K-10 Syllabus

Early Adolescence (8-10) Science Syllabus

The Early Adolescence (8-10) Science Syllabus is designed to support teachers with planning and delivering learning, teaching and assessment programs in the context of the Curriculum Framework. The syllabus details content at each year of schooling across the early adolescence phase of development. When using these advisory materials, teachers will continue to make professional judgements about when to introduce content based on students' prior learning and achievement.

Last Updated: Tuesday, 04 March 2008 12:01

Click a heading below to expand. Early Adolescence (8-10) Science Syllabus
Purpose

Download: Purpose of the Early Adolescence (8-10) Science Syllabus

This syllabus provides teachers with advice about content, planning, teaching and assessment in Science in years 8-10.

Connections with other curriculum policy and support documents
This syllabus is consistent with, and can be used in conjunction with, the following policy and support documents:

  • Science Learning Area Statement in the Curriculum Framework for Kindergarten to Year 12 Education in Western Australia produced by the Curriculum Council of Western Australia.
    The Curriculum Framework establishes the learning outcomes expected of all Western Australian students from kindergarten to year 12.
  • The Curriculum Council’s Curriculum Framework Progress Maps - Science.
    These describe progressive student achievement in Science from kindergarten to year 12 and are a guide for monitoring and planning for student achievement.
  • The Department of Education and Training’s Outcomes and Standards Framework - Science.
    This is similar to the Science Progress Maps but also includes Achievement Targets for years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in WA public schools.
  • The Curriculum Council’s Curriculum Framework Curriculum Guide - Science.
    This describes, in phases of development, content to support students’ progress in Science from kindergarten to year 12.
  • The MCEETYA National Consistency in Curriculum Outcomes (NCCO) Statements of Learning.
    These are statements of learning agreed to by State and Territory Ministers for Education and are intended to provide greater consistency in curriculum outcomes across Australia.

As part of a K-12 approach to Science, this syllabus also:
Rationale

Download: Rationale for teaching Science - in the early adolescence phase of development

Key features of Science
Science involves the study of the physical, biological and technological world. It uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain phenomena. Science develops students’ abilities to:
  • pose questions, form and test hypotheses and evaluate evidence
  • communicate understandings in scientifically appropriate ways
  • understand themselves and the world around them
  • consider consequences and make informed decisions about the use of science in society and the application of science in daily life.

Organisation of the Science learning area
Nine outcomes are identified in the Curriculum Framework Science Learning Area Statement. These are grouped into the following two areas:
  • Working Scientifically
  • Science conceptual outcomes.

Working Scientifically refers to the skills and processes involved in Science. These are:
  • Investigating
  • Communicating Scientifically
  • Science in Daily Life
  • Science in Society.

Science conceptual outcomes encompass:
  • Earth and Beyond
  • Energy and Change
  • Life and Living
  • Natural and Processed Materials.


The scope and sequence statements in this syllabus are structured around the four Science conceptual outcomes. The other four Working Scientifically outcomes are incorporated within the four Science conceptual outcomes.

Phase of Development

Download: Science in the Early Adolescence phase of development

Teaching Science in years 8-10
The Curriculum Framework identifies seven principles of effective learning and teaching:
  • opportunity to learn
  • connection and challenge
  • action and reflection
  • motivation and purpose
  • inclusivity and difference
  • independence and collaboration
  • supportive environment.


Click here for suggestions on how the principles of effective learning and teaching can be incorporated into the teaching of Science in years 8-10 in ways which take account of students’ current stages of development.

Content

Download: Content
Download: K-10 overviews
Download: Scope and sequence statements

Content in this syllabus is organised into:
  • K-10 overviews of suggested text types for each Science learning outcome
  • scope and sequence statements expressed in year levels to provide advice on starting points for learning, teaching and assessment programs.

Note: The K-10 overviews are presented as A3-sized Adobe PDF's in landscape orientation. If you do not have access to an A3 printer, see the Help section for suggested solutions.

Planning

Download: Planning for learning in Science

When using the content in this syllabus to plan for learning in Science, teachers need to take into account the following:
Assessment

Download: Assessment in Science

The purpose of assessment in Science is to monitor students' progress to:
  • provide feedback
  • inform planning, teaching and reporting.

When assessing, Science teachers need to take into account the Curriculum Framework’s principles of assessment and keep in mind the following:
  • assessment relies on teachers’ professional judgements
  • assessment should be referenced to common standards as described in the Curriculum Framework Progress Maps - Science / Outcomes and Standards Framework - Science
  • Science teachers do not have to formally level or grade every piece of student work
  • Science Departments should have an assessment policy which is communicated to students and other members of the school community
  • assessment can be undertaken in a variety of ways including via collection and marking of student work, observation, checklists, portfolios, recordings and anecdotal records
  • Science teachers can select from a range of published or teacher developed resources to record assessment information.

Download Complete Syllabus (ZIP)