Key science concepts

What are the key science concepts for the year of schooling that I teach?

You need to spend time reviewing your current mandatory documents to identify the concepts you will be teaching in association with the students conducting scientific investigations.

The draft Australian Curriculum: Science outlines the following unifying ideas for 5-8 year olds:

• exploration

• observation

• order

• change

• questioning and speculation.

The curriculum focus is ‘awareness of self and local world’.

The unifying ideas for 8-12 year olds build on the earlier ones and also include:

• patterns

• systems

• relationships

• evidence and explanation.

The curriculum focus is ‘recognising questions that can be investigated scientifically and investigating them’.

The draft Australian Curriculum: Science encompasses the three interrelated areas of Science Inquiry Skills (incorporating skills and understanding of science as a way of knowing and doing), Science as a Human Endeavour (incorporating knowledge and understanding of the personal, social, environmental, cultural and historical significance and relevance of science), and Science Understanding (incorporating knowledge and understanding of the biological, physical, earth and space science). (Science Rationale)