Progression Point Examples in Science

The learning focus statement provides advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 3.

Level 3 standard

Science knowledge and understanding

At Level 3, students classify a range of materials such as solids, liquids and gases according to observable properties, and demonstrate understanding that this system of classification of substances is sometimes problematic. Students describe examples of reversible and non-reversible changes in substances.

Students identify the actions of forces in everyday situations. They use the words push and pull in discussing how things can be moved and stopped. They identify forms of energy and energy transformations in the everyday world. They use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe and explain their observations and investigations.

Students identify and describe the structural features of living things, including plants and animals. They identify how these features operate together to form systems which support living things to survive in their environments. They distinguish between biotic and abiotic factors in their environment and describe interactions that occur between them. They describe natural physical and biological conditions, and human influences in the environment, which affect the survival of living things. They describe the relationship between day and night and the rotation of the Earth. Students explain how features of the landscape are altered by processes of weathering and erosion.

Science at work

At Level 3, students plan, design, conduct and report collaboratively on experiments related to their questions about living and non-living things and events. They select and use simple measuring equipment, use a range of appropriate methods to record observations, and comment on trends. They describe the concept of a fair test and identify the variables associated with an experiment. They develop fair tests to make comparisons and explain how they have controlled experimental variables.

Students describe safety requirements and procedures associated with experiments. They explain how scientific knowledge is used, or could be used, to solve a social issue or problem. They describe aspects of the work of scientists and how this has contributed to science knowledge.

The learning focus statement provides advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 4.

Level 4 standard

Science knowledge and understanding

At Level 4, students explain change in terms of cause and effect. They identify the characteristics of physical and chemical changes. They describe how substances change during reactions. They identify and compare the properties of the new or changed material/s with those of the original material/s. Students explain the role of chemical change in the production of new materials. They qualitatively describe changes in motion in terms of the forces present.

Students apply the terms relationships, models and systems appropriately as ways of representing complex structures. They identify and explain the connections between systems in the human body and their various functions. They identify and explain the relationships that exist within and between food chains in the environment. Students use everyday examples to illustrate the transforming and transferring of energy. They explain how the Earth and the Moon operate as a simple system within the larger solar system. They describe the composition of layers within the Earth. They explain the function of the layers of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Science at work

At Level 4, students analyse a range of science-related local issues and describe the relevance of science to their own and other people’s lives. They explain how sustainable practices have been developed and/or are applied in their local environment. They describe the contributions Australian scientists have made to improve and/or change science knowledge.

Students design their own simple experiments to collect data and draw conclusions. They describe the purpose of experiments they undertake, including a statement of ethical considerations, and relate this purpose to the nature of the data that is collected. They design and build simple models and write an account of the science that is central to explanation of the model. They use diagrams and symbols to explain procedures used when reporting on their investigations.

Students approach data collection systematically, and analyse data qualitatively in terms of errors of measurement. They use a range of simple measuring instruments and materials, and demonstrate understanding of their personal responsibility in using them. They identify and describe safety requirements and procedures associated with experiments and the use of standard equipment. Students use the terms relationships and cause and effect when discussing and drawing conclusions from the data they collect.

The learning focus statement provides advice about learning experiences that will assist students to work towards the achievement of the standards at Level 6.

Level 6 standard

Science knowledge and understanding

At Level 6, students explain the behaviour and properties of materials in terms of their constituent particles and the forces holding them together. They explain how similarities in the chemical behaviour of elements and their compounds and their atomic structures are represented in the way the periodic table has been constructed. They use the periodic table to write electronic configurations for a range of elements representative of the major groups and periods in the periodic table. They use atomic symbols and balanced chemical equations to summarise chemical reactions, including neutralisation, precipitation and combustion. They identify and classify the sources of wastes generated, and describe their management, within the community and in industry. They use a specific example to explain the sustainable management of a resource.

Students explain change in terms of energy in a range of biological, chemical and physical contexts. They demonstrate the link between natural selection and evolution. They explain the role of DNA and genes in cell division and genetic inheritance. They explain how the coordination and regulatory functions within plants and animals assist them to survive in their environments. They explain how the action of micro-organisms can be both beneficial and detrimental to society. Students apply concepts of geological time to elaborate their explanations of both natural selection and evolution, and the origin and evolution of the Universe. They give both qualitative and quantitative explanations of the relationships between force, mass and movement.

Science at work

At Level 6, students describe the science base of science-related occupations in their local community. They use the relevant science concepts and relationships as one dimension of debating contentious and/or ethically based science-related issues of broad community concern. They demonstrate an awareness of the ways in which scientific vocabulary is used incorrectly in the mass media, distinguishing between the intended meaning of such terms and their meaning in non-scientific contexts. They provide two examples of the work of scientists that demonstrate different approaches to developing scientific knowledge or solving a scientific problem.

Students formulate their own hypotheses and plan and conduct investigations in order to prove or disprove them. They use chemicals (including biomaterials), equipment, electronic components and instruments responsibly and safely. They select appropriate equipment and measurement procedures that will ensure a high degree of reliability in data collected and enable valid conclusions to be drawn. They construct working models and visual aids that demonstrate scientific ideas. They present experimental results using appropriate data presentation formats, and comment on the nature of experimental errors. They use Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and risk assessment to evaluate the safety of their investigations. They evaluate the appropriateness of the experimental design and methodology used to investigate their predictions.