UNIT 3 – LOCAL ECOSYSTEMSTUDIES

  • UNIT 4 – VEHICLES ANDDRIVERS

Assessment / Suggested Due Date & Validation or Test / Weighting
Task 1: Science Inquiry (Practical and Investigation) – Measuring and Comparing the Abiotic Factors of two Aquatic Systems / Term 1 Week 3 / 10%
Task 2: Science inquiry (investigation) – Analysis of Salinity Trends in Major Southwest Rivers of WA / Term 1 Week 5 / 10%
Task 3: Test – Earth systems/cycles in nature and structure and function of biological systems / Term 1 Week 7 / 3%
Task 4: Extended response (research and validation) – Climatic events impacting on the carrying capacity of a population / Term 1 Week 10 / 10%
Task 5: Test – Ecosystems, sustainability and species continuity and change / Term 2 Week 3 / 4%
Task 6: Externally set task / Term 2 Week 5 / 15%
Task 7: Science Inquiry (Investigation) – Factors affecting the severity of collision / Term 2 Week 9 / 10%
Task 8: Extended Response (Research & Validation) – Energy Changes in Vehicles [10%] / Term 3 Week 2 / 10%
Task 9: Test – Motion, Forces and Energy / Term 3 Week 4 / 4%
Task 10: Extended Response (Research and Validation) – Materials used in the manufacture of safety design features in vehicles / Term 3 Week 5 / 10%
Task 11: Science Inquiry (Practical) –
Chemical Reactions / Term 3 Week 7 / 10%
Task 12: Test – Chemical reactions, mixtures and solutions / Term 3 Week 9 / 4%

Assessment Structure - 2018

Type of assessment / Unit 3 / Unit 4 / Total / Curriculum Council range
Science Inquiry / 20% / 20% / 40% / 40%
Extended Response / 10% / 20% / 30% / 30%
Test / 7% / 8% / 15% / 15%
Externally Set Task / 15% / - / 15% / 15%

Science Inquiry

Science inquiry involves identifying and posing questions; planning, conducting and reflecting on investigations; processing, analysing and interpreting data; and communicating findings. Students evaluate claims, investigate ideas, solve problems, reason, draw valid conclusions, and/or develop evidence-based arguments.

Science Inquiry: Practical

Practical work can involve a range of activities, such as practical tests; modelling and simulations; qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of second-hand data; and/or brief summaries of practical activities.

Science Inquiry: Investigation

Investigations are more extensive activities, which can include experimental testing; conducting surveys; and/or comprehensive scientific reports.

Extended response

Tasks requiring an extended response can involve: selecting and integrating appropriate science concepts, models and theories to explain and predict phenomena, and applying those concepts, models and theories to new situations; interpreting scientific and/or media texts and evaluating processes, claims and conclusions by considering the quality of available evidence; and using reasoning to construct scientific arguments.

Assessment may take the form of answers to specific questions based on individual research; exercises requiring analysis; and interpretation and evaluation of information in scientific journals, media texts and/or advertising.

Test

Tests typically consist of multiple-choice questions and questions requiring short and extended answers. Tests should be designed so that students can apply their understanding and skills in the Integrated Science General course.

Externally set task

A written task or item or set of items of one hour duration developed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority and administered by the school.

Assessment Type / Assessment Type Weighting / Assessment Task Weighting / When / Assessment Task
Science Inquiry / 40% / 10% / Term 1 Week 3 / Task 1 Science Inquiry (Practical and Investigation): Measuring and Comparing the Abiotic Factors of two Aquatic Systems
10% / Term 1 Week 5 / Task 2: Science inquiry (investigation) – Analysis of Salinity Trends in Major Southwest Rivers of WA
10% / Term 2 Week 9 / Task 7: Science Inquiry (Investigation) – Factors affecting the severity of collision
10% / Term 3 Week 7 / Task 11: Science Inquiry (Practical) – Chemical Reactions
Extended Response / 30% / 10% / Term 1 Week 10 / Task 4: Extended response (research and validation) – Climatic events impacting on the carrying capacity of a population
10% / Term 3 Week 2 / Task 8: Extended Response (Research Validation) – Energy Changes in Vehicles [10%]
10% / Term 3 Week 5 / Task 10: Extended Response (Research and Validation) – Materials used in the manufacture of safety design features in vehicles
Test / 15% / 3% / Term 1 Week 7 / Task 3 Test: Earth systems/cycles in nature and structure and function of biological systems
4% / Term 2 Week 4 / Task 5: Test – Ecosystems, sustainability and species continuity and change
4% / Term 3 Week 4 / Task 9: Test – Motion, Forces and Energy
4% / Term 3 Week 9 / Task 12: Test – Chemical reactions, mixtures and solutions
Externally Set Task / 15% / 15% / Term 2 Week 6 / Task 6: Externally set task – A task set by the SCSA based on the following content from Unit 3:

4

Task 5: Externally set task – A task set by the SCSA based on the following content fromUnit 3:

Below is an extract from the Integrated Science General Course Year 12 syllabus, featuring all of the content for Unit 3. The content that has been highlighted in the document is the content on which the Externally set task (EST) for 2017 will be based.

Unit content

This unit includes the knowledge, understandings and skills described below. The order and detail in which the key concepts are organised into teaching/learning programs are decisions to be made by the teacher.

Science Inquiry Skills


  • plan, select and use appropriate investigation methods, including pre-testing, to collect reliable data; assess risk and address ethical issues associated with thesemethods
  • conduct investigations safely, competently and methodically for the collection of valid and reliabledata


  • interpret a range of scientific and media texts and evaluate the conclusions by considering the quality of availableevidence


Science as a Human Endeavour


  • scientific knowledge can enable scientists to offer valid explanations and make reliable predictions
  • scientific knowledge can be used to develop and evaluate projected economic, social and environmental impacts, and to design action forsustainability

Science Understanding

Earth systems/cycles in nature

  • differences in geographical and physical conditions result in a wide variety ofecosystems


  • there is interaction between organisms, biological communities and the abiotic environment in which theylive
  • the biotic components of an ecosystem transfer and transform energy, originating primarily from the sun, intobiomass

biotic components interact with abiotic components to facilitate biogeochemicalcycling

  • producers, consumers and decomposers have a role in the transfer of energy in anecosystem
  • food chains and food webs show the feeding relationships between organisms within a community
  • the amount of energy transferred between trophic levels in food chains and food webs diminishes as the trophic levelincreases

Structure and function of biological systems

  • modes of interactions between species in ecosystems include competition, predation and symbiosis (mutualism, commensalism andparasitism)
  • species interactions affect population densities and are important in determining community structure andcomposition

Ecosystems and sustainability


  • biodiversity includes the diversity of genetics, species and ecosystems; biodiversity changes naturally over time, and varies due to differences inlocation
  • human interference is threatening biodiversity through deterioration of ecosystems and diminishing habitatareas

Species continuity and change

  • changes in ecosystems affect the survival of organisms within the ecosystem; individual variation assists survival, which over time results in changes in characteristics of thespecies
  • variation in the form of suitable characteristics assists survival ofindividuals
  • environmental changes may lead to selection of advantageous biological characteristics within a species