise that the Law of Conservation of Energy explains that total energy is maintained in energy transfers and transformations 
• To recognise that in energy transfers and transformations, a number of steps can occur and the system is not 100% efficient so that usable energy is reduced 
• To consider how choices related to the use of fuels are influenced by environmental, social and political considerations 
• To explore how images can change when the arrangement of the mirror or lens is altered 
• To observe the spread and order of colours in the visible spectrum 
• To describe the different types of radiation in the larger spectrum of radiation 
• To use a wave model to describe the measured properties of sound, wavelength and frequency 
• To investigate parallel and series circuits and measure voltage drops across and currents through various components 
• To compare circuit design to household wiring 
• To investigate the action at a distance or the field model around magnets of different shapes 
• To investigate the movement of a magnet and a wire to produce electricity 
• To investigate the effect of a magnet on a current from a battery to produce movement 

Science Inquiry Skills 

Students will be able to: 

• Formulate questions that can be investigated within the scope of the classroom or field with available resources 
• Develop ideas from students' own or others' investigations and experiences to investigate further 
• Revise and refine research questions to target specific information and data collection to the specific problem identified 
• Explain the choice of variables to be controlled, changed and measured in an investigation 
• Identifying and managing potential hazards used in experimental investigations  
• To decide how much data are needed to obtain reliable measurements 
• To select and use probes and data loggers to record information 

Critical and Creative Thinking 

Students will learn to 

• Assess the viability of a solution by considering the risks associated with it 
• Explain and apply a range of techniques to test validity within and between arguments 

Semester 2

The two strands of the Victorian Curriculum Science, Science Understanding and Science Inquiry Skills are taught in an integrated way. The Science Understanding strand includes students recognising that living organisms respond to their environment to stay healthy. Organisms use coordinated and interdependent internal systems to respond to changes in their environment. It also includes identifying that living organisms use enzymes to change the rate at which chemical reactions occur, as well as examining how the Collision Theory can also be used to predict how changes will affect the rate of a chemical reaction. Students will also identify that controlling the rates of chemical reactions is used by the chemical industry. The Science Inquiry Skills strand includes students designing questions that can be investigated using a range of inquiry skills. Students also design methods that include the control and accurate measurement of variables and systematic collection of data and describe how they considered ethics and safety. Critical and creative thinking is also assessed in Science. Students learn and apply techniques to progress, analyse and evaluate thinking. Students develop an understanding that it is often necessary to take a range of perspectives and challenge assumptions.

Science understanding

Students will learn: 

• To consider the role of energy in chemical reactions 
• To recognise that the conservation of mass in a chemical reaction can be demonstrated by simple chemical equations 
• To investigate how chemical reactions result in the production of a range of useful substances, including the key chemical equations required for life. 
• To use word or symbol equations to represent chemical reactions 
• To describe how the requirements for life (oxygen, nutrients, water and removal of waste) are provided through the coordinated function of body systems, for example, the respiratory, circulatory, digestive, nervous and excretory systems 
• To explain (using models, flow diagrams or simulations) how body systems work together to maintain a functioning body 
• To investigate the body's response to changes as a result of the presence of micro-organisms 
• To identify functions for different areas of the brain 
• To model the 'knee jerk' reaction and explain why it is a reflex action 
• To identify responses involving the nervous and endocrine systems 

Science Inquiry Skills  

Students will be able to: 

• Apply specific skills in the use of scientific instruments 
• Select and use probes and data loggers to record information 
• Identify how human error can influence the reliability of data 
• Use spreadsheets to present data in tables and graphical forms and to carry out mathematical analyses of data 
• Design and construct appropriate graphs to represent data and to look for trends and patterns 
• Explore relationships between variables using spreadsheets, databases, tables, charts, graphs and statistics 
• Describe data properties (for example mean, median, range, outliers, and large gaps visible on a graph) and their significance for a particular investigation sample, acknowledging uncertainties 

Astronomy

The two strands of the Victorian Curriculum Science, Science Understanding and Science Inquiry Skills are taught in an integrated way. The Science Understanding strand includes students recognising that the universe contains features including galaxies, stars and solar systems and the Big Bang theory can be used to explain the origin of the universe. It also includes learning that gravity is a force that attracts objects and can act across large distances. It also includes students recognising that predictable phenomena on Earth, including seasons and eclipses, are caused by the relative positions of the sun, Earth and the moon. The Science Inquiry Skills strand includes students learning to select and use appropriate equipment, including digital technologies, to systematically and accurately collect and record data. It also includes students analysing patterns and trends in data, including describing relationships between variables and identifying inconsistencies and using their knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with the evidence.  

Science understanding

Students will learn: 

• To identify the evidence supporting the Big Bang theory, for example, Edwin Hubble’s observations and the detection of microwave radiation 
• To recognise that the age of the Universe can be derived by applying knowledge of the Big Bang Theory 
• To describe how the evolution of the Universe, including the formation of galaxies and stars, has continued since the Big Bang  
• To consider how information technology can be applied to different areas of science, for example, bioinformatics, the Square Kilometre Array, DNA sequencing and the analysis of radio astronomy signals 
• To recognise the contribution of Australian scientists, for example, Brian Schmidt and Penny Sackett, in the exploration and study of the Universe 

Science Inquiry Skills 

Students will be able to: 

• Explain the choice of variables to be controlled, changed and measured in an investigation 
• Using modelling and simulations, including using digital technologies, to investigate situations and events 
• Using the internet to facilitate collaboration in joint projects and discussions 
• Designing and constructing appropriate graphs to represent data and to look for trends and patterns 
• Using secondary sources as well as their own findings to help explain a scientific concept 

Forensic Science

The two strands of the Victorian Curriculum Science, Science Understanding and Science Inquiry Skills are taught in an integrated way. The Science Understanding strand includes students recognising that different types of chemical reactions are used to produce a range of products and this can be used to identify unknown substances. It also includes learning that the motion of objects can be described using the laws of physics. This knowledge can be used during car crash investigations or ballistics analysis or blood spatter patterns. It also includes learning how genetics, particularly DNA analysis, can be used to ‘fingerprint’ suspects and link suspects to crime scenes. The Science Inquiry Skills strand includes students selecting and using appropriate investigation methods. This may include fieldwork and laboratory experimentation, to collect reliable data. It also includes students learning to assess risk and address ethical issues associated with these methods. Students will also learn to evaluate their conclusions, including identifying sources of uncertainty and possible alternative explanations, and describe specific ways to improve the quality of the data.  

Science understanding

Students will learn: 

• To consider the use of genetic testing for decisions such as identification of suspects and the use of this information by organisations such as insurance companies  
• To investigate how chemical reactions can be used to determine the identity of unknown substances 
• To gather data to analyse everyday motion produced by forces, for example, measurements of distance and time, velocity, mass, acceleration and force 

Science Inquiry Skills 

Students will be able to: 

• Discuss what is meant by 'validity' and how they can evaluate the validity of information in secondary sources 
• Judge the validity of science-related media reports and how these reports might be interpreted by the public 
• Use primary or secondary scientific evidence to support or refute a conclusion or claim
• Suggest more than one possible explanation of the data presented 
• Describe data properties (for example mean, median, range, outliers, and large gaps visible on a graph) and their significance for a particular investigation sample, acknowledging uncertainties.