Biological Sciences
Science Understanding Strand
Here you will find the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals and Cross Curriculum Priorities for Biological Sciences. Click on the numbered tabs below to access the Cross-Curriculum Elaboration, Lesson Suggestions and OWC Resources for each year group.
Lesson Suggestions
Content Description
Daily and seasonal changes in our environment affect everyday life.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
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Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
Elaboration
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​Learning how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ concepts of time and weather patterns explain how things happen in the world around them.
Lesson Suggestions & Resources
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Refs: CALM (1998). Exploring Woodlands with Nyoongars. Clothing. Pascoe (2018). Dark Emu. pp. 119-136.
OWC Catalogue
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Refs: CALM (1998). Exploring Woodlands with Nyoongars. Clothing. Pascoe (2018). Dark Emu. pp. 119-136.
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Testing LB.... Cool.org
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ASIA and Australia's Engagement with Asia
Elaboration
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​Linking the changes in the daily weather to the way we modify our behaviour and dress for different conditions, including examples from different cultures.
Resources
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TBC
Sustainability
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Content Description
Observable changes occur in the sky and landscape.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
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Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
Elaboration
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Recognising the extensive knowledge of daily and seasonal changes in weather patterns and landscape held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Lesson Suggestions
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The Noongar Peoples of south-west Western Australia mark the beginning of kambarang, second spring, by the flowering of balga (grass tree; Xanthorrhoea spp.); and the bright orange and yellow flowers of the moodjar (Australian Christmas tree; Nuytsia floribunda) indicate that hot weather is approaching.
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https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/TeacherBackgroundInfo?id=56577
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​https://www.indigenous.gov.au/teaching-guides/curricula-project/astronomy
Resources
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TBC
ASIA and Australia's Engagement with Asia
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Sustainability
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Content Description
Earth’s resources are used in a variety of ways.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
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Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
Elaboration
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Considering how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples live in regions with scarce resources or in sensitive environments.
Lesson Suggestions
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Water, plant and animal resources.
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https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/TeacherBackgroundInfo?id=56589
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Flora and Fauna: From Dreams to Fire: How Aboriginal Australians Shaped Biodiversity
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https://phys.org/news/2019-01-aboriginal-australians-biodiversity.html
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​https://www.indigenous.gov.au/teaching-guides/curricula-project/astronomy
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Guided bush walks with Noongar educators.
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Macroinvertebrate water quality testing.
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References:
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​Olsen & Russell (2019). Australia’s First Naturalists
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Pascoe (2018). Dark Emu. pp. 48-49. Well deepening.
Resources
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TBC
ASIA and Australia's Engagement with Asia
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Sustainability
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Content Description
Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
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Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
Elaboration
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Exploring how cultural stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples explain the cyclic phenomena involving sun, moon and stars and how those explanations differ from contemporary science understanding.
Lesson Suggestions
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Cultural stories explain movements of sun moon and stars
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​https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/TeacherBackgroundInfo?id=56601
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Aboriginal astronomy:
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https://www.indigenous.gov.au/teaching-guides/curricula-project/astronomy
Resources
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TBC
ASIA and Australia's Engagement with Asia
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Sustainability
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Content Description
Earth’s surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
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Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
Elaboration
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Considering how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ fire management practices over tens of thousands of years have changed the distribution of flora and fauna in most regions of Australia.
Lesson Suggestions
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Ecosystem management – flora and fauna; fire management.
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https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/TeacherBackgroundInfo?id=56647
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From Dreams to Fire: How Aboriginal Australians Shaped Biodiversity
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https://phys.org/news/2019-01-aboriginal-australians-biodiversity.html
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https://www.indigenous.gov.au/teaching-guides/curricula-project/astronomy
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Pascoe (2018). Dark Emu Fire pp. 161-176. Mosaic pattern of low-level burns.
Resources
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TBC
ASIA and Australia's Engagement with Asia
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Sustainability
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Content Description
The Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun).
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
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Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
Elaboration
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Researching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ understanding of the night sky and its use for timekeeping purposes as evidenced in oral cultural records, petroglyphs, paintings and stone arrangements.
Lesson Suggestions
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ observations of the recurrent patterns of celestial bodies in the sky have long been used as markers of time and as indicators of certain events.
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Use of message stick to remember and communicate time.
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​https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/TeacherBackgroundInfo?id=56653
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Aboriginal astronomy:
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https://www.indigenous.gov.au/teaching-guides/curricula-project/astronomy
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Emu in night sky.
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Optical Illusions (see 1 of 2 things but not at the same time. e.g. Candlestick/2 ladies; witch/beautiful lady. My visual experience of the world determined by culture and environments. E.g. emu feathers are dark and emu appears dark against red dust/stars.
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https://www.google.com.au/search?q=optical+illusions+candlestick&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiq-8XL9NrmAhUbcCsKHQegA-4QsAR6BAgJEAE&biw=1491&bih=657#spf=157762433411
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Pascoe (2018). Dark Emu pp. 177-208. The Heavens, Language, and the Law.
Resources
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TBC
ASIA and Australia's Engagement with Asia
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Sustainability
Elaboration
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TBC
Resources
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TBC
Content Description
Sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earth’s surface.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
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Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
Elaboration
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Researching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural stories that provide evidence of geological events.
Lesson Suggestions
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The oral traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are highly detailed and complex and enable knowledge from many thousands of years ago to be passed down unbroken through generations.
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https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/TeacherBackgroundInfo?id=56662
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https://www.indigenous.gov.au/teaching-guides/curricula-project/astronomy
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Experiments:
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Scootle Yr 6 Primary Connections: Earthquake Explorers
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Earthquake simulation with jelly & marshmallows:
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https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_natdis_lesson03_activity1
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Resources
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TBC
ASIA and Australia's Engagement with Asia
Elaboration
​
TBC
Resources
​
-
TBC
Sustainability
Elaboration
​
TBC
Resources
​
-
TBC
Content Description
Daily and seasonal changes in our environment affect everyday life.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
​​
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures
Elaboration
​
​Learning how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ concepts of time and weather patterns explain how things happen in the world around them.
Lesson Suggestions & Resources
-
Refs: CALM (1998). Exploring Woodlands with Nyoongars. Clothing. Pascoe (2018). Dark Emu. pp. 119-136.
OWC Catalogue
​ ​​
-
Refs: CALM (1998). Exploring Woodlands with Nyoongars. Clothing. Pascoe (2018). Dark Emu. pp. 119-136.
-
Testing LB.... Cool.org
-
​
ASIA and Australia's Engagement with Asia
Elaboration
​
​Linking the changes in the daily weather to the way we modify our behaviour and dress for different conditions, including examples from different cultures.
Resources
​
-
TBC
Sustainability
Elaboration
​
TBC
Resources
​
-
TBC