Year 9 Science standard elaborations A B C D E The folio of student work has the following characteristics: Science understanding Chemical sciences justified explanation of chemical processes and natural radioactivity in terms of atoms and energy transfers thorough description of important chemical reactions informed explanation of chemical processes and natural radioactivity in terms of atoms and energy transfers informed description of important chemical reactions explanation of chemical processes and natural radioactivity in terms of atoms and energy transfers description of important chemical reactions description of chemical processes and natural radioactivity in terms of atoms and energy transfers identification of chemical reactions statements about: chemical processes chemical reactions Physical sciences thorough description of models of energy transfer which can be applied to provide justified explanation of phenomena informed description of models of energy transfer which can be applied to provide informed explanation of phenomena description of models of energy transfer which can be applied to provide explanation of phenomena description of models of energy transfer which can be applied to provide description of phenomena statements about energy transfer Earth and space sciences justified explanation of global features and events in terms of geological processes and timescales informed explanation of global features and events in terms of geological processes and timescales explanation of global features and events in terms of geological processes and timescales description of global features and events with reference to geological processes and timescales statements about global features and events Biological sciences critical analysis of how biological systems function and respond to external changes with reference to interdependencies, energy transfers and flows of matter informed analysis of how biological systems function and respond to external changes with reference to interdependencies, energy transfers and flows of matter analysis of how biological systems function and respond to external changes with reference to interdependencies, energy transfers and flows of matter description of how biological systems function and respond to external changes statements about biological systems
Science as a human endeavour Nature and development of science explanation of how social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments informed description of social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments description of social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments identification of factors that have influenced scientific developments statements about scientific developments Use and influence of science justified prediction of how future applications of science and technology may affect peoples’ lives informed prediction of how future applications of science and technology may affect peoples’ lives prediction of how future applications of science and technology may affect people’s lives prediction of applications of science and technology statements about applications of science and technology Science inquiry skills Questioning and predicting design of questions and justified hypotheses that can be investigated using a range of inquiry skills design of questions and informed hypotheses that can be investigated using a range of inquiry skills design of questions that can be investigated using a range of inquiry skills guided design of questions that can be investigated directed design of questions that can be investigated
Science inquiry skills Planning and conducting design and refinement of methods that include: the control, and accurate measurement of variables to ensure the systematic collection and recording of reliable data description of how to manage safety and ethical considerations design of methods that include: the control and accurate measurement of variables to ensure the systematic collection and recording of data description of the implications of ethical and safety and considerations design of methods that include: the control and accurate measurement of variables systematic collection of data description of ethical and safety considerations partial design of methods that include: the control variables the collection of data identification of ethical and safety and considerations use of provided methods identification of safety considerations Processing and analysing data and information analysis of trends in data to identify and explain relationships between variables to: draw justified conclusions identify and explain inconsistencies in results analysis of trends in data to identify and describe relationships between variables to: draw conclusions consistent with evidence identify and describe inconsistencies in results analysis of trends in data to: identify relationships between variables reveal inconsistencies in results statements about trends and inconsistencies in data statements about data
Skills dimension Science inquiry skills Evaluating analysis of own methods and the quality of own data to inform: justified explanation of effective actions to improve the quality of their evidence critical evaluation of others’ methods and explanations from a scientific perspective analysis of own methods and the quality of own data to inform: explanation of effective actions to improve the quality of their evidence informed evaluation of others’ methods and explanations from a scientific perspective analysis of own methods and the quality of own data explanation of specific actions to improve the quality of own evidence evaluation of others’ methods and explanations from a scientific perspective descriptions of: own methods and data others’ methods and explanations statements about methods, data and explanations Communicating concise and coherent use of appropriate language and accurate representations when communicating findings and ideas to specific audiences coherent use of appropriate language and accurate representations when communicating findings and ideas to specific audiences use of appropriate language and representations when communicating findings and ideas to specific audiences use of everyday language and representations when communicating findings and ideas to audiences fragmented use of language and representations when communicating findings and ideas to audiences Shading emphasises the qualities that discriminate between the A–E descriptors.