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Listed under:  Science  >  Scientific inquiry  >  Observations (Data)
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Ramps and rollers

This activity invites students to explore the phenomena of rolling objects down a ramp and investigate the question, 'What happens to a roller when you change the ramp by making it steeper?' Students experiment by rolling balls or cylinders down a ramp, and observe how the ramp's steepness affects how far their roller rolls ...

Online

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.

Interactive

Refraction

Students use this resource consisting of ten slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand refraction of light and know some examples. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Online

reSolve: Data - Making decisions

This sequence of two lessons explores data collection, representation and interpretation, particularly graphs. Students are presented with unlabelled graphs and invited to add their own labels and create a story to describe the graph. They are then asked to conduct an experiment testing the viscosity of household substances ...

Online

reSolve: Probability

This sequence of four lessons explores probability in real world situations including advertising, games and population sampling. Students calculate probabilities, represent probabilities as fractions, decimals and percentages, perform chance experiments with small and large sample sizes and graph their results, examine ...

Online

reSolve: Probability - Rock Paper Scissors

In this sequence of two lessons, students determine their chances of winning the game 'rock paper scissors', then test their chances by playing against another player and in a simulated game. Students look at the psychological aspect of the game and recognise that there is a strategy to increase your chance of winning. ...

Online

reSolve: Scrabble Stats

This sequence of lessons invites students to collect data about letter frequency in a variety of text sources. They use their findings to critically evaluate letter point values in Scrabble, compare them to historical values, create their own themed Scrabble point values and to decipher an encoded excerpt of text. Each ...

Online

reSolve: Sport Stats

In this lesson, students examine sporting scores and explore the concept of the average of a set of scores. Students collect sporting scores from real and hypothetical games, use blocks to visualise an even distribution of scores across matches and then explore how to calculate the average of a set of scores. The lesson ...

Video

Robot biomimicry

This 9 minute video segment from Catalyst shows how inspiration from the world of animals has helped in the mechanical design of robots and adhesive materials.

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Royal Botanic Gardens

This seven and a half minute video segment from Catalyst emphasises the importance of collections in science. The Royal Botanic Gardens is the oldest scientific research organisation in Australia. The history of the gardens is outlined up to its current status as the home to almost 9,000 different species of plants. Paul ...

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Sam the Lamb: Does wool burn?

This short entertaining video, narrated by ‘Sam the Lamb’ and 'Professors' Madeleine and Daisy test which fabrics burn easily and which fabrics are the most flame resistant. Sam and his science team test the flammability of a range of synthetic and natural fabrics including polyester, polar fleece, cotton and wool.

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Sam the Lamb: properties of wool

This short video, narrated by ‘Sam the Lamb’ and a group of young wool enthusiasts, explores the properties of one of nature’s most versatile fibres. Viewers will discover how wool can stretch and return to its natural shape when worn; why wool is safe to wear around campfires and in the sun, and how wool can manages moisture ...

Online

Saving our Soils

This is a unit of work about the characteristics of soil and the important role soil plays in supporting life on Earth. The unit is divided into seven activity sequences that explore the definition of soil; the characteristics of soil types; the effects of soil nutrients on plant growth; and the role of ground cover in ...

Interactive

Science talk 2007: Adam Cawley

An interview with Adam Cawley, a chemist and scientist from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, who is an expert in drug testing in sport. Adam talks to a teacher from Killara High School about working as a chemist, and the challenges in drug testing.

Interactive

Science Talk 2007: Tim Entwistle

An interview and tour of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney and its herbarium with Dr Tim Entwistle, a plant scientist and the NSW Government Botanist. Tim talks to a pre-service teacher from Macquarie University about his love of plants, in particular freshwater algae. In the herbarium we find out why it is so important ...

Interactive

Seasons

Control the motion of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Work out how the Earth’s orbit and the tilt of its axis determine seasons in the different hemispheres. Work out how the Earth’s orbit and the tilt of its axis determine day length in the different hemispheres. Examine the heating effect of the Sun. Compare seasons ...

Online

Secondary science: models and simulations

These seven learning activities, which focus on 'models and simulations' using a variety of tools (software) and devices (hardware), illustrate the ways in which content, pedagogy and technology can be successfully and effectively integrated in order to promote learning. In the activities, teachers assist students to interpret, ...

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Shadows

This activity invites students to explore the phenomena of shadows and investigate the question, 'How can you change shadows?' Students work with shadow phenomena outdoors, indoors, or both to figure out how to change the size, shape, and position of a shadow. The activity is designed for use at home or in a classroom and ...

Interactive

Sites2See: Exploring energy for Primary

One page with links to websites with interactive resources, information and activities to support primary students investigating energy and the Climate Clever Energy Savers program.

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Solvent extraction of copper

Carry out an experimental investigation like those used in industrial laboratories. This is a fact sheet giving information and instructions for an experiment investigating the recovery of copper metal from ore using solvent extraction. It includes background information on the industrial process and chemistry involved, ...