Scientific Studies - Stage 2

Mandatory: No

Duration: Full year

Description

Themes and topics will be selected by the students/teacher at the beginning of the course.

Examples of possible themes and topics include:

• The implications of human intervention through science: recycling; genetic modification of plants and animals; nuclear power; the Human Genome Project; alternative energy
• The impact of science on my community and me: sports science, farm science; aquatics; the marine world; cultural perspectives
• The possible impacts of science in Australia and the broader global community over the next 50 years: climate change; space travel and exploration; water quality; food technologies; transport; housing; air quality; diet and health; forensic science

While these possible themes and topics are similar to the Stage 1 course, students at Stage 2 will investigate themes and topics in more detail and may select differing topics than those studied at Stage 1.

Stage 2 Scientific Studies students will be required to have an understanding of Key Ideas, these include:

• Purposes of Investigations
• Questions and Hypotheses
• Designing Investigations and Experiments
• Conducting Investigations
• Information and Data
• Interpretation and Evaluation
• Alternative Views
• Communication

Intended Student Learning in Stage 2 Scientific Studies includes:

• Identify variables in a practical investigation
• Follow instructions accurately and safely
• Distinguish between random and systematic errors
• State which result of two or more experiments is most accurate, given the true value
• Obtain information from different sources
• Evaluate for bias, credibility, accuracy and suitability the information obtained from a source
• Present a justification of, or evidence for, a personal view

A variety of assessment tasks will be used over the course of the year to enable students to achieve at their individual best alongside the relevant Performance Standards for this subject.